A split album that combines work from 2 different early 10" LPs on Bethlehem – both led by some of the best bassists to record for the label at the time! The first 6 tracks are classic work by Oscar Pettiford – some of his best as a leader, and cut with a hip group that includes Charlie Rouse on tenor, Duke Jordan on piano, and Julius Watkins on French horn. The tracks swing nicely with a strong modernist bop influence – and titles include "Cable Car", "Tricotism", "Oscar Rides Again", and "Golden Touch". The other 8 tracks are a bit mellower, but still quite modern – and with a really fresh approach. Recorded by Vinnie Burke's quartet, they feature a very unusual lineup of bass, clarinet, accordion, and guitar – the latter of which is played by the enigmatic Joe Cinderella, of Gil Melle group fame, and who gives the record a similar feeling to Melle's strange work for Blue Note. Titles include "For All We Know", "Time Out", "On The Alamo", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". CD

Great stuff – and one of the most interesting compilations we've heard in ages! The record blends together tracks from the rich jazz and gospel catalogs of Atlantic Records – shifting effortlessly between vocal and instrumental numbers in a spiritual package of tracks – slow and soulful, fast and funky, and with a change in mode at every new track! Titles include "Prayed & I Prayed" by Myrna Summers, "I Came To Praise Him" by The Stovall Sisters, "Young Man" by Oscar Brown Jr, "Rosalie" by Yusef Lateef, "Shiloh" by David Newman, "I'll Be So Glad When I Get Home" by Morning Star Gospel Singers, "Silver City Bound" by Clifford Jordan, "Live Humble" by Yusef Lateef, "Hang On In There" by Stovall Sisters, and "Witness" by Myrna Summers. Pretty darn fresh all the way through, and with a style that will really surprise you! CD

An interesting record that collects the output of the rare Savoy subsidiary Signal. The label released recordings in the Music Minus One vein, but used the then new stereo technology to separate out the soloist, and always featured top flight soloists and rhythm sections. For this reissue the mix has been restored so it plays like a normal recording. The list of participants is great, and includes Gigi Gryce, Duke Jordan, Oscar Pettiford, Kenny Clarke, Phil Woods, Hall Overton, Teddy Kotick, Art Farmer, Horace Silver, Thelonious Monk,Percy Heath, Art Blakey and more, and the playing throughout is a step above what you'd expect from this sort of recording. There's 18 tracks in all, with quite a few standards as you'd expect from a recording of this nature, including "Embraceable You", "Jordu", "Oh Yeah", "Yesterdays", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Smoke Signal", "Nica's Tempo" and loads more. LP, Vinyl record album

Features Taft Jordan and Cat Anderson on trumpet, Wilbur De Paris on trombone, Johnny Hodges on saxophone, Al Lucas on guitar, and Oscar Pettiford on bass. CD

With sidemen including Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson, Lawrence Brown, Wilbur De Paris, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Oscar Pettiford, Sonny Greer, and others. LP, Vinyl record album