Art Hirahara is a beautifully fluid pianist – one who really won us over with his last album on Posi-tone, and who seems to soar even more here – working in a fantastic trio that includes Linda Oh on bass and Rudy Royston on drums – plus some occasional tenor from Donny McCaslin! Oh and Royston have this round presence that really resonates strongly with Art's piano – creating this wave of soulful energy from the ground up, even on the mellower moments – with a tonal depth that's sophisticated, yet never forced at all. When McCaslin comes into the mix, his sound is a bit more separate from the three – yet in a way that only underscores their cohesion and beautiful sensitivity together. Titles include "Little Giant", "Sensitive Animal", "Central Line", "Kuroda Bushi", "Astray", and a version of the Chico Buarque tune "As Minhas Meninas". CD

Pianist Art Hirahara is one of our favorite contemporary players on his instrument of late – a musician with a bold sense of tone and color, a very fresh approach to structure, and a great ear for a tune – which means this record is filled with originals by Art, and not the more familiar well-worn classics! Hirahara's work here is a great reminder that a jazz musician doesn't need to go outside to make their voice known – as Art's very original right from the very first note – given superb accompaniment from Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums – each of whom contribute a song to the date too. The set also features guest work from Nicole Glover on tenor and soprano on three tracks, and Behn Gillece on vibes on one more – on titles that include "Open Sky", "Peony", "Groundswell", "Inimitably Mr B", "Nightfall", "Weathered The Storm", and "Together Apart". CD

A tremendous trumpeter, set up here in his best format to date – a really heavy duty quartet that features tenor from Brandon Wright, drums from Rudy Royston, and Hammond from Brian Charette – who blows us away even more than usual with his skills on both the keys and the pedals at the bottom! Royston's drums are always great – and here, he's got this snapping, crackling energy that seems to light a fuse right from the very first note – which Charette fans into full flames of sound, topped by these bold lines and soaring solos from Newton and Wright – two horns that have a really rich power together, before breaking off into really wonderful solos. The whole thing's great – a cut above for even the always-great Posi-Tone label – and titles include "Holding Still", "The Roots", "Another Day Another Jones", "Gas Station Hot Dog", and "The Five AM Strut". CD

Great work from Out To Dinner – an all-star group who certainly weren't out to lunch when this set was recorded – as it's got all the sharp crackle of some of the members' other work on the Posi-Tone label! The lineup is a bit different than the previous record, but every bit as wonderful – theses bold colors from the vibes of Behn Gillece, soulful flow from the tenor of Nicole Glover, well-punctuated trumpet from Giveton Gelin, round bass from Boris Kozlov, and sharply snapping drums from Donald Edwards – joined by the alto sax of Patrick Cornelius on three of the album's thirteen tracks. Tunes are all relatively short – between four and six minutes – but are mostly originals from group members, and really pack a lot of imagination into a short space. Titles include "Asami's Playland", "Random", "The Essential Passion", "Abe Duct", "Something From Nothing", "Rebecca's Dance", and "Into The Shadows". CD

A corker of a set from tenorist Diego Rivera – a player who's been around for a bit, but who really seems to find his groove in this Posi-Tone setting! The album's got Diego working with some great labelmates – including trombonist Michael Dease on all cuts, a name that's worth us checking out the album alone – plus work on various tracks by Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, Markus Howell on alto, and Behn Gillece on vibes! The core quintet also includes Luther Allison on piano, Andea Owens on bass, and Jason Tiemann on drums – all playing nice and tight, so Rivera and Dease can really soar on their solos – taking off on tunes that include the Rivera originals "Connections", "Ties That Bind", "Nueva York", "O Moderno", and "Mother's Nature" – plus Dease's "Seiko Time", and a nice bold-voiced version of "Naima" – done very differently than usual! CD

Diego Rivera's a hell of a tenorist – and he plays a bit of soprano too – packing a heck of a lot into just a little bit of space, almost with the mix of hardbop and soul jazz we'd hear from 60s favorites like Benny Golson or Jerome Richardson! As with both of those artists, Rivera's got a way of making his presence known right from the start – but then never needs to overstate himself – as his playing is always right on the money, with just the right notes along the way – supported here by a crack quartet that features Helen Sung on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Donald Edwards on drums – plus trumpet from Etienne Charles on three of the album's twelve tracks. Many tunes are originals by Diego – just the right material for his balance of expression – and titles include "Indigenous", "Sombras Del Pasado", "Secret Life Of Plants", "Melina Maria", "BLM Plaza", "Shir Lashalom", and "Purpose". CD

Maybe the first album we've ever seen from guitarist Jocelyn Gould – a hell of a player, and one who fits right in with the strong quality of work we've come to expect from the Posi-Tone label! Jocelyn's got this round, firm tone throughout – balanced with the boldness of pianist Addison Frei – whose work here is equally great, and kind of fills things up around the sides while Gould comes straight down the middle – driven on nicely by the bass of George DeLancey and drums of Quincy Davis – all in modes that really feel a lot different than most other guitar quartet albums, even though these guys aren't trying to do any thing too fancy or gimmicky. The group also features guest horn work along the way – the tenor of Brandon Wright on two tracks, and the trombone of Michael Dease and trumpet of Anthony Stanco on three others – on titles that include the Gould originals "A Fleeting Moment", "Change Of Plans", "Center Of The Universe", "Kindling", "The Game Changer", and "Argyle". CD

A striking debut from Markus Howell – a hell of a talent on both alto sax and flute, and one that we're sure we'll be hearing more from in years to come! Markus has a bold, brash style on alto – one that mixes his edge with the trumpet of Joe Magnarelli and trombone of Michael Dease – both wonderful leaders in their own right, providing a great balance of tone that gives the record a richness right from the start! The rest of the group is equally great, too – with Art Hirahara on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Luther Allison on drums – and Howell provides loads of his own great compositions on the record, marking him as a fresh musical voice in more ways than one. Titles include "Get Right", "One For Craig", "Blues For WJ", "Bruh Slim", "Dear Sir", and "Warfare". CD

A fantastic step forward for saxophonist Alexa Tarantino – a set that really shows all her strengths as a soloist, songwriter, and a leader – a record that should have the rest of the world finally taking notice of her talents! Alexa's already a great saxophonist – working here on both soprano and alto, the latter of which she uses especially well, with well-crafted, thoughtful solos that are full of soul – and she also blows a bit of flute and alto flute on the record, really deepening the color palette, and keeping things interesting throughout! The rest of the group is great, too – with Steven Feifke on piano and a bit of Fender Rhodes, Joe Martin on bass, and the great Rudy Royston on drums – all swinging along effortlessly, and with plenty of soul throughout. Titles include the Tarantino originals "Through", "A Race Against Yourself", "A Unified Front", and "Thank You For Your Silence" – plus a nice take on the Horace Silver tune "Gregory Is Here". CD

An incredibly well-crafted set of soulful hardbop – the kind of record that the Posi-Tone label seems to do better than just about anyone else these days – and which is so tight, so together, the whole thing almost seems effortless! Yet there's clearly a lot of effort going in here – original songs by some members of the group, and a crack cohesion of all the players, right from the start – an ace lineup that features Alexa Tarantino on saxes and flute, Caili O'Doherty on piano, Tony Davis on guitar, Adi Meyerson on bass, and Joe Strasser on drums! The album bursts out of the gate, filled with color and life – and there's an especially magical combination of the piano, bass, and guitar as they trade tones and colors together in the rhythms. Titles include "Reach Within", "Le Var", "Lake Sebago", "Mr M", "Salt & Vinegar", "Your Smile Keeps Me Sane", and "El Gran Birane". CD

Some great guests work here with the Prism Quartet – in a style that mixes together compositional structures with jazz-based improvisation – at a level that features plenty of key contributions from the guests! The core quartet features Zachary Shemon, Timothy McAllister, Timur Sullivan, and Matthew Levy on a variety of saxes – but coming together in a style that's quite different than the sax quartet modes of a few decades back – as there's often no need to have the horns take over rhythmic functions or sit in for other instruments. Instead, there's plenty of sublime woodwind interplay here – on long selections that include the tenor of Joe Lovano on "Forbidding Drive", the tenors of Chris Potter and Ravi Coltrane on "Improvisations", Potter on bass clarinet and Coltrane on sopranino on "Tones For M", and Lovano on a variety of saxes on "Super Sonix". CD

Justin Robinson seems to be more of a visionary here than usual – part of a new level of maturation we've seen in his music in more recent years – a move from being an already great saxophonist to being a strong leader and writer as well! The album's way more than the sum of its parts – thanks in part to a wealth of original compositions by Robinson, which propel the whole group forward with a unified spirit – one that often has all members of the quartet contributing equally, instead of just supporting the leader! Justin's tone on alto is still sharp and soulful, but also seems to have more depth than usual – and the rest of the group features Sharp Radway on piano, Ameen Saleem on bass, and Jeremy Bean Clemons on drums. Titles include "Lamentations For R & D", "Love Thy Father", "It Rained All Day In Rio", "Paula", "At First Light", and "Inner Limits". CD

Stunning solo work from Matthew Shipp – easily some of the warmest, most expressive sounds we've heard from him in years – and a record that has us paying attention to his music all over again! The title's a reference to Shipp's concept for the date – a retrospective of his years in jazz and creative music – summed up here both in well-chosen standards and reworks of previous compositions from other settings – all done here in solo mode, with these beautiful tones ringing out wonderfully – still as open and exploratory as Shipp's always been, but with a confidence and focus that gives the album a sense of richness. The music's never too inside, but has this sense of cohesion throughout – way different than in younger years, when Matthew might have been trying too hard to prove is own sense of dynamics. Titles include "Naima", "Where Is The Love", "Light Years", "Brain Shatter", "Cosmic Wave", "Blue Astral Bodies", "Summertime", "Web Play", and "Life Cycle". CD

One of the more avant-oriented 60s sessions cut by Wayne Shorter for Blue Note – a record that's not entirely part of the "new thing" generation, but which definitely has Shorter pushing the boundaries from his previous records for the label! The lineup here is a key batch of players who can handle both sides of the fence – inside and outside – Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Grachan Moncur on trombone, Herbie Hancock on piano, James Spaulding on alto, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all players who were really breaking their own boundaries at the time. The set also features work from Wayne's Brother on one track – avant trumpeter Alan Shorter, who's only known for a few records under his own name, and who really brings a great sound to play here. At times, the record builds into a sound that's freer and more challenging than on some of Shorter's other albums from the time – but less in a free jazz mode, than with an overall sense of purpose that really keeps the message clear. Features all original compositions by the Shorter brothers – and cuts include "Chaos", "Face Of The Deep", "Mephistopheles", and "Genesis". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the deepest work we've heard from Ken Vandermark in awhile – and that's saying a lot, given the overall greatness of most of his recordings! The set's the 4th from Vandermark's Territory Band ensemble – a larger group that allows Ken to explore grander concepts of composition and arrangement – working here in a mode that draws from the energy of his smaller group sessions, yet in a way that has a much sharper focus on the roles of the individual players. Ken's ideas are expressed beautifully in the album's 6 long original compositions – each shaded with different themes, tones, and colors, executed wonderfully by an international lineup that includes Vandermark, Fredrik Ljungkvist, and Dave Rempis on saxes; Paul Lytton and Paal Nilssen-Love on percussion; Jeb Bishop on trombone, Axel Dorner on trumpets, Kent Kessler on bass, Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, Jim Baker on piano, and Lasse Marhaug on electronics. Titles include "Local Works", "Vertical 8", "Reverse Two", "Killing Floor", and "Franja". CD

An obscure little set from Maria Toledo – a Brazilian singer who's best known for her work with Luiz Bonfa – no surprise, since she was married to Luiz, and sung on a number of his best 60s albums! The set's got Maria stepping out into the spotlight on her own, working with arrangements by a young Deodato – and performing a batch of Bonfa compositions with a sweet, light, gentle feel. The overall style is similar to Deodato's best sets of orchestral bossa of the 60s – and Maria's light vocals have a perfect tone – never too overblown or overemotive, just gently gliding with the magical sound of the tunes! Titles include "Oba Oba", "Passarinho", "Samba De Orfeu", "Menina Flor", "Samba De Duas Notas", and "Seeu Pudesse Voltar". LP, Vinyl record album

Percussionist Yoshisaburo Toyozumi – aka Sabu – heads up a brilliant set of creative jazz based on compositions by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – in a record that's clearly titled with a nod to the musical achievements of the AACM! The album's three long tracks are all AEC compositions – and they're performed by the group with a style that's got the same sort of organic improvisation we love in the Art Ensemble – a mode that's free, yet never too much so – and always skewed with just the right sort of spiritual currents. Toyozumi plays a lot of different percussion – and the group also features Syoji Ukaji on baritone sax, Ryoh Hara on piano, and a bit of alto sax from Yoshiaki Fujikawa. Titles include 'Malachi's Tune", "Roscoe's Tune Odwalla", and "People In Sorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

The seminal debut of the great John Fahey – posing here as Blind Joe Death – an acoustic guitarist whose bluesy undercurrents showcase Fahey's love of early recorded music! The style is pure Fahey throughout – those magical tones that cascade effortlessly off the heavily-plucked strings of his guitar – echoing older blues and folk modes, but never in a way that's stereotypical – and which is already woven through with the kind of sonorities that continued to make Fahey such an important artist over the years. Think of the set as a skewed version of American history – filtered through one mind and one set of hands – and you'll be well on the way to understanding the power of this music. The set features songs penned by Fahey, and redone versions of older numbers – and tracks include "West Coast Blues", "St. Louis Blues", "I'm A Poor Boy Far Away From Home", "John Hardy", "Transcendental Waterfall", "Desperate Man Blues", "Sun Gonna Shine In My Back Door", and "On Doing An Evil Deed Blues". Fahey originally recorded some of the material in 1959, then again in 1963 – and this double-length CD features all of the many tracks that appeared on various versions of the record – 21 titles and over 75 minutes of music! CD

A really unique album in the career of Johnny Griffin – and one of the few entries in the short-lived "jazz meets folk" genre of the 60s! The record features Griffin blowing through versions of older folk numbers – mostly traditional tunes, re-arranged by Johnny here with a swinging vibe that's a bit soul jazz, but also slightly more exotic and lyrical – in keeping with the timeless themes of the compositions. The rest of the group includes Barry Harris on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – a trio who seem well-suited to match the sensitive spirit of some of the tunes! And while you might have reservations about a record like this, don't – because Griffin's tone and phrasing are great, and really keep things away from the gimmicky side of the spectrum! Titles include "The Kerry Dancers", "Green Grow The Rushes", "Black is The Color of My True Love's Hair", "25 1/2 Daze", and "The Londonderry Air" – plus the Griffin original "Oh Now I See". LP, Vinyl record album

Branford Marsalis in a wonderful solo setting – a record that has the reedman playing in the open, echoey space of San Francisco's Grace Cathedral – a famous site that's also hosted legendary performances by Duke Ellington, Cal Tjader, and Vince Guaraldi! Branford blows both tenor and soprano sax – improvising on compositions, and blowing fresh improvisations himself – with a soulful sound and style that really open up our understanding of Marsalis as a musician – and which definitely has us reexamining his work all over again. The sound is haunting – especially the soprano passages, which have these really edgey tones at times – and titles include "Who Needs It", "The Moment I Recall Your Face", "Blues For One", "I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together", and CPE Bach's "Sonata In A Minor For Oboe Solo" – as well as four "Improvisation" tracks. CD

A wonderful album by Blue Mitchell – one that features some larger arrangements by Duke Pearson, and Blue's soulful trumpet soloing over the top! The use of Pearson is a great addition to the set – as it really sets Mitchell free to concentrate on the best shades, colors, and tones in his solos – allowing him to work in a sweeter, lyrical vein that we really like a lot! The format works surprisingly well for Blue, who could always be a great player, but sometimes faltered as a leader – which is why Pearson's guidance really seems to give the session new life. Titles include greatl versions of Chick Corea's wonderful compositions "Straight Up & Down" and "Tones For Joan's Bones", both with piano by Chick, plus a reading of trumpeter Dave Burns' seminal groover "Rigor Mortez"! CD

Way more than just a James Moody album – a true proof of his genius in the 60s! The album was put together under the guidance of Tom McIntosh – a very hip young writer and arranger that Moody had been pushing on other records, and who steps into the limelight here with a wonderful set of compositions and arrangements. The backings on the set are larger than usual for Moody, shaded in by McIntosh with a rich array of tones and colors that are perfect for Moody's shifting solos on tenor, alto, and flute. Includes a fantastic reading of "Malice Towards None" – plus the tracks "Opales'que", "Blues Impromptu", "Great Day", "Let's Try", and "The Search". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little groover from Sonny Stitt – blowing here with a very soulful group that features piano by soul jazz giant Ronnie Matthews! Matthews is at his prime here, and his heavy left-handed approach lays out some wonderful grooves for Stitt – crackling little tunes that are extra-great because they include a good number of original compositions by Sonny! The group's a quartet, with Sonny and Ronnie alongside Art Harper on bass and Lex Humphries on drums – and the session's got the great tone and inventive solo work of Stitt's best work on Roost, but also a more pronounced role from the rhythm section, who really help drive the record! Titles include "Rearin Back", "Cut Plug", "Queen", "Carpsie's Groove", and "Bunny R". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums that represent important early recordings of compositions by groundbreaking sonic genius Edgar Varese! First is the album Complete Works – an early series of recordings supervised by composer Edgard Varese – featuring versions of what were then his complete works! The record begins with two larger pieces – readings of "Integrales" and "Octandre" conducted by Frederic Waldman, working with the New York Wind Ensemble, who provide some very haunting tones, with additional percussion from the Julliard Percussion Orchestra on the first piece, which is a bit more dramatic. Rene Le Roy continues on the flute solo piece "Density 21.5", and the Julliard Percussion Orchestra comes back for a reading of the classic "Ionisation". The last work is one of the most striking – the three-part "Interpolations", which features "organized sound" compositions, realized on magnetic tape – one of Varese's haunting moves into early electronic music! Next is the Columbia album Music Of Edgar Varese – key Robert Craft takes on three earlier compositions, and the debut of "Poeme Electronique", which was created at the 1958 Brussels World Fair! "Ionisation" has a complex mix of percussion instruments, played by thirteen players – with a quality that's almost a key precursor to the music of Harry Partch. "Density 21.5" is a haunting piece for solo flute – filled with unusual tones and textures – and "Integrales" has a fuller orchestral presentation, and a nicely bombastic vibe, with woodwind tones and percussion colliding beautifully! That sound continues in "Octandre" – a 20s composition that shows just how far Varese was ahead of his time – as does "Hyperprism", from the same year, which is even more dramatic. "Poem Electronique" has a very different approach – all analogue electronics, used in an illustration of Varese's concept of "organized sound", but with a feel that's similar to the best musique concrete material of the 50s. Last up is the Columbia album Sound Spectacular – which offers three very different slices of the genius of Edgar Varese – presented here on a set of classic Columbia recordings from the early 60s! "Arcana" is perhaps the most ambitious work here – structured for an orchestra of 120 musicians, 70 of whom are string players – although the core energy of the piece seems to come from the 8 percussionists who handle a wide variety of instruments – creating those stark sounds that mark some of Varese's most important compositions – which the strings, brass, and woodwinds cluster around in equally powerful ways! "Deserts" is a piece that's more subtle, and much longer – mixing a variety of electronic sounds and instrumental moments, with shifting sonic spaces and volumes throughout – all to make up a side-long recording filled with moody moments and more powerful electronic bursts. "Offrandes" is a selection of two songs – in a haunting blend of woodwind instruments, percussion, and trumpet – plus vocals from soprano Dona Precht. CD

Easily the hippest of the Clarke-Boland Big Band Records from the classic years – a set of hard grooving tracks that really pushes the envelope of their style! There's a few elements here that are different than usual – such as the presence of electric piano on a few tracks, which creates a very new sound for the group, the presence of some exotic jazz influences (perhaps borrowed from the MPS Jazz Meets The World series), and the use of some edgier compositions on the set, including work by late 60s European free-thinkers, like Eddie Louiss, Albert Mangelsdorff, and John Surman. The reed work is really incredible in this setting – and is handled by Sahib Shihab, Ronnie Scott, Billy Mitchell, and Derek Humble – all of whom seem to blow with inspiration from Surman – using tones that are far more out there than usual. Titles include "Exorcisme", "Sakara", "Our Kind Of Sabi", "Osaka Calling", "Wintersong", and "Astrorama". CD

Pinch yourself – you've gotta be dreaming – because Columbia Records just unlocked the vaults, and unearthed a treasure trove of never-heard recordings from the sessions from some of Bob Dylan's greatest records – Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde On Blonde! Each record is a masterpiece in its own right – the product of countless creative moments by Dylan in the studio, only some of which made it on record – leaving a lot more to be rediscovered all these many years later, and finally offered up to paint a vivid picture of Dylan's genius in 1965 and 1966! Some tracks are quite different – demos, acoustic versions, piano versions, and even a few rehearsals – and if you dig Bob Dylan at all, you'll find plenty here to love. 2CD set features 36 tracks in all – with unreleased unusual versions of "Tombstone Blues", "Positively 4th Street", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "California", "You Don't Have To Do That", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Medicine Sunday", "Desolation Row", "Sitting On A Barbed Wire Fence", "Just Like a Woman", "Lunatic Princess", "I'll Keep It With Mine", and lots more! CD

Tremendous work from trumpeter Tom Harrell – a musician who's been making records for decades, but just seems to sound better and better as the years go on! Tom's always been wonderful, but a record like this seems to have him on fire with a whole new sense of purpose – a fresh musical mission, even at a time when he could easily sit back and rest on his laurels – really soaring out in a range of beautiful new compositions, and working in this soulful quartet that includes excellent piano from Danny Grissett, plus bass from Ugonna Okegwo and drums from Adam Cruz. Harrell's command of his trumpet and flugelhorn is amazing – fresh sounds, fresh tones, fresh lines that continue to hold us rapt throughout – on titles that include "Time Passage", "Montego Bay", "Moving Picture", "Apple House", "Sea", "Four The Moment", and "Different Clouds". CD

A surprisingly wonderful album by Billy Higgins – recorded in the mid 80s, but with a free flowing spirituality that recalls some of his best soul jazz work of the mid 70s! The album's got some long and open-ended, slightly modal tracks – quite similar to the work that Billy did with Clifford Jordan on Jordan's Strata East albums of the 70s – the most notable of which is the Bill Lee composition "John Coltrane", redone here in a mode that's got a different edge than the original. Reeds on the album are handled by Gary Bias, who also wrote a few tracks – and Bias has a tone that's not as biting as Clifford Jordan, which makes for a warmer, possibly slightly more soulful approach to the material. Titles include "Dance Of The Clones", "Humility", "East Side Stomp", and "Morning Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album

A great illustration of the upbeat, positive vibe that Peggy Lee could serve up when she was at her best – a cool Capitol Records mode that really helped Lee set a whole new tone for singers in the 60s! The great Jack Marshall is at the helm on arrangements – putting things together with a vibe that's bright, but also pretty modern as well – thanks to work from a west coast jazz lineup that includes Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Harnell on piano, Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Barney Kessel on guitar! The set includes Lee's famous version of "Fever" – plus "It's A Wonderful World", "Things Are Swingin'", Alright, Okay, You Win", "Ridin' High", "Alone Together", "Life For Livin'", and"You Don't Know". A classic collaboration between Peggy Lee and Nelson Riddle – and a record that really set the tone for Lee's famous Capitol sides of the 60s! The groove here is very upbeat – as you might guess from the title – with a bouncing, almost syncopated approach that's definitely Riddle's, but which also hints at some of Lee's more soul-based backings of the 60s from Jack Marshall – those slinky-stepping groovers that would really put her back in front of American ears. Many tunes are older numbers, but they're updated nicely by Riddle's playful backings – and cuts include "Jump For Joy", "Back In Your Own Back Yard", "Old Devil Moon", "What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "Just In Time", "Music Music Music", "Four Or Five Times", and "Ain't We Got Fun". CD

Fantastic material from Sun Ra – a never-heard 1972 performance at Slugs, and one that captures the group at their most spiritual point! The core of the set is the track "I Roam The Cosmos" – one of the more obscure Ra compositions, and a title that appears here for the first time on any record – folded together with bits of "Astro Black" and "Discipline 27 II" – in a wonderfully extended single musical performance – stretching for 51 minutes long, and filled with righteous vocal moments alongside some great solos too! The groove is great – kind of a slow dipping and turning rhythm – showcasing recitations by June Tyson and Sun Ra – with lots of room for soulful work from Marshall Allen on flute and alto, Danny Davis on alto, John Gilmore on tenor, Kwame Hadi and Akh Tal Ebah on trumpets, and Danny Ray Thompson on baritone – plus lots of drums and percussion. Really beautiful stuff – as deeply spiritual as the best of the Impulse Records artists, circa 1972 – and appearing here for the first time ever! CD

Upbeat soul and sweet funky club from the late 70s and early 80s – all as uplifting as you might guess from the title, but with some great grit in the groove at the bottom! The package might almost be seen as a precursor to the more righteous house styles of today – those upbeat, positive cuts that have been some of the best work of the underground for the past decade or two. Yet here, the artists are working in a pre-house mode – a soaring style that's certainly got a bit of disco, yet which really moves past that genre's basics too – to showcase some of the more soulful styles that were hitting the clubs back in the day. The set list is superb – a really well-chosen batch of tracks that's definitely a genre unto itself – and titles include "Be My Cinderella" by Superior Movement, "I Can't Shake This Feeling" by Klique, "Ain't Nothin But A Party" by Taste Of Honey, "Love In The Moonlight" by Sidney Barnes, "More Than Ever Now" by Muscle Shoals Horns, "I'm Ready" by Narada Michael Walden, "I'm The One" by MCB, "Build A Fire" by Linda Clifford, "My Love Goes Stronger" by Bloodstone, "Paradise" by Peabo Bryson, and "Body Rap" by Wynd Chimes. CD

Fantastic sounds from Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai – a set of rare albums of more serious music done for RCA – very much in the darker spirit of their recordings with the Gruppo D'Improvvisazione Nuova! The music here is more avant compositional than some of Morricone's lighter soundtrack material – with especially strong work on strings, showing the way that the maestro learned his sense of offbeat tones and phrasings from the 20th Century classical scene, which he then applied famously to some of his horror scores of the time! The music here definitely has qualities that match the spookier soundtrack 70s material from Morricone or Nicolai – especially his move to horror at the time – and as with just about all of his recordings, there's a fair bit of unusual sounds and elements that are extremely hard to peg in terms of their sources. This amazing package brings together ten full albums of music – five by each composer – all originally issued by Italian RCA, here in their original covers – complete with a huge book of notes in English and Italian – all packaged in a hand-crafted wood box too! CD

Percussionist Yoshisaburo Toyozumi – aka Sabu – heads up a brilliant set of creative jazz based on compositions by the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – in a record that's clearly titled with a nod to the musical achievements of the AACM! The album's three long tracks are all AEC compositions – and they're performed by the group with a style that's got the same sort of organic improvisation we love in the Art Ensemble – a mode that's free, yet never too much so – and always skewed with just the right sort of spiritual currents. Toyozumi plays a lot of different percussion – and the group also features Syoji Ukaji on baritone sax, Ryoh Hara on piano, and a bit of alto sax from Yoshiaki Fujikawa. Titles include 'Malachi's Tune", "Roscoe's Tune Odwalla", and "People In Sorrow". CD

The world needs changing – and plenty of these tunes may well do it – thanks to infectious grooves and some very righteous message-oriented lyrics! The set's a great document of the positive, progressive energy going down in soul music during the heady days of the late 60s and early 70s – a time when the country was changing heavily, and the music was as well – moving into new styles, themes, and ideas – expressed here by a hip batch of cats who were working on some of the best indie labels of the underground! This set offers up a great mix of cool cuts from a variety of sources – a few gems from the Flying Dutchman label, some other obscure 45s, and even a few southern soul numbers that fit surprisingly well with the northern vibe of most of these numbers. Titles include "Walk Tall" by Esther Marrow, "Get Ready/Uptight" by Little Eva Harris, "All Power To The People (part 1)" by Joe Savage & The Soul People, "Soul Patrol" by The Original Soul Patrol, "Do It (inst)" by Johnny Griffith, "The World Needs Changin" by Hank Jacobs & Don Malone, "Sea Saw Affair" by Cesar 830, "Love Tones" by Melvin Sparks, "That's The Way It Goes" by Elaine Armstrong, "This Is The Me Me" by Brenda Jones with Groove Holmes, "Sissy Strut N American Woman" by The Willard Posey Reunion, and "Rudypoot" by Huck & The Soul Patrol. CD

A tremendous little police soundtrack from 70s Italy – one with plenty of Morricone-like touches, but that's A-OK with us! Luciano Michelini does a great job here of juxtaposing stark sounds with sweeter ones – particularly some great piano that's isolated nicely above the orchestrations, and played in flat, off-kilter tones – as well as some eerie flute that drifts through slowly sometimes, more quickly at others – all with a good sense of variety and dramatic energy. The strings are sometimes stepping, almost with a slight undercurrent of funk – but are slower and more offbeat at other times – creating a great sense of tension in the music. CD features a whopping 25 tracks, remastered from the original tapes! CD

A tremendous little police soundtrack from 70s Italy – one with plenty of Morricone-like touches, but that's A-OK with us! Luciano Michelini does a great job here of juxtaposing stark sounds with sweeter ones – particularly some great piano that's isolated nicely above the orchestrations, and played in flat, off-kilter tones – as well as some eerie flute that drifts through slowly sometimes, more quickly at others – all with a good sense of variety and dramatic energy. The strings are sometimes stepping, almost with a slight undercurrent of funk – but are slower and more offbeat at other times – creating a great sense of tension in the music. Features a whopping 15 tracks, remastered from the original tapes! LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout set from pianist Stanley Cowell – one of his few dates in recent years to feature more than a trio lineup – and recorded in a live setting that really seems to ignite some old school fires in Stanley's music! Make no mistake – Cowell is always wonderful – but there's a nice edge to his compositions here, as Stanley hits a bit harder, and drives things along to match the energy from the trumpet of Freddie Hendrix and alto of Bruce Williams – who play in a lineup that also features Tom DiCarlo on bass and Vince Ector on drums. Sunny Cowell performs a beautiful vocal version of the classic "Equipoise" – maybe worth the price of the album alone – and other tracks include "Cal Massey", "Montage For Toledo", "This Life", "Banana Pudding", "No Illusions", and a take on the Max Roach tune "It's Time". CD

A 50s LP that showcases Duke's early 40s sides for the Bluebird/Victor label – including early versions of formative compositions, featuring players like Rex Stewart, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, and Ray Nance. Titles include "Take The A Train", "Portrait Of Bert Williams", "Rumpus In Richmond", "Rocks In My Bed", "Sepia Panorama", "Flaming Sword", "Perdido", and "Blue Serge". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Ted Steele playing Ellington compositions on the unusual Novachord! LP, Vinyl record album

A 50s LP that showcases Duke's early 40s sides for the Bluebird/Victor label – including early versions of formative compositions, featuring players like Rex Stewart, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, and Ray Nance. Titles include "Take The A Train", "Portrait Of Bert Williams", "Rumpus In Richmond", "Rocks In My Bed", "Sepia Panorama", "Flaming Sword", "Perdido", and "Blue Serge". CD

Two very swinging numbers by the Kirby Stone Four! The Kirby Stone Four took the jazz vocal harmony style of groups like the Four Freshmen or The Hi Los, and they punched it up a bit, adding in a bit of humor and showmanship, in a mode that made them very popular with the live audiences in the Nevada clubs that were often their home turf. These two albums are both some of their best work, and they feature groovy backing by Jimmy Carroll on a total of 24 tunes. Titles include "Ti Pi Tin", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "S'Posin", "Coffee Time", "Buck Dance", "Fake Dance", "Sweet Nothings", "The I Had A Dream Dear Rock", and "Volare". CD

The complete Tamla and Motown singles of The Satintones – the soul, R&B & popular music juggernaut's first male vocal group – and a treasure trove of rare post doo wop from the end of the 50s/beginning of the 60s! It's fascinating for the history herein – the group is hugely under-anthologized in a world of myriad Motown compilations – which is a real shame, as you'll hear in this sweet set – with numbers that rely on the doo wop influences as well as tunes more devoted to lead vocals – with a slew of early Berry Gordy productions and compositions. The set includes the then legally challenged Shirelles knockoff/answer song "Tomorrow and Always" plus "Motor City", "Going To The Hop", "Sugar Daddy", "A Love That Can Never Be", "Foot Stomping Time", My Kind Of Love", "Boogie Woogie Heart", "Because I Love You", "You Can't Beat My Lovin" and many more. 26 tracks in all. CD

One of the more obscure Anthony Braxton albums of the first decade of the century – but also one that's completely well worth seeking out, as it's got this warm spirit of collaborative creation that takes us back to some of his best moments of the 70s and 80s! The record features duets with trumpeter John McDonough – a Braxton fanatic who's clearly a great partner for the saxophonist to spin out ideas – trumpet notes both muted and muted, mixing with Braxton's work on alto, baritone, sopranino, and soprano sax – each with a very different sense of interplay from track to track! The album features two long, very out numbers – "Improvisation" and "Composition 168 + (103)" – then moves into a sublime sonic exercise on "Massive Breath Attack", offers a surprising reading of "Hail To The Spirit Of Liberty", and also includes the tunes "Finnish Line" and "Schizoid". CD

One of the most ambitious projects ever from vibist Gary Burton – an extended piece written by Carla Bley – and billed as "A Dark Opera Without Words"! The work has a feel that's much more fluid than opera, though – and is a great instrumental outing that not only features Gary's vibes at their youthful best, with support from his quartet – but which also includes extra work from Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Gato Barbieri on tenor, and Carla Bley herself on piano. The music is never too far out, but with angular tones and strange time changes that mark the record as being quite different from Gary's other sides for RCA. It also makes the record one of his best, too – as the set has that wonderfully fresh sound that you get from early work by Bley – never too silly, and with a serious approach to composition that also never loses sight of its roots in jazz. Titles include "The New Funeral March", "Silent Spring", "Mother Of The Dead Man", "Death Rolls", and "The New National Anthem". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work on solo flute – done by a performer who's always captivated us in a live setting, but who really seems to knock things out of the park on this massively extended set! The title of the package is from a work by Edgard Varese for solo flute, first composed in 1936 – and an amazing showcase for the sense of subtle tones and textures that Varese brought to his music in the early part of the 20th Century. Chase takes off from that piece, and offers up compositions by sixteen composers, each of them a masterpiece – handled by Claire with a very organic approach to the sound, as things build up beautifully, in a very resonant way – on a variety of flutes that are occasionally augmented by a small bit of electronics. The spirit of the package is unique – and by the end of the whole thing, we actually find ourselves wishing that there were more than 4CDs – as Chase leaves us rapt throughout, moving through works composed by George Lewis, Pauline Oliveros, Jason Eckardt, Felipe Lara, Vijay Iyer, Tysawn Sorey, Marcos Balter, and others – plus a rendition of the original Varese work that inspired the whole project. CD

Don Cherry really breaks out here on his classic Mu sessions from France – using the new freedoms of post-68 Paris to explore themes at a level that would set the tone for generations to come! The album's very spare, and very improvised – with Cherry on pocket trumpet, piano, and wooden flute – plus a bit of percussion too – alongside drummer Ed Blackwell, who's equally unbridled – showing a huge evolution since the time both he and Don spent in the group of Ornette Coleman! There's a few echoes of the global elements that Cherry would later embrace more strongly in the 70s – but the core energy here is mostly improvised jazz, handled at a level that really makes a lot better use of the freedom than some of Don's contemporaries. Titles on this second part include "Bamboo Night", "The Mysticism Of My Sound", "Psycho Drama", "Smiling Faces Going Places", "Teo Teo Can", and "Dollar Brand/Spontaneous Composing/Exert Man On The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Don Cherry really breaks out here on his classic Mu sessions from France – using the new freedoms of post-68 Paris to explore themes at a level that would set the tone for generations to come! The album's very spare, and very improvised – with Cherry on pocket trumpet, piano, and wooden flute – plus a bit of percussion too – alongside drummer Ed Blackwell, who's equally unbridled – showing a huge evolution since the time both he and Don spent in the group of Ornette Coleman! There's a few echoes of the global elements that Cherry would later embrace more strongly in the 70s – but the core energy here is mostly improvised jazz, handled at a level that really makes a lot better use of the freedom than some of Don's contemporaries. Titles on this second part include "Bamboo Night", "The Mysticism Of My Sound", "Psycho Drama", "Smiling Faces Going Places", "Teo Teo Can", and "Dollar Brand/Spontaneous Composing/Exert Man On The Moon". CD

One of the greatest albums on the Bethlehem label – and one of the first albums as a leader by the legendary Booker Ervin! At the time of the set, Ervin had come off a great stint with the Charles Mingus group – one that inflected his rootsy Texas tenor tones with a sharper modern edge – heard to perfection on this great little session, which is equal parts hard swinging soul jazz and dark-tinged early 60s modern! Zoot Sims joins Booker in the front line, and the two of them trade tenor solos throughout on the album's long compositions – grooving with a great sextet that includes Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond on the kit! Cuts include "Largo", "The Book Cooks", "The Blue Book", and "Git It". LP, Vinyl record album

Stone classic! The Impressions' version of "Amen" is way way more than just a quasi-religious soul song. It's a mighty anthem of power and majesty, arranged in the style of some of the group's other subtle political moments from the mid 60s! The flipside's a great Curtis Mayfield composition – done later by other artists, but sounding great here in the original version! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A landmark album from Roland Kirk – one of his key 60s sides for Atlantic records, and an amazing blend of soul jazz, hardbop, and freer thinking styles! Roland's playing an insane assortment of horns on the set – often at the same time, if you know his 3-way style of blowing – and instruments used for the recording include Manzello, stritch, flute, whistle, English horn, and flexatone – in addition to standard tenor and clarinet. Other players in the group include Ron Burton on piano, Steve Novosel on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums – and the album's got some incredible original compositions that include "Many Blessings", "Handful Of Fives", "Lovellevellioqui", "Laugh for Rory", "Black and Crazy Blues", and "The Inflated Tear". CD

A great update of the sax quartet format – a mode that first saw big expression in jazz during the 80s, but which has sadly fallen out of use in more recent years! Here, a trio of younger players bring new energy to the music with longtime saxophone genius Dave Liebman – in a format that has Liebman on soprano, Dave Binney on alto, Donny McCaslin on tenor, and Samuel Blais on baritone. Each player sticks to one horn throughout the session – again a bit different than some of the older quartet recordings – which makes for a consistent tonal range that's used in really great ways over a series of fresh compositions from every member of the group. Titles include "Road Kill", "Dunes", "Legions", "Et Voit Le Jour", "Technicolor Penguins", "A Moody Time", "Buy A Mountain", and "Empty Sunbeams". CD

One of the greatest early albums from Edu Lobo – a groundbreaking set that has Lobo's vocals and guitar backed with sublime sounds from the Tamba Trio! As on their own records, the Tamba Trio harmonize wonderfully – letting Edu's vocals take the lead, but supporting him with those heavenly, airy tones that we totally love. The trio also provides instrumental backing too – a blend of bossa piano, bass, and drums – used strongly to emphasize the best moments in Lobo's compositions, in ways that hint at some of the more baroque turns his music would take in the 70s. There's a mix of ambitious sound and personal expression here that's simply breathtaking – and the album still features some of the best readings ever of Lobo tunes like "Boranda", "Reza", "Cheganca", and "Zambi". Other titles include "Em Tempo De Adues", "Cancao Do Amanhecer", "Requiem Para Amor", and "Cancao Da Terra". CD

A special vinyl release of one of the most striking volumes of the legendary Ethiopiques series – a set that focuses on the mad saxophone work of Getachew Makurya! The recordings on this collection are all from 1972 – and they feature the deep-toned Mekurya blowing in a strange and otherworldly tone, usually over spare backings that include percussion, piano, and/or organ – making for a sound that's almost like some of Pat Patrick's work for Sun Ra, but with a decidedly more ethnic feel! The compositions are all very basic, and very rhythmic – and Makurya's sax work snakes over the top in a really magical way. Titles include "Akale Wube", "Tezeta", "Shemonmwanaye", "Yene Hassab Gwadegna", "Ambassel", "Almaz Yeharerwa", and "Yegenet Muziqa". Note – all tracks are from the Volume 14 CD of Ethiopiques – but appear here on vinyl reissue for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

The Blue Note debut of cornet player Ron Miles – a musician with a great sense of phrasing, and maybe some of the strongest sense of color we've ever heard come from the instrument in recent years! The group here, though, is really a strong part of that sense of tone – as the lineup features Bill Frisell delivering some delicious elements on guitar, and Jason Moran fleshing things out on piano – while drummer Brian Blade works with his strong sense of spaciousness, often letting the silences between his drumbeats do as much as the percussion itself. Bassist Thomas Morgan wraps the whole thing together from the bottom up – and Miles delivers a strong set of original compositions for the record – including "Queen Of The South", "Like Those Who Dream", "The Rumor", "Custodian Of The New", "This Old Man", "Blinder", "A Kind Word", and "Rainbow Sign". CD

The Blue Note debut of cornet player Ron Miles – a musician with a great sense of phrasing, and maybe some of the strongest sense of color we've ever heard come from the instrument in recent years! The group here, though, is really a strong part of that sense of tone – as the lineup features Bill Frisell delivering some delicious elements on guitar, and Jason Moran fleshing things out on piano – while drummer Brian Blade works with his strong sense of spaciousness, often letting the silences between his drumbeats do as much as the percussion itself. Bassist Thomas Morgan wraps the whole thing together from the bottom up – and Miles delivers a strong set of original compositions for the record – including "Queen Of The South", "Like Those Who Dream", "The Rumor", "Custodian Of The New", "This Old Man", "Blinder", "A Kind Word", and "Rainbow Sign". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark material – one of Grachan Moncur's two classic albums for Blue Note, and a session that ranks as one of the best examples of the "new thing" moment in 60s jazz! Grachan's leading a sextet here that includes a number of players that he cut his teeth with in Jackie McLean's great mid 60's group, including McLean himself, Bobby Hutcherson, and a young Tony Williams. Lee Morgan joins in on trumpet – playing with a surprisingly modern tone for the time – and the group works their way through 4 stunning Moncur compositions – "Air Raid", "Evolution", "The Coaster", and "Monk In Wonderland". It's hard to describe the power of these recordings – but thankfully, we don't have to, as one listen to the album will blow you away! CD

A key classic from Thelonious Monk's years at Riverside – and an album that's as compelling as its haunting title! The session features Thelonious working with a great quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, playing these wonderfully angular lines; Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass, working in well-rounded tones that add a lot of depth to the work; and Roy Haynes on drums, bringing in a playfully rhythmic spirit that really matches the tone of Monk's compositions – a wonderful quartet to interpret the thoughtful, angular, inventive numbers on the set – not just Monk's own tunes, but some killer arrangements of a few classics too. Tracks are all longish, and the album features key readings of "In Walked Bud", "Misterioso", "Nutty", and "Let's Cool One" – includes two bonus tracks. CD

A long-overdue return as a leader for tenor genius Ralph Moore – an artist who first blew us away when he appeared on the scene in the 80s, but who hasn't gotten this sort of time in the spotlight in many many years! The passage of time hasn't dimmed Ralph's genius at all – as the record bursts forward with the kind of joyous colors and tones that always made us such big fans – and which, in a way, made Moore's appearance on the scene almost a tenor equivalent to the work of Bobby Watson on alto – a whole new voice for a new generation – straight ahead, but filled with positive energy and a very strong spirit – such that he always seems to play with a warmth and soul that really sets him apart. The group here is superb – a quartet with Eric Reed on piano, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums – the last of whom deserves a huge "thanks" for producing the record and getting Ralph back out in the lead. Titles include the Moore originals "Donny", "Three Score", "Blues Alliance", and "623 C Street" – and Reed tunes "Carol", "Another Time", and "Una Mujer Muy Elegante". CD

Guitarist Ronald Muldrow has a great sense of swing here – but it's hard not to, with a group that features Mulgrew Miller on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Yoron Israel on drums – all a great balance for the strong lines and rich tones that Muldrow brings to his instrument! There's a nice rasp on the guitar at times – a way of touching a slight edge, even while sounding relatively clean – and Muldrow might be best when he's hitting his own original material on the record, which happens often – as the set features strong compositions that include "If I Knew", "Harris Me", "Senzeni", "A Minor Mention", "Twai Like", and "Diaspora" – plus versions of "A Child Is Born" and "Stella By Starlight". CD

A really fantastic final album from The Peddlers – the UK trio who effortlessly mixed jazz and soul in the 60s, but who work here in a more expanded format! All the best elements of the group's sound are still nicely in place – those raspy vocals, strong use of keyboards, and especially their great sense of a groove – one that's made them a favorite for samples for more sophisticated DJs and producers over the years! But here, the sound is maybe even cooler – thanks to work from the London Philharmonic. Group leader/singer/keyboardist Roy Phillips composed the whole thing, and the Peddlers are at the core – but they're also helped out by percussionist John Punter and guitarist Toney Walmsley, and Peter Robinson – who did the larger orchestrations. Titles include "This Strange Affair", "Raining In London", "Sequence Of Thought", "Did She", "Sequence Of Thought", "In Juxtaposition", "Under London Nights", "River Lives", "I Have Seen", "Impressions", and "A Year And A Day Metamorphosis". 2LP set features a rare bonus album – with tracks from singles that include "Nothing Sacred", "Manah", "Sing Me An Old Song", "Have You Ever Been To Georgia", and "Back Alley Jane". LP, Vinyl record album