An expanded setting for the Modern Jazz Quartet – and a very compelling little record that has the core combo augmented by larger orchestrations from Gunther Schuller – who has a very sympathetic ear for their sound! Schuller's charts are never overwhelming – and instead shade things in with subtle strings and cascading colors that work perfectly with the piano of John Lewis and vibes of Milt Jackson – modes that echo their more modern elements, yet still retain the sense of warmth that always kept the MJQ from ever sounding too academic. In a way, the larger backdrops almost give the music a jazz soundtrack feel – maybe more so than some of the group's smaller lineup outings for film. Titles include "England's Carol", "Around The Blues", "Divertimento", and "Concertino For Jazz Quartet & Orchestra". LP, Vinyl record album

On the one hand, our jazz snob side wonders why Diana Ross would be picked to star as Billie Holiday, but on the other, it makes perfect sense, as this soundtrack to the film was made during the early 70s, when she was at the top of her career, and one of the highest profile female soul singers. And she acquits herself quite well, with a solid performance that's more than respectable, helped along the way by sympathetic orchestral arrangements from Benny Golson and Oliver Nelson. While we may not turn to this recording over any of Billie's originals, it's a pretty remarkable turning point for Diana, establishing her "diva" status and helping to launch her solo career to new heights. 35 numbers in all, though many of them are dialogue or musical bits lifted from the film. Includes "All Of Me", "the Man I Love", "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Fine & Mellow", "You've Changed", "My Man", "Strange Fruit" and "God Bless The Child". CD

A great little set of grooves by organist Lonnie Smith – and one of his best albums ever! The key to Drives is that it finds Lonnie backed by a totally sympathetic group of musicians – including Ronnie Cuber on baritone, Dave Hubbard on tenor, and the great Joe Dukes on drums – whomping away on the kit with all the dexterity he brought to Jack McDuff's classic recordings of the mid 60s! There's a measured funkiness in spots that's totally killer – with sparer moments that are just as impressive – with great solos by the players. Excellent stuff – including the original "Psychedelic Pi", great covers of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Seven Steps to Heaven", the funky "Twenty Five Miles", plus "Spinning Wheel". CD

Pianist Vijay Iyer has left his own very strong mark on the world of jazz in the past decade or so – but here, he's in a completely different setting, and a surprisingly strong fit for the sort of spirit we're used to hearing from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith! The set also features drummer Jack DeJohnette – and there's a sense of dynamic interaction and sympathetic creativity that graces the entire album from the start – that special spirit that Smith always seems to bring to a recording, which really opens up Iyer on piano, Hammond, and Fender Rhodes – while DeJohnette explores the farther reaches of his spectrum as well. Titles include "Song For World Forgiveness", "Rocket", "Deep Time 1", and "The AD Opera" – a long piece dedicated to Anthony Davis. CD

Al Green's first major album, and a killer batch of Memphis soul tracks with a sound that's a bit rawer than later years! The formula for the hits is firmly in place – and Al's beautiful voice is swept up wonderfully in very sympathetic production by the great Willie Mitchell. Although Mitchell had worked fine on his own before the record, it's his work with Green that really pushes him to the top of the soul hall of fame – as it's hard to imagine how anyone could have come up with a better showcase for Al's amazing voice. Proof of this can be heard on the record's great original tunes by Green – like "All Because", "I'm A Ram", "You Say It", and the classic "Tired Of Being Alone" – as well as on covers like "Driving Wheel", "Can't Get Next To You", and "Light My Fire". CD features new remastering – and bonus tracks "Ride Sally Ride", "True Love", and "I'm Standing By". CD

Muddy Waters in Paris – quite far from the Windy City he called home for all of his key years, but still sounding great, in a very classic Chicago blues mode! The performance features some nice extended numbers that seem to go even farther than some of Waters' 60s live work (and definitely his studio sides) – and the very sympathetic group features Pinetop Perkins on piano, Louis Myers on guitar, Mojo Buford on harmonica, and Willie Smith on drums – a lean, laidback combo that leaves plenty of room for Muddy's vocalizations and guitar – as well as some sweet solos from Perkins too. Titles include "Blow Wind Blow", "Clouds In My Heart", "County Jail", "Rollin N Tumblin", "Walkin Through The Park", "Honey Bee", and "Got My Mojo Workin". CD

A pair of seminal albums from this 60s country giant – back to back on a single CD! First up is a record that proudly states one of the key songs that put Tammy Wynette on the map – her famous tune "DIVORCE", which was a cut that broke big during the years of "whispered secrets" themes in country music hits! Most of the rest of the album features tracks cut first by other artists, but Wynette does a really great job with the tunes – as her honest vocal warble really makes the lyrics her own, and captivates us with her balance between heartbreak and pride! Titles include "Honey", "Come On Home", "Kiss Away", "All Night Long", "Sweet Dreams", "Legend Of Bonnie & Clyde", and "When There's A Fire In Your Heart". Stand By Your Man may well be Tammy's finest solo album, and one of the greatest country vocal tunes! Her previous D-I-V-O-R-C-E LP pretty much paved the way for the proud, sympathetic figure she would play throughout the rest of her career. But on that album, as with most of the ladies of 60s country, she was largely relegated to giving a pretty presentation to tunes that were already hits for others. Stand By Your Man on the other hand was Tammy's album all the way, with most of the songs written specifically for her enormous strengths as a vocalist. It will sound as great 100 years from now as it did 30 years ago. And in addition to the title track "Stand By Your Man", other tracks include "It's My Way", "Forever Yours", "I Stayed Long Enough", "I've Learned", "Cry, Cry Again", "If I Were A Little Girl", and more. CD

Alexander's second outing for the Milestone label (hence the title), and a wonderful album of soulful tenor tracks that has him working in a quintet with Harold Mabern on piano and Jim Rotondi on trumpet. Mabern and Alexander have, by this time, forged quite a sympathetic relationship – and, dare we say it, their pairing here reminds us a lot of the warmly soulful styles forged by Mabern and Frank Strozier in years past. The set's sparkling with original tunes that include "The Man From Hyde Park", "Luna Naranja", and "The Second Milestone" – plus Mabern's classic "John Neely Beautiful People", and great versions of "Estate" and "Matchmaker Matchmaker". CD

Three really fantastic musicians – working together to turn out one the best records we've ever heard from any of them in years! Make no mistake, we love these guys in all sorts of other settings – but here, there's something really special, and definitely a cut above – this warm sense of spontaneous creation that almost seems to call up an image of the musicians as they work together – Mike Reed on drums, Tomeka Reid on cello, and Nicole Mitchell on flutes and electronics! There's a magic here that really represents the Chicago scene at its finest – the kind of sympathetic, respectful collaboration in which already-strong artists move each other forward together – a magic we hope you'll share on titles that include "AF", "Reflections", "No Side Effects", "JJ", "Soprano Song", "In Response To", and "Blessed". CD

The cornet work of Kirk Knuffke is always a treat, and Kirk is one of our favorite players in the world of brass in recent years – but it sounds especially nice here in the company of the great Karl Berger – who adds in vibes, Fender Rhodes, and even a bit of melodica – all in ways that really seem to bring out some new energy and different phrasing in Knuffke's horn! Both musicians have a distinct presence on their own, but really unite here with sympathetic vibrations that are great – not their first time together, but maybe their best pairing on record so far – working here in a quartet with Jay Anderson on bass and Matt Wilson on drums. The title track is a remake of the Pharoah Sanders tune of the same name, and the group also served up a nice version of Don Cherry's "Ganesh" – alongside originals that include "Why Not", "Noble Heart", "Ornette", "Gentle Giant", and "Before Or Since". CD

A wonderful collection of duets between Braxton and disciple John Lindberg, who proves a sympathetic foil on bass for Braxton's cerebral approach to reeds and to composition. 6 numbers in all: "Composition No 69B", "Composition No 69A", "Composition No 23J", "Composition No 6A", "Composition No 69P" and "Composition No 6N". CD features 2 bonus tracks! CD

Three vocal gems in a single set! First up is It Might As Well Be Love – a record that's a perfect example of the way that Ann Burton really stands out among the field of female jazz vocalists – as an artist who's both able to continue a classic legacy, yet also bring all sorts of special inflections and expressions of her own to really transform the music! At first glance, the record's in familiar territory – with combo backing from Mike Renzi on piano, Jay Berliner on guitar, Buster Williams on bass, and Grady Tate on drums – but the choice of material and Ann's execution really take the album into something fresh, different, and really unique – that little something extra that always makes Burton's more obscure albums always worth seeking out! Titles include "Sooner Or Later", "After You", "I Like You You're Nice", "Humpty Dumpty Heart", and "What'll I Do". That's All is an easygoing live set from vocalist Ann Burton – one that has her working with the trio of pianist Rob Agerbeek, and which features a few guest appearances from Mark Murphy! The whole thing's got an approach that makes you feel like you're right in the club with Ann – as Rob's trio handle a few titles instrumentally, then Ann steps in for vocals, and Mark Murphy makes a surprise appearance at the end. Recording quality is great – clean and clear, but never too much so to lose the spontaneity of the performance – and Ann herself is especially wonderful in the way she slides easily into the tunes, and sings them with a lively punch that really gives them a bit of new life. Titles include "Dreamer", "Blue Bossa", "Time Was", "My Gentleman Friend", "My Buddy", "I Wish I Were In Love Again", and "That's All". New York State Of Mind is wonderfully laidback vocal work from Ann Burton – a richly talented singer who really sounds best in a setting like this! The album's got Burton working with a trio – Grady Tate on drums, Buster Williams on bass, and sweet acoustic and electric piano from Michael Renzi. Burton interprets the tunes here with a classic care that's rare for a vocalist of her generation. The set was produced by Helen Merrill, which might well account for an approach that works so sympathetically with warm vocals. Titles include "You Started Something", "All Too Soon", "Never Never Land", "Come In From The Rain", and "I Can Dream, Can't I?" CD

A wonderful comeback from the great Andrew Hill – a sweet return to the Blue Note label, after dropping off the recording scene a bit at the end of the 70s! Hill first rose to greatness on the label, and returns to the same here too – in a mode that echoes the edges of his "new thing" years, but also has a warmer feel too – one that's different than the style of his Grass Roots album, but also much stronger than most of the other records he'd done in the years in between too. The group's a very sympathetic quintet – with mighty vibes from Bobby Hutcherson, plus alto sax from Greg Osby, bass from Rufus Reid, and drums from Ben Riley. Titles include "Pinnacle", "Golden Sunset", "Samba Rasta", "Tail Feather", "Spiritual Lover", and "Bobby's Tune". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Pinnacle (alt take)", "Golden Sunset (alt take)", and "Spiritual Lover (alt take)". CD

A pretty sweet album by Elis Regina – and one of the last she ever did! The arrangements have a bit more of an electric jazz sound than usual – but they actually give her voice a nice sound, and create some nice lush soulful tracks that have a very sweet sound. Cesar Mariano is still on keyboards, and as always, his work is extremely sympathetic to Elis' vocal style – with just the right balance of darkness and light to make things come out beautifully! Tracks include "Vento De Maio", which has some vocals by Lo Borges, plus "So Seus E Quem Sabe", "Aprendendo A Jogar", "Nova Estacao", and "Rebento". CD features 4 bonus tracks too – including "Tiro Ao Alvaro", "Se Eu Quiser Falar Com Deus", "Outro Cais", and "O Que Foi Feito Devera". CD

A pretty sweet album by Elis – and one of the last she ever did! The arrangements have a bit more of an electric jazz sound than usual – but they actually give her voice a nice sound, and create some nice lush soulful tracks that have a very sweet sound. Cesar Mariano is still on keyboards, and as always, his work is extremely sympathetic to Elis' vocal style. Tracks include "Vento De Maio", which has some vocals by Lo Borges, plus "So Seus E Quem Sabe", "Aprendendo A Jogar", "Nova Estacao", and "Rebento". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary split album from the hardbop underground of the 50s – two different sides by two different artists – both of them great! Side one features stunning work from Sonny Rollins – blowing at a level that matches his early gems for Blue Note, with that razor-sharp tone and sense of timing – and a style that's already beginning to move away from some of the more familiar conventions of bop. Sonny's tracks only include three numbers – but all are worth the price of admission – and feature Rollins on tenor with Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Gil Coggins on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Dennis on drums – on the titles "Like Someone In Love", "Sonnymoon For Two", and "Theme From Pathetique Symphony". Thad Jones really shines on side two – an early demonstration of his conception for a larger group, but done at a level that's looser than some of his big band recordings with Mel Lewis. The group features tremendous tenor from Frank Foster on two tracks that also have piano by Jimmy Jones – and one longer number features Frank Wess instead on tenor, with Henry Coker on trombone and Tommy Flanagan on piano. This lineup performs a longer "Ballad Medley" – while Foster blows on "Lust For Life" and "I Got It Thad & That Ain't Bad". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little set of grooves by organist Lonnie Smith – and one of his best albums ever! The key to Drives is that it finds Lonnie backed by a totally sympathetic group of musicians – including Ronnie Cuber on baritone, Dave Hubbard on tenor, and the great Joe Dukes on drums – whomping away on the kit with all the dexterity he brought to Jack McDuff's classic recordings of the mid 60s! There's a measured funkiness in spots that's totally killer – with sparer moments that are just as impressive – with great solos by the players. Excellent stuff – including the original "Psychedelic Pi", great covers of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Seven Steps to Heaven", the funky "Twenty Five Miles", plus "Spinning Wheel". LP, Vinyl record album

This tenor giant gets better and better with each new album! Eric Alexander is one of our favorite new jazz artists of the past decade – still a relatively young player, but with a sound that's incredible, steeped in years of tradition, yet freely creative in his own unique way. His tenor solos on this set stand up to some of our favorite older work by players like Clifford Jordan or Sonny Rollins, and if anything, the backing may be some of the best he's ever received on record. Alexander's playing here with longtime friend and musical partner Harold Mabern – who's as sympathetic to Alexander's sound as he once was to that of Frank Strozier – and the other players in the group include trumpeter Nicholas Payton, John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth. Titles include "Andre's Turn", "After The Rain", "This Girl's In Love With You", "A House Is Not A Home", and "Summit Meeting". CD

Three really fantastic musicians – working together to turn out one the best records we've ever heard from any of them in years! Make no mistake, we love these guys in all sorts of other settings – but here, there's something really special, and definitely a cut above – this warm sense of spontaneous creation that almost seems to call up an image of the musicians as they work together – Mike Reed on drums, Tomeka Reid on cello, and Nicole Mitchell on flutes and electronics! There's a magic here that really represents the Chicago scene at its finest – the kind of sympathetic, respectful collaboration in which already-strong artists move each other forward together – a magic we hope you'll share on titles that include "AF", "Reflections", "No Side Effects", "JJ", "Soprano Song", "In Response To", and "Blessed". LP, Vinyl record album

The cornet work of Kirk Knuffke is always a treat, and Kirk is one of our favorite players in the world of brass in recent years – but it sounds especially nice here in the company of the great Karl Berger – who adds in vibes, Fender Rhodes, and even a bit of melodica – all in ways that really seem to bring out some new energy and different phrasing in Knuffke's horn! Both musicians have a distinct presence on their own, but really unite here with sympathetic vibrations that are great – not their first time together, but maybe their best pairing on record so far – working here in a quartet with Jay Anderson on bass and Matt Wilson on drums. The title track is a remake of the Pharoah Sanders tune of the same name, and the group also served up a nice version of Don Cherry's "Ganesh" – alongside originals that include "Why Not", "Noble Heart", "Ornette", "Gentle Giant", and "Before Or Since". CD

A great 80s effort from Brackeen leading a quartet, cut during the years that smaller European labels like Silkheart seemed to be the only folks willing to put out avant recordings. The group features an excellent set of crack east coast improvisers, with Olu Dara on cornet, Fred Hopkins on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums who lend their sympathetic talents to Brackeens 5 compositions, which blend equal parts searching spiritual passages with nods to traditional forms and expressive out playing: "Worshippers Come Nigh", "Bannar", "Tiny Town", "Ible" and "Cing Kong". LP, Vinyl record album

Full throttle fusion from Billy Cobham, the kind of stuff we once winced at because of the really over the top moments of heavy, heavy jamming, but that we find ourselves more sympathetic to these days, probably for the more sublime moments that poke through the onslaught here and there, including some nice spacey tracks. The Brecker brothers are up front, and the group has the tight electric approach you'd guess, with some easier grooves sliding in between the full on moments, and even a bit of funk, too. Includes "Solarization", "Lunarputians", "Total Eclipse", "Bandits", "Moon Germs","The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese", "Sea Of tranquility" and "Last Frontier" LP, Vinyl record album

The title's terrible, but the album's a great one – a really classic-styled jam session, of the sort that the Prestige label hardly ever recorded! The session features 4 tenor giants of slightly older vintage – Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Coleman Hawkins, Arnett Cobb, and Buddy Tate – all coming together in some loosely-structured arrangements that offer the same sympathetic blowing space that you might get from an all-star tenor date on Verve. Rhythm is by a trio with Shirley Scott on organ, George Duvivier on bass, and Art Edgehill on drums – and titles include "Very Saxy", "Fourmost", "Foot Pattin", and "Light & Lovely". CD

Fantastic stuff – and one of our favorite lost sessions from the 70s! The album's a completely unique work by pianist Bill Evans album – one that features him playing both electric and acoustic piano over stunning arrangements by Claus Ogerman! The sound is indescribably beautiful, with a range of moments that span a number of styles – all of them dark and moody. Evans' playing is at that complex late stage, and Ogerman's orchestrations are completely sympathetic, never intrusive, and offer a brilliant showcase for haunting lines of dark, introspective genius from Evans. In a way, we'd compare this one to some of the more baroque CTI sessions – or to later work in recent generations by artists like Chris Bowden! The album features 2 different movements of the larger "Symbiosis" suite – divided up into a total of 5 long tracks in all! CD

An excellent set of soulful jazz piano trios from Red, supported by the sympathetic rhythm section of Paul Chambers and Art Taylor. Nice lengthy takes on 4 numbers; "I Can't See For Lookin", "Soon", "Blackout" and "Castle Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from tenorist Benny Golson – and one of his most noteworthy records since the early days! The "John" in the title is Coltrane – and the set's got a sweeping spiritual groove that's quite different from much of Golson's other work, and which shows that he's never stopped growing as a player. Benny's in the frontline with Pharoah Sanders on a second tenor – and the pair solo beautifully with very sympathetic rhythm backing from Cedar Walton on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums! Golson's tone is an advanced version of that raspy edge he was using during the late 50s – put to great use here in a spiritual jazz kind of vein – on titles that include "Times Past", "Page 12", "Vilia", "Change of Heart", and "Origin". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary split album from the hardbop underground of the 50s – two different sides by two different artists – both of them great! Side one features stunning work from Sonny Rollins – blowing at a level that matches his early gems for Blue Note, with that razor-sharp tone and sense of timing – and a style that's already beginning to move away from some of the more familiar conventions of bop. Sonny's tracks only include three numbers – but all are worth the price of admission – and feature Rollins on tenor with Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Gil Coggins on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Dennis on drums – on the titles "Like Someone In Love", "Sonnymoon For Two", and "Theme From Pathetique Symphony". Thad Jones really shines on side two – an early demonstration of his conception for a larger group, but done at a level that's looser than some of his big band recordings with Mel Lewis. The group features tremendous tenor from Frank Foster on two tracks that also have piano by Jimmy Jones – and titles include "Lust For Life" and "I Got It Thad & That Ain't Bad". LP, Vinyl record album

Underground grooving from trumpeter Wallace Roney – one of the excellent albums he recorded for the Muse label in the 90s – a wonderfully well-rounded set that's a tremendous tribute to his tone! The group here is every bit as great as Wallace's work in the frontline – Ravi Coltrane on tenor, Geri Allen on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums – an especially sympathetic rhythm section who bring out some nice warmer touches to offset Roney's occasionally bold tones on trumpet. Tracks are strongly in a traditional soulbop mode – and titles include "Smooch", "Whims Of Chambers", "Lost", "Bemsha Swing", and "Solar". CD

A pretty incredible legacy of jazz from the scene in Belgium during the late 60s and early 70s – a place that never got the kind of exposure as the jazz worlds of the UK, Scandinavia, and Germany – but one that was making some really amazing work at the time! Take the "progressive" in the title a bit loosely – this is neither prog jazz rock, nor work that's too academic to be groovy – as the groups here are often a bit funky, and play with a surprising degree of soul – just the right space between the notes to make for tunes that cross over very well to fans of American funky jazz from the 70s, with some moments that also rival the best in Brazilian 70s jazz too! The rhythms are wonderful – sometimes full-on funky, sometimes more modal and spacious – and the tracks mix electric and acoustic instrumentation perfectly – mostly instrumental, but with a few vocals from time to time. Some of the artists are ones here you might not normally associate with Belgium – and that's just because they're finally getting their due here, in a well-collected package that also illuminates the connections with a great set of notes. Titles include "Vas Y Voir" by Brussels Art Quintet, "Pathetic Dreams" by Koen De Bruyne, "Archangelo" by Raphael, "Memphis Talk" by Philip Catherine, "Naima" by Lou MacConnell, "Pro Forma 1" by Babs Robert, "Utopic Cities" by Solis Lacus, "SUS" by Placebo, "Face Reality" by Jacques & Micheline Pelzer, "Tohubohu (part 1)" by Marc Moulin, "Open Sky" by Open Sky Unit, and "Sakara" by Clarke Boland Big Band. LP, Vinyl record album

Slammin live work from the legendary Brother Jack McDuff – a player who was almost better on the bandstand than he was in the studio! First up is the album Live – a killer, and one of three live sides McDuff cut for Prestige during the 60s – a monster session of stretched-out jazzy grooves, with many fine little dancers, and a raw soulful feel throughout! The group's one of Jack's best – as Red Holloway's tenor blows and hollers over the fingerpoppin' grooves delivered by a young George Benson on his first major guitar gig – and the soulful drums of Joe Dukes scatter across the place, taking the whole band into some incredible rhythms! Titles include cookin' live versions of "Rock Candy", "Sanctified Samba", "Undecided", and "A Real Goodun'". Live At The Jazz Workshop features a group that's one of Jack's best ever – a lineup that includes the twin tenors of Red Holloway and Harold Vick, plus incredibly sharp guitar from a young George Benson, and some of the most unique soul jazz drum work you'll ever hear – courtesy of the amazing Joe Dukes. Despite their individual strengths, which might make this whole thing an ego-fest – all players fit perfectly into place on the album's hard wailing batch of groovers, and groove together with a sympathetic energy that's simply amazing! Titles include a great remake of "Jive Samba", plus "Dink's Blues", "Grease Monkey", "Passing Through", and "Vas Dis". This is the kind of thing live recording equipment was made for! CD

A pretty sweet album by Elis – and one of the last she ever did! The arrangements have a bit more of an electric jazz sound than usual – but they actually give her voice a nice sound, and create some nice lush soulful tracks that have a very sweet sound. Cesar Mariano is still on keyboards, and as always, his work is extremely sympathetic to Elis' vocal style. Tracks include "Vento De Maio", which has some vocals by Lo Borges, plus "So Seus E Quem Sabe", "Aprendendo A Jogar", "Nova Estacao", and "Rebento". CD