Great duets between pianist John Hicks and bassist Ray Drummond – a record done with a really lively feel, despite the spare setting of the date! Hicks always has a very fluid touch on the keys, and the inspiration of Drummond really seems to open him up here – pushing the session a bit more than the mellow, introspective one you might expect – very much in the space of some of Hicks' classic trio work from the time. Most tunes are standards, but they're opened up nicely by the pair, thanks to some warm interplay – and titles include "I'll Be Around", "Take The Coltrane", "For Heaven's Sake", "Without A Song", "A Rose Without A Thorn", "Parisian Thoroughfare", and "Springtime Fantasy". CD

Great duets between pianist John Hicks and bassist Ray Drummond – a record done with a really lively feel, despite the spare setting of the date! Hicks always has a very fluid touch on the keys, and the inspiration of Drummond really seems to open him up here – pushing the session a bit more than the mellow, introspective one you might expect – very much in the space of some of Hicks' classic trio work from the time. Most tunes are standards, but they're opened up nicely by the pair, thanks to some warm interplay – and titles include "I'll Be Around", "Take The Coltrane", "For Heaven's Sake", "Without A Song", "A Rose Without A Thorn", "Parisian Thoroughfare", and "Springtime Fantasy". CD

Ray Appleton on drums – with Slide Hampton on trombone, Charles McPherson on alto, Jim Rotondi on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Rumah Saafir on congas! CD

A tribute to the late Ray Charles, who gave David Fathead Newman his start back in 50s, where he emerged as a key soloist before breaking out on his own. The album features Newman on tenor, plus Steve Nelson on vibes, John Hicks on piano, John Menegon on bass, and Winard Harper on drums! CD

A beautiful swan song from the late, great John Hicks – sadly no longer with us on earth, but still making our richer with albums like this! Even in his later years, Hicks continued to evolve tremendously as a player – and this final album shows facets of his talents never expected in the early days – a solo sensitivity on quieter ballads, a pulsating rhythmic quality on Latin-tinged numbers, and still the powerful voice that emerged on his first dates as a sideman back in the 60s. Although the record offers a few different modes – three solo piano tracks, one duet with tenor, and some added percussion – the session's still a really unified one, all recorded on the same day with the intention of this full album always in mind – and not just scattered tracks put together after Hicks' death. The core quartet features Javon Jackson on tenor, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Victor Jones on drums – and 4 tracks feature Ray Mantilla on percussion and Elis Wood on flute. Titles include "One Peaceful Moment", "Sunset Blues", "Peanut Butter Two", "I Remember Clifford", "Sweet Love Of Mine", "Mambo Influenciado", "Hold It Down", and "Once I Loved". CD

With Ray Drummond on bass and Victor Lewis in drums. CD

Features John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums! CD

Hold on to your butts, because if you look past the goofy title this album features one helluva a lineup – with Murray out front on tenor and John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! Tracks include "Eternal Triangle", "Mingus In The Poconos", "Ballad For David", and "Dinosaur Park Blues". CD

David Murray on tenor sax and bass clarinet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille. CD

Features his great group with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! CD

One of the greatest jazz voices on the bass clarinet – save perhaps for the late Eric Dolphy – working here in a wonderful batch of ballads and gentle groovers! The set's quite different from the usual jazz date to bear "ballads" in the title – as David Murray's not ruminating over standards with too much strings – and instead still works in a hip small combo mode that's filled with swing and soul. In fact, most tunes are hardly ballads in the traditional style – and just showcase a slightly gentler, more personal side of Murray's music – but one that still has plenty of darkness around the edges. The group's a quartet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and tunes include "Portrait Of A Black Woman", "Waltz To Heaven", "Elegy For Fannie Lou", "Lyons Street", "Chazz", and "New Life". CD

One of the greatest jazz voices on the bass clarinet – save perhaps for the late Eric Dolphy – working here in a wonderful batch of ballads and gentle groovers! The set's quite different from the usual jazz date to bear "ballads" in the title – as David Murray's not ruminating over standards with too much strings – and instead still works in a hip small combo mode that's filled with swing and soul. In fact, most tunes are hardly ballads in the traditional style – and just showcase a slightly gentler, more personal side of Murray's music – but one that still has plenty of darkness around the edges. The group's a quartet – with John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and tunes include "Portrait Of A Black Woman", "Waltz To Heaven", "Elegy For Fannie Lou", "Lyons Street", "Chazz", and "New Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Gary Bartz plays live at Birdland – and the results are quite different than both other famous albums at the club, and most of Gary's other work of the time! There's a tightly swinging feel to most of the set – a style that's more hardbop than we remember from Gary's roots, but which still has all the open, exploratory tones we've always loved in Bartz's horn. The group features Claudio Roditi on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a rhythm section who really bring a lot to the set, and provide just the sort of leaping, loping energy to drive the horn players strongly. 4 of the album's 5 tracks are over 10 minutes long – and titles include "Cousins", "It's Easy To Remember", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "West 42nd Street", and "Speak Low". CD

Murray's tenor and bass clarinet are nicely set in a warm lyrical quartet with John Hicks, Ray Drummond, and Ed Blackwell. The record features some nice long tracks that have Murray playing mostly inside, but with enough soul and raw talent to keep things moving nicely. Titles include "Walter's Waltz", "Ming's Samba", and "Spooning". CD

Features David Murray on tenor saxophone, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – plus guest tenor Branford Marsalis on "Fast Life" and "Crucificado". CD

A stunning little record from Pharoah Sanders – a double-length set that has all the soul and spirit of his Impulse Records classics, but with a very different vibe! There's a sense of focus here that's tremendous – as if Sanders has found a way to take the energy of his side-long performances and hone them to a level that's maybe even more expressive in its economy – maybe a streamlining of spiritual jazz for the new decade, but not at a level that tries to sound commercial or mainstream at all. Sanders is joined here by a host of equally well-voiced players who really match his energy – Joe Bonner and John Hicks on piano, Eddie Henderson on flugelhorn, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and the set also features a bit of great work on koto from Yoko Ito Gates as well. Titles include the classic "You've Got To Have Freedom" – a fantastic soaring anthem of joy – plus "After The Rain", "Soledad", "Greetings To Idris", "Doktor Pitt", "Think About The One", "Bedria", and "Yemenja". CD

Murray's tenor and bass clarinet are nicely set in a warm lyrical quartet with John Hicks, Ray Drummond, and Ed Blackwell. The record features some nice long tracks that have Murray playing mostly inside, but with enough soul and raw talent to keep things moving nicely. Titles include "Walter's Waltz", "Ming's Samba", and "Spooning". LP, Vinyl record album

A soul jazz gem from drummer Alvin Queen – one of the overlooked treasures on his own Nilva Records label from the 80s! The set's a monster all the way through – a cut above so many other sides like this from the time, and put together with a sock-solid energy that almost recalls earlier brilliance on labels like Blue Note or Prestige! Queen's at the head of the group on drums – pushing the lineup with Blakey-like intensity, yet in a slightly looser, more open feel overall – especially when it comes to the structure of the solos. Players include Manny Boyd on saxes, Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Robin Eubanks on trombone, John Hicks on piano, and Ray Drummond on bass – the last of whom produced the record with a very jazz-sensitive ear! Titles include "Hassan", "Europia", "Jammin Uptown", "After Liberation", and "Mind Wine". CD also features the bonus track "Hear Me Drummin". CD

Peter Leitch on guitar, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. CD

Peter Leitch on guitar – with Gary Bartz on alto, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums! CD

Peter Leitch on guitar, John Hicks on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Marvin Smith on drums. CD

A stunning little record from Pharoah Sanders – a double-length set that has all the soul and spirit of his Impulse Records classics, but with a very different vibe! There's a sense of focus here that's tremendous – as if Sanders has found a way to take the energy of his side-long performances and hone them to a level that's maybe even more expressive in its economy – maybe a streamlining of spiritual jazz for the new decade, but not at a level that tries to sound commercial or mainstream at all. Sanders is joined here by a host of equally well-voiced players who really match his energy – Joe Bonner and John Hicks on piano, Eddie Henderson on flugelhorn, Ray Drummond on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – and the set also features a bit of great work on koto from Yoko Ito Gates as well. Titles include the classic "You've Got To Have Freedom" – a fantastic soaring anthem of joy – plus "After The Rain", "Soledad", "Greetings To Idris", "Doktor Pitt", "Think About The One", "Bedria", and "Yemenja". LP, Vinyl record album

David Murray on tenor sax, John Hicks on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. CD

One of David Murray's straighter sides from the early 80s – and exactly the kind of record to prove to the world that he could be a strong tenor traditionalist while still bringing an inventive sound to play! Murray's tone is deep and soulful, and often quite lyrical – set nicely in a quartet that features warm piano from John Hicks, bass from Reggie Workman, and drums from Ed Blackwell. The Workman/Blackwell component ensure that things still have an edge at times, even when swinging – and the tunes are a mix of Murray originals and a few standards. Titles include "Morning Song", "Light Blue Frolic", "Off Season", "Duet", "Body and Soul", and "Jitterbug Waltz". LP, Vinyl record album

One of David Murray's straighter sides from the early 80s – and exactly the kind of record to prove to the world that he could be a strong tenor traditionalist while still bringing an inventive sound to play! Murray's tone is deep and soulful, and often quite lyrical – set nicely in a quartet that features warm piano from John Hicks, bass from Reggie Workman, and drums from Ed Blackwell. The Workman/Blackwell component ensure that things still have an edge at times, even when swinging – and the tunes are a mix of Murray originals and a few standards. Titles include "Morning Song", "Light Blue Frolic", "Off Season", "Duet", "Body and Soul", and "Jitterbug Waltz". CD

Mid 50s west coastery from Dave Pell – recording here in an octet that includes Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Ray Sims on trombone, Paul Smith on piano, Tony Rizzi on guitar, and Ronnie Lang on baritone. The tracks are short and slinky, with Pell's sharp tenor in the frontline – on tracks that include "Star Eyes", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "Nap's Dream", "Jazz Wagner", and "Crescendo Date". Great cover – with a Napoleon-like figure blowing a tenor amidst some crazy chicks! LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful live material from Pharoah Sanders – a key record in a time when the tenor genius was really coming back into his own in the 80s – finding a new level of soul and spiritualism after his early run of albums on Impulse Records! The group here are a well-matched array of players who would accompany Pharoah on other key musical journeys at the time – John Hicks on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – the last of whom is also going through a righteous transformation as he gets past some of his funk and club modes of the 70s. The centerpiece of the album is a long quartet version of "You've Got To Have Freedom" – one that's nice and grooving, but in a very different way than the more famous studio version. Another real winner is "Pharomba", a 13 minute long track that has a gentle groove and some extremely nice work on tenor from Pharoah! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful follow-up to Billy Bang's Vietnam: The Aftermath – one that revisits Bang's experience in Vietnam with an even more thoughtful, more introspective approach! The scope of the work is really wonderful – a rich array of colors and tones, arranged by Bang and woven out of his own compositions and a few traditional Vietnamese numbers. Players on the set include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Henry Threadgill on flute, John Hicks on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Michael Carvin on drums – and the set also features some beautiful Vietnamese vocals on a few numbers too. Titles include "Ru Con", "Lock & Load", "Waltz Of The Water Puppets", "Trong Comb", "Reconciliation", "Doi Moi", and "Reflections". CD

Wonderful live material from Pharoah Sanders – a key record in a time when the tenor genius was really coming back into his own in the 80s – finding a new level of soul and spiritualism after his early run of albums on Impulse Records! The group here are a well-matched array of players who would accompany Pharoah on other key musical journeys at the time – John Hicks on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums – the last of whom is also going through a righteous transformation as he gets past some of his funk and club modes of the 70s. The centerpiece of the album is a long quartet version of "You've Got To Have Freedom" – one that's nice and grooving, but in a very different way than the more famous studio version. Another real winner is "Pharomba", a 13 minute long track that has a gentle groove and some extremely nice work on tenor from Pharoah! This 2LP version also features a great bonus track – "Doktor Pitt", nice and long, and not on the original LP release! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing look at the early years of Sly Stone – a hip array of rare projects Sly recorded with other artists, plus a few pre-Columbia gems of his own! The package is beautifully put together, and the vibe here is definitely a great precursor to the famous sound of Sly with the Family Stone in the late 60s – a perfect illustration of his early ear for funky rhythms and some of the most righteous soul of his generation! And oddly, even artists who usually sound far from Stone come out definitely sounding a bit Sly-like here – and the package features the usual Ace great notes, to help you understand where all this great music's coming from. Titles include "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "I'm Going Home (part 1)" and "Home Sweet Home (part 2)" by Joe Hicks, "You're The One (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Sister, "Life & Death In G & A" by Abaco Dream, "I'm Just Like You" by 61X, "Underdog" by The Beau Brummels, "Can't She Tell" by Billy Preston, "LSD" by Freddie & The Stone Souls, "Stanga" by Little Sister, "I Remember" by Sly & Billy Preston, "Superfunk" by Freddie & The Stone Souls, and the cuts "For Real (demo)", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Life Of Fortune & Fame", "You Really Got Me (demo)", and "I Ain't Got Nobody" by Sly Stone himself! CD

There's plenty to love here, and the groove is way more than just the disco promised in the title – and instead this sublime array of funky soul, modern soul, and lots other soul styles too! The tunes are definitely upbeat, but they're not slavishly tied to disco – and instead really represent the great array of groove-centric work that was bubbling in the American underground in the late 70s and early 80s – as soul singers worked with a variety of different rhythms to come up with the kind of cuts that still sound plenty fresh all these many years later! Legendary collector/DJ Al Kent put the package together – and also contributed a few re-edits to a few tracks, to help extend their best elements. Titles include "I Found Love" by Lee Edwards, "Call Me" by Symbol 8, "If It Feels This Good" by Barbara Jean English, "Things Got To Get Better" by Genobia Jeter, "I'd Rather Leave On My Feet" by Emanuel Lansky, "Prophesy" by Betty Everett, "A Slong For You" by Fresh Fruit, and "Looking Over My Shoulder" by Marva Hicks – and the set also features Al Kent re-edits of "Equal Love Opportunity" by Clear, "Love Is Gone" by Mary Mundy, "I Wanna Give You Everything" by Hazel Rambaransingh, "Running Away From Love" by Skip Mahoaney & The Casuals, and "Keep On Loving You" by Perfect Touch. LP, Vinyl record album

A great showcase for the alto talents of Arthur Blythe – a set that's maybe a bit more stripped-down than some of his bigger label albums of the 80s, but in a way that really lets you focus on his strength of tone and phrasing! The group's a quartet, working in an open live setting – John Hicks on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Bobby Battle on drums – and while all players certainly know how to go inside, they keep things swinging and relatively straight at the core – while Blythe waxes beautifully on the alto, with these sharp edges that mix nicely with more lyrical moments. Titles include "Jana's Delight", "JB Blues", "Lenox Avenue Breakdown", "Faceless Woman", and "Peacemaker". CD

A mad mix of styles pulled from Balkan, Mediterranean, Jewish, and American cultures – served up in a mode that more than delivers on the enigmatic promise of its title! There's a feel here that almost takes us back to the playful creativity of the New York scene of the early 80s – the criss-crossing of sounds that were showing up often in some of the most forward-thinking indies, and which reflected the rich mix of cultures bubbling together in the post-punk years. As you might guess from the "beat box" in the title, there's a bit of a hip hop influence here – but one that's pretty small, and mostly just used on the bottomest part of the rhythms – leaving the core components of the tunes to a range of exotic instrumentation and some occasional haunting vocals. Title sinclude "Cha Cha", "Bulgarian Chicks", "Sunday Arak", "Gross", "9/4 The Ladies", "Adir Adiram", "Meboli", and "Hassan's Mimuna". CD

Tight quartet side recorded live at the Loosedrecht Jazz Festival in 1972, with John Hicks on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Alvin Queen on drums. The tracks are very long, and Tolliver and Hicks weave these beautiful spiralling solos, then drop out to let Reggie Workman get in some nice bass licks. The work is similar to Tolliver's sides for Strata East at the same time – but the presence of John Hicks is a nice contrast to the more common presence of Stanley Cowell, and it makes for a bit more tightness in the set. 5 tracks in all, including "Truth", "Our Second Father", "Grand Max", "Repetition" and "Prayer For Peace". CD

A searing live set from trumpeter Charles Tolliver – one of the few talents who could take his instrument into the kind of long-blown, beautifully open territory explored on a double length album like this! Tolliver maybe inherits a late Lee Morgan quality, but also opens up with the Woody Shaw generation – but at a level that's even more exploratory than Woody, and which follows up the fantastic sounds of his two part Live At Slugs albums, issued slightly earlier on the Strata East label! Strata is a name that's come to be synonymous with the best in spiritual jazz of the 70s – and Tolliver is the key figure at the top of that legacy – really making magic here in a quartet that includes John Hicks on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Alvin Queen on drums. Titles are all nice and long – and include "Grand Max", "Truth", "Prayer For Peace", "Our Second Father" and "Repetition". LP, Vinyl record album