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Smoking, previously unreleased live material from the great Freddie Hubbard – from a couple of dates at San Francisco's Keystone Korner in the summer and fall of 1980 – invigorating stuff led by Freddie and backed by an incredible group of players! They alternately work in a hard charging, fairly incendiary and spacious style as well as a more finely-honed groove, with great solos by Hubbard and the group. Billy Childs is on piano and Rhodes, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Hadley Caliman and David Schnitter on tenor, Eddie Marshall and Sinclair Lott on drums. The set list is exciting, to boot: with "The Intrepid Fox", "First Light", "One Of Another Kind", "Happiness Is Now", "The Summer Knows", "Blues For Duane" and Giant Steps". CD

Two saxophone giants who emerged in the post-Coltrane generation – both taking on the music of the master himself! The set features Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano going head to head in a wonderful way – playing for a BBC Jazz program, and really stretching out – not just on twin tenors, bot also with Liebman on soprano sax, c flute, and wood recorder – and Lovano on alto clarinet, Scottish flute, and aulochrome – all instruments that really help expand on the color palette of the Coltrane compositions! The rest of the group features Phil Markowitz on piano, Ron McClure on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and although, since the set was recorded in 2007, it's not the same "vintage tapes" style as other Resonance releases, it's still got an equally crucial vibe – a key look at a musical moment that we might have otherwise missed. Titles include a very long take on "Compassion" – plus "Locomotion", "Ole", "Reverend King", "Equinox", and "Central Park West/Dear Lord". CD

A treasure trove of lost work from Wes Montgomery – very early recordings done in his native Indianapolis, and packaged with a great book of vintage photos as well! The set offers a key look at Wes' music before he moved onto greater fame out west – a great slice of sounds that are closest to his small combo work for Riverside, but which have an even homier feel overall thanks to the presence of some live performances mixed in with the studio sessions! Recording quality is great throughout, and tapes have been very lovingly restored – making the package way more than just a relic, and more a whole new listening experience from the early years of Wes – a magnificent way to hear that legendary tone, already full-formed at the start. Players include some real stalwarts from the Indy scene – including Mel Rhyne on both piano and organ, Earl Van Riper on piano, and on one track, brothers Buddy Montgomery on bass and Monk on piano. Titles include "Diablo's Dance", "Take The A Train", "Nica's Dream", "Round Midnight", "After Hours Blues", and "Misty". 22 page book comes with loads of photos and great essays! CD

Stunning rare material from Sonny Rollins – from a period when he wasn't doing that much work in the studio! The double-length package features Sonny blowing with a great sense of majesty and freedom – working in trio format that recalls his classic Vanguard recordings for Blue Note – but with Ruud Jacobs on bass and Han Bennink on drums – both great players who really help Rollins keep his modern edge! This isn't just a pickup overseas rhythm section – as Bennink is fantastic, at a point right before he was moving into free jazz – and Jacobs is a hell of a bassist who always makes a group sound great. The set features four studio tracks – "Blue Room", "Four", "Tune Up", and "Love Walked In" – plus more live material from the same month – long tracks "Love Walked In", "Four", "On Green Dolphin Street/There Will Never Be Another You", "Sonnymoon For Two", and "Three Little Words". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning live recording from Sarah Vaughan – recorded in the late 70s, when she was at a whole new height in her talents – and at a level that's far more dynamic and striking than some of her other records from the time! The double-length set presents the first-ever commercial release of a beautifully recorded performance originally done for NPR – with Vaughan in a very open, expressive mode alongside a trio with Carl Schroeder on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – working at a small club in New Orleans with a wonderfully soulful vibe! Vaughan shines beautifully on the ballads, but really blows us away with the swingers – hitting some edges we don't always hear on her 70s sides for Pablo, Groove Merchant, or Mainstream – managing vocal complexity with inherent rhythm, all with effortless ease. The sound quality is wonderful – and titles include "I'll Remember April", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "The Man I Love", "Watch What Happens", "If You Went Away", "I Could Write A Book", "Time After Time", "Somebody Loves Me", "My Funny Valentine", "Everything Must Change", "Send In The Clowns", "Sarah's Blues", and "East Of The Sun". CD

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Unreleased live work from pianist Monty Alexander – recording here with a bit of extra percussion in his trio, which always seems to give his music a nice little kick! The date was captured at Bubba's, in Fort Lauderdale – a club that not only seemed to be a rare spot in Florida that gave musicians a chance to open up like some of the better clubs on the west coast – but one that also did a superb job of documenting some of its best performances over the years! That's definitely the case here – as Monty maybe sounds better than on most of his studio dates of the period – stretching out on nice long tracks, with help from Paul Berner on bass, Duffy Jackson on drums, and Robert Thomas Jr on percussion – the last of whom really keeps things interesting from a rhythmic perspective – in ways that definitely show up on Alexander's keyboard too. Titles include "Love You Madly", "Sweet Lady", "Eleuthra", "Reggae Later", "Arthur's Theme", "SKH", "Swamp Fire", "Fungii Mama", "Montevideo", and "Consider". CD

John Beasley on organ and synthesizer, James Genus on acoustic bass, Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums, James Genus on electric bass, John Beasley on electric piano, Munyungo Jackson on percussion, John Beasley on piano, Bennie Maupin on saxophone, and Brian Lynch on trumpet. CD

A mindblowing look at the early years of Nat King Cole – a set that stretches in a mighty wide space before Nat's big fame at Capitol Records – and which also greatly expands our understanding of the material he recorded during his Decca years too! The music takes Nat back to a time long before most folks know his music – with roots in the bluesier side of the Chicago scene, moving through jazzier modes of the swing generation, to the tight trio work that helped Cole shape the sound of a generation – and all before he even got a chance to record more as a singer, and with bigger backings too! There's definitely some early Decca Records material from the 78rpm years, but there's also lots of alternate takes, small label material for Philo, Excelsior, and other labels – then a stunning amount of transcription recordings that were done for radio and broadcast – plus a few live tracks too. Not all the work here was recorded under Nat's name, either – as there's tracks in which Cole features strongly in other combos – although most tracks are trio numbers, and guitar great Oscar Moore is in the lineup right from the start. The 10LP set features over 180 tracks in all, remastered with really great sound – plus a 16 page booklet that's filled with notes, photos, and lots more musical history! LP, Vinyl record album

Eddie Daniels on reeds – accompanied by a string quartet plus Josh Nelson on piano, Kevin Axt on bass, and Mauricio Zottarelli on drums. CD

A fantastic package that finally gives these recordings their proper due – one that takes the cuts that were issued on the albums Iron Man and Conversations (plus a million cheapo packages over the years) – and restores them to their original mono, right from the tapes – then adds in 85 more minutes of never issued material! The tracks here are a perfect balance of Dolphy in his final year – with some spiritual jazz currents, but still a strong sense of swing – with a fantastic lineup that includes Prince Lasha on flute, Sonny Simmons on alto, Clifford Jordan on soprano, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and both JC Moses and Charles Moffett on drums – almost a who's-who of people who would go onto shape the face of jazz in years to come. Titles include "A Personal Statement", "Ode To Charlie Parker", "Iron Man", "Come Sunday", "Burning Spear", "Muses For Richard Davis", "Alone Together", "Love Me", and "Jitterbug Waltz" – plus a number of other different versions of tunes. 3CD set comes with a 100 page booklet – featuring photos, essays, and interviews with Sonny Simmons, Sonny Rollins, Nicole Mitchell, Henry Threadgill, and David Murray. CD

A very late live set from the legendary Bill Evans, and a great one too – a set that captures the pianist in all his spare, subtle glory – working with just the right sort of accompaniment from Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums! Both Marc and Joe are players who really helped Evans recapture some of his glory in the final years of his life – and Johnson's sense of soundshaping is especially great here, as he almost seems to wrap around Evans' beautifully sensitive notes on the piano – providing a very different sort of accompaniment than Bill had from bassist Eddie Gomez. Tracks are often nice and long, and have a really special sort of live magic – that sort that makes us feel like we can never get enough of Bill Evans concert recordings. Titles include "Nardis", "Minha", "Up With The Lark", "Letter To Evan", "Turn Out The Stars", "I Do It For Your Love", "MASH", "Laurie", and "Stella By Starlight". CD

A real treasure – previously unreleased live material from the late, great Bill Evans – featuring wonderful late 60s work from his trio that included Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morrell on drums! The recording quality is great, and the playing is equally top-shelf too – a perfect illustration of the trio's genius, with a strong focus on the way that Gomez's basslines really help to shape the flowing grooves of the tunes! Evans is wonderful, too – still some echoes of that earlier 60s bite at times, yet also lots of those open, lyrical modes that really flowered in the later part of the decade – as you'll hear on a set that includes "Emily", "Yesterdays", "Witchcraft", "Round Midnight", "Autumn Leaves", "Someday My Prince Will Come", "Mother Of Earl", "Turn Out The Stars", and "Here's That Rainy Day". CD

The first-ever release of a Bill Evans concert recorded at Ronnie Scotts in London – a place where he cut other work in other years, but maybe not at a level like this! The group is wonderful – Bill's budding relationship with the bassist Eddie Gomez, who was bringing a richness to the Evans piano that even previous players didn't reach – and who was also establishing the bass as as an important voice in the trio as Bill's piano! The drummer is Jack DeJohnette – a player who's just finding his voice in jazz, but a perfect choice for the others here – as the group handles material that includes "Waltz For Debby", "Very Early", "Emily", "Nardis", "Autumn Leaves", "Round Midnight", "Quiet Now", "Stella By Starlight", "Alfie", "Yesterdays", and "Turn Out The Stars". Features a 44 page booklet with previously unreleased photos, a new essay, and interviews with Eddie Gomez and Jack DeJohnette! CD

If you've ever wondered why the world needs so many Bill Evans recordings, then we've got a record to show you why – a sublime batch of live material recorded in Buenos Aries during the 70s, and one of those Evans dates that somehow seems extra-special – even amidst all of Bill's other wonderful records! There's a charm here that grabs us right from the start – those always-perfect, always-lyrical notes from the piano by Bill, richly soulful work on bass from Eddie Gomez, and these lightly dancing drums from Marty Morell that swing things in this gentle way that's incredible – the perfect balance of the Evans trio of the time – captured with a range of spontaneous expressions that show why the group was almost always even more amazing live than in the studio! Titles on this first volume include "Emily", "Re Person I Knew", "Who Can I Turn To", "My Romance", and "Two Lonely People" – and even if you've got Bill doing these tunes on other records, you've got to hear him handling them here. First-ever proper release of this material! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare duets from pianists Tommy Flanagan and Jaki Byard – recorded in San Francisco in the early 80s, and issued here for the first time ever! Both players are artists we love in a solo or stripped-down setting – where they really seem to open up and find all sorts of little corners and pockets of sound that they'd never hit in a trio or group – and the combination of both Flanagan and Byard together in one date is really something unique! Tommy's lyricism and Byard's modernity mix beautifully here – and really balance the sound between the players – allowing focus on the individual personalities of each, yet really setting fire in the spontaneous interactions betweent he pair. Titles include "Our Delight", "The Theme", "Land Of Make Believe", "Satin Doll", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Chelsea Bridge". CD

Rare duets from pianists Tommy Flanagan and Jaki Byard – recorded in San Francisco in the early 80s, and issued here for the first time ever! Both players are artists we love in a solo or stripped-down setting – where they really seem to open up and find all sorts of little corners and pockets of sound that they'd never hit in a trio or group – and the combination of both Flanagan and Byard together in one date is really something unique! Tommy's lyricism and Byard's modernity mix beautifully here – and really balance the sound between the players – allowing focus on the individual personalities of each, yet really setting fire in the spontaneous interactions betweent he pair. Titles include "Our Delight", "The Theme", "Land Of Make Believe", "Satin Doll", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Chelsea Bridge". CD

Beautiful rare work from the late 60s years of Grant Green – a time when the guitarist was giving us some of his funk classics on Blue Note, and when he really seemed to be opening up his groove! That's definitely the case here – as the tracks aren't just funky, but also spin out at nicely long lengths – first on a set of tracks recorded for radio in Paris in 1969, with Green on guitar, Larry Ridley on bass, and Don Lamond on drums – working in a trio mode with a very different vibe than Grant's earlier work. Barney Kessel joins on second guitar on the tune "I Wish You Love", and other tracks include "I don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing", "Oleo", and "Untitled Blues". The second two thirds of the record are even more unbridled – and feature long live performances from the 1970 Antibes Festival – with a cool quartet that features Claude Bartee on tenor and Clarence Parker on Hammond. All tracks are well past the 10 minute mark, most pushing 20 – and titles include two versions of "Upshot", plus "Hi Heel Sneakers" and "Hurt So Bad". CD

Beautiful rare work from the late 60s years of Grant Green – a time when the guitarist was giving us some of his funk classics on Blue Note, and when he really seemed to be opening up his groove! That's definitely the case here – as the tracks aren't just funky, but also spin out at nicely long lengths – first on a set of tracks recorded for radio in Paris in 1969, with Green on guitar, Larry Ridley on bass, and Don Lamond on drums – working in a trio mode with a very different vibe than Grant's earlier work. Barney Kessel joins on second guitar on the tune "I Wish You Love", and other tracks include "I don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing", "Oleo", and "Untitled Blues". The second two thirds of the record are even more unbridled – and feature long live performances from the 1970 Antibes Festival – with a cool quartet that features Claude Bartee on tenor and Clarence Parker on Hammond. All tracks are well past the 10 minute mark, most pushing 20 – and titles include two versions of "Upshot", plus "Hi Heel Sneakers" and "Hurt So Bad". CD

Late live work from the mighty Grant Green – cut at a time when the guitarist wasn't giving us nearly enough records as in his early years, and was also tending to record in a more polished setting! That's definitely not the case here – as the tracks are long, and the music is live – recorded with a very cool small combo that includes Emmanuel Riggins on electric piano, Ronnie Ware on bass, Greg Williams on drums, and Gerald Izzard on percussion – all really stretching out on the long tracks in the set! Titles include a massive 26 minute take on "How Insensitive", an 8 minute version of "Now's The Time", and a long medley that spins out for over 30 minutes – and which includes "Vulcan Princess", "Skin Tight", "Woman's Gotta Have It", "Boogie On Reggae Woman", and "For The Love Of Money". CD

A set of unreleased duets between trumpeter Roy Hargrove and pianist Mulgrew Miller – two players who are definitely in harmony throughout the recording! Most tracks are nice and long – taken with an open, lyrical sensibility – one that's driven strongly by Miller's sense of imagination on the piano, and which seems to have Roy Hargrove maybe opening up a bit more than some of his studio recordings of the time! Titles include versions of "Triste", "Con Alma", "This Is Always", "I Remember Clifford", "Never Let Me Go", "Invitation", Ruby My Dear", "Ow", and "Just In Time" – plus a nice reading of the Blue Mitchell tune "Fungii Mama". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Robben Ford on guitar. CD

Smoking, previously unreleased live material from the great Freddie Hubbard – from a couple of dates at San Francisco's Keystone Korner in the summer and fall of 1980 – invigorating stuff led by Freddie and backed by an incredible group of players! They alternately work in a hard charging, fairly incendiary and spacious style as well as a more finely-honed groove, with great solos by Hubbard and the group. Billy Childs is on piano and Rhodes, Phil Ranelin on trombone, Hadley Caliman and David Schnitter on tenor, Eddie Marshall and Sinclair Lott on drums. The set list is exciting, to boot: with "The Intrepid Fox", "First Light", "One Of Another Kind", "Happiness Is Now", "The Summer Knows", "Blues For Duane" and Giant Steps". CD

Rare material from pianist Bob James – and tracks that are a lot different than his funky Fender Rhodes albums of the 70s! The set is the first-ever issued of work recorded at Columbia University in 1965 – and the vibe is a bit like James' album for Mercury Records around the same time – a bit straight at point, but also with some surprising avant moments too – touches that make Bob part of that young generation of new experimental pianists, which would also include Steve Kuhn, Don Friedman, and the young Keith Jarrett! The first half of the set very much lives up to that mode – with a trio that features Larry Rockwell on bass and the great Bob Pozar on drums – on titles that include "Lateef Minor 7th", "Once Upon A Time", "Serenata", and "Variations". The second half is from later in the year, and is maybe more boppish overall – with a trio that features Bill Wood on bass and Omar Clay on drums – on titles that include "Indian Summer", "Solar", "Long Forgotten Blues", and "Airegin". CD

Rare material from pianist Bob James – and tracks that are a lot different than his funky Fender Rhodes albums of the 70s! The set is the first-ever issued of work recorded at Columbia University in 1965 – and the vibe is a bit like James' album for Mercury Records around the same time – a bit straight at point, but also with some surprising avant moments too – touches that make Bob part of that young generation of new experimental pianists, which would also include Steve Kuhn, Don Friedman, and the young Keith Jarrett! The first half of the set very much lives up to that mode – with a trio that features Larry Rockwell on bass and the great Bob Pozar on drums – on titles that include "Lateef Minor 7th", "Once Upon A Time", "Serenata", and "Variations". The second half is from later in the year, and is maybe more boppish overall – with a trio that features Bill Wood on bass and Omar Clay on drums – on titles that include "Indian Summer", "Solar", "Long Forgotten Blues", and "Airegin". LP, Vinyl record album

The birth of a legend – documented here in a really wonderful package – a brilliant 2CD set that brings forth the first-ever recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – heard here on the debut nights of their very long run of Monday night performances at the Village Vanguard! Right from the start, this group was really something special – formed by the meeting of two legendary talents, trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis – and driven strongly by a lineup of all-star players who were happy to shelve their egos this night of the week, and come together in a unit that was far more than just the sum of its amazing parts. Players on these two nights include Hank Jones on piano, Richard Davis on bass, Jimmy Owens and Bill Berry on trumpets, Bob Brookmeyer and Garnett Brown on trombones, and Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, and Jerry Dodgion on a flurry of amazing reed performances – producing the kinds of insane colors and edges the group was always known for! This isn't big band jazz – at least not the sort you'd think of with cliche – and instead, the recordings document the meeting of amazing talents creating effortlessly together under the leadership of two generous giants. The package is wonderful, really a tribute to this amazing music – oversized, and with a huge booklet of notes and photos – and 2CDs with titles that include "Back Bone", "Big Dipper", "Mornin Reverend", "Little Pixie", "All My Yesterdays", "Once Around", "Ah That's Freedom", and "Don't Ever Leave Me". CD

Rare work from the legendary bassist Scott LaFaro – an obscure early 60s recording, made before his untimely early death! LaFaro's caught here in the company of pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca – both inventive modernists who really share his creative conception of a groove – a school of trio expression that's certainly informed by the late 50s influence of Bill Evans, but which also takes off in some wonderfully bright directions of its own! Titles include "Sacre Bleu", "Green Dolphin Street", "I Hear A Rhapsody", "Woody N You", and "My Foolish Heart". CD also features a bonus interview with Bill Evans from 1966 – and a 1985 Don Friedman track titled "Memories For Scotty". CD

Two saxophone giants who emerged in the post-Coltrane generation – both taking on the music of the master himself! The set features Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano going head to head in a wonderful way – playing for a BBC Jazz program, and really stretching out – not just on twin tenors, bot also with Liebman on soprano sax, c flute, and wood recorder – and Lovano on alto clarinet, Scottish flute, and aulochrome – all instruments that really help expand on the color palette of the Coltrane compositions! The rest of the group features Phil Markowitz on piano, Ron McClure on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and although, since the set was recorded in 2007, it's not the same "vintage tapes" style as other Resonance releases, it's still got an equally crucial vibe – a key look at a musical moment that we might have otherwise missed. Titles include a very long take on "Compassion" – plus "Locomotion", "Ole", "Reverend King", "Equinox", and "Central Park West/Dear Lord". CD

Never-heard music from the great Charles Lloyd – two well-recorded live sets from the 60s, both with a very unusual group! The lineup has Lloyd on tenor, soprano, and flute, working with frequent partner Gabor Szabo on guitar – but the rest of the quartet also features Ron Carter on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – two players who really have an open, laidback way of letting the music flow! All tracks are nice and long, and Lloyd is wonderfully expressive – maybe even more so than on his studio records from the period – with these long, soulful, spiritual solos that almost make us feel like he's picked up the torch from the recently-departed Eric Dolphy – especially in the way that Dolphy would spin things out in a live setting. The set features two versions of "Lady Gabor", both a bit different – plus the titles "How Can I Tell You", "Slug's Blues", "Sweet Georgia Bright", and "Dream Weaver". CD

Fantastic lost work from Charles Mingus, from a very under-recorded time in his life – the same period in which he gave the world the seminal album Let My Children Hear Music! The setting's a live one – and as on some of Mingus' superb 60s concert sessions, there's a force and fire here that really surpasses the group's energy in the studio – long tracks that are filled with brilliant solo work, and handled by a sextet that includes Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Foster on piano, and Roy Brooks on drums – a group with just the kind of young, imaginative horn players that Mingus always used to create a special sort of fire. Titles include the 19 minute "The Man Who Never Sleeps", the 30 minute "Mind Readers Convention In Milano", a 25 minute version of "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress", and a 20 minute take on "Noddin Ya Head Blue" – plus a 35 minute jam on "Fables Of Faubus" and the shorter "Pops". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic lost work from Charles Mingus, from a very under-recorded time in his life – the same period in which he gave the world the seminal album Let My Children Hear Music! The setting's a live one – and as on some of Mingus' superb 60s concert sessions, there's a force and fire here that really surpasses the group's energy in the studio – long tracks that are filled with brilliant solo work, and handled by a sextet that includes Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Foster on piano, and Roy Brooks on drums – a group with just the kind of young, imaginative horn players that Mingus always used to create a special sort of fire. Titles include the 19 minute "The Man Who Never Sleeps", the 30 minute "Mind Readers Convention In Milano", a 25 minute version of "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress", and a 20 minute take on "Noddin Ya Head Blue" – plus a 35 minute jam on "Fables Of Faubus" and the shorter "Pops". CD

Fantastic lost work from Charles Mingus, from a very under-recorded time in his life – the same period in which he gave the world the seminal album Let My Children Hear Music! The setting's a live one – and as on some of Mingus' superb 60s concert sessions, there's a force and fire here that really surpasses the group's energy in the studio – long tracks that are filled with brilliant solo work, and handled by a sextet that includes Bobby Jones on tenor, Charles McPherson on alto, Jon Faddis on trumpet, John Foster on piano, and Roy Brooks on drums – a group with just the kind of young, imaginative horn players that Mingus always used to create a special sort of fire. Titles include the 19 minute "The Man Who Never Sleeps", the 30 minute "Mind Readers Convention In Milano", a 25 minute version of "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress", and a 20 minute take on "Noddin Ya Head Blue" – plus a 35 minute jam on "Fables Of Faubus" and the shorter "Pops". CD

A treasure trove of lost work from Wes Montgomery – very early recordings done in his native Indianapolis, and packaged with a great book of vintage photos as well! The set offers a key look at Wes' music before he moved onto greater fame out west – a great slice of sounds that are closest to his small combo work for Riverside, but which have an even homier feel overall thanks to the presence of some live performances mixed in with the studio sessions! Recording quality is great throughout, and tapes have been very lovingly restored – making the package way more than just a relic, and more a whole new listening experience from the early years of Wes – a magnificent way to hear that legendary tone, already full-formed at the start. Players include some real stalwarts from the Indy scene – including Mel Rhyne on both piano and organ, Earl Van Riper on piano, and on one track, brothers Buddy Montgomery on bass and Monk on piano. Titles include "Diablo's Dance", "Take The A Train", "Nica's Dream", "Round Midnight", "After Hours Blues", and "Misty". 22 page book comes with loads of photos and great essays! CD

An incredible look at the very young Wes Montgomery – rare early recordings done before his breakthrough material for the Riverside label in the late 50s – but already showing Wes as one of the freshest talents of his generation on guitar! The bulk of the material features Montgomery in live settings, mostly in his home turf of Indianapolis – but the collection also features a never-heard studio session from 1955 – recorded for Epic Records with Quincy Jones as the producer! The live tracks are wonderful – full of fire, but never roughshod or gritty – already showing that masterful Montgomery approach to the guitar in full effect – shining in the company of contemporaries who include Monk Montgomery on bass, Buddy Montgomery or Richie Crabtree on piano, Gene Morris or Alonzo Pookie Johnson on tenor, and Sonny Johnson on drums. It's especially great to hear tenor with Montgomery – an instrument that didn't always figure in his early sessions – and the quality of Alonzo's playing is especially great on the Epic studio sides too. There's a huge amount of information in the package to illuminate the music – plenty of notes, photos, and more – and titles include "Six Bridges To Cross", "Ralph's New Blues", "Soft Winds", "King Trotter", "All The Things You Are", "Wes' Tune", "Leila", "Far Wes", "Going Down To Big Mary's", "Brazil", "Four", "Smooth Evening", and "Carlena's Blues". CD

An incredible look at the very young Wes Montgomery – rare early recordings done before his breakthrough material for the Riverside label in the late 50s – but already showing Wes as one of the freshest talents of his generation on guitar! The bulk of the material features Montgomery in live settings, mostly in his home turf of Indianapolis – but the collection also features a never-heard studio session from 1955 – recorded for Epic Records with Quincy Jones as the producer! The live tracks are wonderful – full of fire, but never roughshod or gritty – already showing that masterful Montgomery approach to the guitar in full effect – shining in the company of contemporaries who include Monk Montgomery on bass, Buddy Montgomery or Richie Crabtree on piano, Gene Morris or Alonzo Pookie Johnson on tenor, and Sonny Johnson on drums. It's especially great to hear tenor with Montgomery – an instrument that didn't always figure in his early sessions – and the quality of Alonzo's playing is especially great on the Epic studio sides too. There's a huge amount of information in the package to illuminate the music – plenty of notes, photos, and more – and titles include "Six Bridges To Cross", "Ralph's New Blues", "Soft Winds", "King Trotter", "All The Things You Are", "Wes' Tune", "Leila", "Far Wes", "Going Down To Big Mary's", "Brazil", "Four", "Smooth Evening", and "Carlena's Blues". CD

Beautifully-recorded material by the great Wes Montgomery – some fairly open-ended tracks recorded for French radio in the 60s – with guest work from tenorist Johnny Griffin on a number of tunes! The core group here is great enough on its own – as Wes' guitar is backed by superb piano from Harold Mabern – who's really opening his flow at this time in his career, and makes for some really imaginative collaboration here with Montgomery – and the rest of the combo features tight rhythm from Arthur Harper on bass and Jimmy Lovelace on drums. The addition of Griffin is a nice surprise – especially as Montgomery wasn't often playing with tenor in a small group setting by this point – and titles include "Twisted Blues", "Blue N Boogie/West Coast Blues", "Full House", "To wane", "Jingles", "Impressions", "Four On Six", and "Round Midnight". CD

Beautifully-recorded material by the great Wes Montgomery – some fairly open-ended tracks recorded for French radio in the 60s – with guest work from tenorist Johnny Griffin on a number of tunes! The core group here is great enough on its own – as Wes' guitar is backed by superb piano from Harold Mabern – who's really opening his flow at this time in his career, and makes for some really imaginative collaboration here with Montgomery – and the rest of the combo features tight rhythm from Arthur Harper on bass and Jimmy Lovelace on drums. The addition of Griffin is a nice surprise – especially as Montgomery wasn't often playing with tenor in a small group setting by this point – and titles include "Twisted Blues", "Blue N Boogie/West Coast Blues", "Full House", "To wane", "Jingles", "Impressions", "Four On Six", and "Round Midnight". CD

A famous broadcast performance by this legendary bassist – but one that's presented here in a version that features 40 minutes of music that never aired on the original program! This well-recorded set captures Jaco Pastorius at his height – after a huge step forward in sound and style in the 70s – to a time when he was exploring so many new ideas, and new ways of expressing himself on the electric bass – an instrument that he completely transformed for generations to come! The group's a large one – Jaco's Word Of Mouth ensemble – with Bob Mintzer on tenor and soprano sax, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Peter Erskine on drums, and Don Alias on percussion – plus Othello Molineaux on some mighty cool steel drums. There's a larger horn section, too – and Toots Theielmans plays a bit of guest harmonica – and most tracks are nice and long. Titles include "Okonkole Y Trompa", "Three Views Of A Secret", "Invitation", "Soul Intro/The Chicken", "Twins", "Bass & Drum Improvisation", "Reza/Giant Steps", and "Mr Fonebone". CD

Stunning rare material from Sonny Rollins – from a period when he wasn't doing that much work in the studio! The double-length package features Sonny blowing with a great sense of majesty and freedom – working in trio format that recalls his classic Vanguard recordings for Blue Note – but with Ruud Jacobs on bass and Han Bennink on drums – both great players who really help Rollins keep his modern edge! This isn't just a pickup overseas rhythm section – as Bennink is fantastic, at a point right before he was moving into free jazz – and Jacobs is a hell of a bassist who always makes a group sound great. The set features four studio tracks – "Blue Room", "Four", "Tune Up", and "Love Walked In" – plus more live material from the same month – long tracks "Love Walked In", "Four", "On Green Dolphin Street/There Will Never Be Another You", "Sonnymoon For Two", "They Can't Take That Away From Me/Sonnymoon For Two", and "Three Little Words". Also features a 100 page booklet – with rare photos, essays, and even an interview with Sonny! CD

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Rare live work from the legendary Three Sounds trio – tracks recorded at a small jazz club in Seattle, at a time when the group were turning out their classic albums on Blue Note and Verve! There's a looser, more laidback vibe to some of these cuts than those studio records – and Gene Harris is especially amazing on his solos – blowing our mind even more than before with his deft, soulful approach to the keys – almost hitting Bobby Timmons territory on some of these tracks, given his non-stop ability to groove while still opening up on the melody! All tracks also feature the great Andy Simpkins on bass – a wonderfully warm player who really shapes the sound – and drummers include Carl Burnett, Bill Dowdy, and Kalil Madi – depending on the tunes. Material was recorded in 1964, 1966, and 1968 – and very well-recorded, too – presented here with a clarity that rivals their albums of the decade. Titles include "AM Blues", "Girl Talk", "Blue Genes", "Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "Rat Down Front", "The Boogaloo", "Caesar & Cleopatra", and "The Shadow Of Your Smile". CD

Gene Harris on piano, Jim Mullen on guitar, Andrew Cleyndert on bass, and Martin Drew on drums. CD

Gene Harris on piano, Jim Mullen on guitar, Andrew Cleyndert on bass, and Martin Drew on drums. CD

Unissued live work from the great Shirley Horn – recorded in Las Vegas right before her big comeback recordings of the 90s – at a time when Shirley was hardly getting a chance to make an album! That lack of attention hardly matters to Horn, though – as she faces this performance with all of the class, charm, and undeniable soul of her bigger label material – both singing and playing piano with that unique sense of phrasing that made her a standout from the 60s onward – easily one of the coolest jazz talents of her generation – and an artist that we'd rank up there with Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and a rare few others. The album's got a few especially nice long tracks – which have Shirley stretching out with great long solos on piano, too – in a trio that features Charles Ables on bass and Steve Williams on drums. Titles include "Meditation", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Hi Fly", "Just For A Thrill", "Blues For Big Scotia", "Lover Man", and "Isn't It Romantic". CD

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". The 9th Wonder produced single "Honey" is an unlisted bonus track. CD

The last album from Prodigy & Havoc's classic run in the 90s – still with the distinctively raw, now legendary street style of the early to mid-period Mobb Deep – with appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Big Noyd, 8-Ball, Lil Cease, Lil Kim and more. In their prime, Mobb Deep had a way of giving tried-it-true street rap a deeper emotional resonance than many of thier peers – without compromising on the grit or headnodding vibe – and there's plenty of prime material on Murda Muzik. 17 tracks in all: "Streets Raised Me", "Let A Ho Be A Ho", the classic "Quiet Storm" (plus a remix with Lil Kim), "Thug Muzik", "Murda Muzik", "It's Mine" with Nas, "The Realest" with Kool G Rap, "Can't F– Wit" wtih Raekwon & more. LP, Vinyl record album

Van's debut album for Warner Brothers and a pretty radical departure from anything he'd done before – breaking all kinds of new ground for his own most creative work and helping pave the way for all kinds of hauntingly poetic rock, folk rock, and singer-songwriter records to come! It doesn't take more than a few seconds of opening title track, with Morrison's rawly passionate voice and spiritually yearning lyrics, to know this is a pretty remarkable creative leap from pop leaning sound of "Brown Eyed Girl" and other preceding efforts – , and it gets even more far out from there both lyrically and instrumentally! It's almost folk jazz, arrangements wise, with flute and largely acoustic instrumentation, a really spontaneous feel to the sessions, and always hypnotic, seemingly stream of consciousness vocals by Van. As loose and spacious as the sound is, the emotional resonance is pretty heavy, and sequenced as a cycle: part one In The Beginning on side 1 and part two Afterwards on side 2. A stunner! Titles include "Astral Weeks", "Beside You", "Cyprus Avenue", "Sweet Thing", "Slim Slow Slider", and "Madame George". LP, Vinyl record album

Wilco's post-millennium masterpiece! After years of adventurous sounds and increasingly poetic lyrics being subtly layered over their country rock roots, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was such a radical departure from their first couple albums that it was legendary upon arrival. What's so amazing about it is that it's essentially an art rock album with rootsy heart, somehow carrying the emotional resonance of earlier heart-on-sleeve songcraft with hardly a twangy riff to be found. Titles include "Kamera", "Radio Cure", "Jesus Etc", "Heavy Metal Drummer", "Reservations", "Poor Places", "Pot Kettle Black", "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart", and "Ashes Of American Flags". CD

Sweet sounds from a real golden age in Japanese music – a time when the scene had picked up plenty of influences from the US scene, but was carefully crafting some great styles of their own! The music here has touches of jazz, fusion, soul, and AOR – but there's a special balance that's a bit different than American chartbound material of the time – tight, but never too slick – and with a great ear for allowing the more interesting sides of the music to come forth in all the best ways – so that although catchy, the tunes aren't just going slavishly for a hook or a hit! There's a lot of resonance in the instrumentation with some of the scene that had Japanese jazz musicians working with American fusion players – but the overall approach is maybe more soul-based overall. An even deeper set than the first volume – with titles that include "Kanpoo" by Yumi Murata, "Hidari Mune No Seiza" by Tetsuji Hayashi, "Yubikiri" by Eiichi Ohtaki, "Vibration" by Kimiko Kasai, "Pink Shadow" by Bread & Butter, "The Tokyo Taste" by The Sadistics, "Blind Curve" by Momoko Kikuchi, "Skyfire" by Eri Ohno, and "Rainy Saturday & Coffee Break" by Junko Ohashi & Minoya Central Station. CD

Pure genius from a young Chico Buarque – simple, effective, straightforward tunes – and music that has had a resonance in Brazil for many decades since! At one level, the sound here draws heavily from the samba recordings of previous years – but at another level, there's a greater level of sophistication that predates the growth of the MPB generation during the 70s – a sound that blends in some larger backings and airy production, all for a sound that's completely heavenly! Titles include "Noite Dos Mascarados", "A Televisao", "Fica", "Com Acucar, Com Afeto", "Logo Eu?", "Ano Novo", "Realejo", and "Um Chorinho". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Spark Of Being trilogy from Dave Douglas & Keystone – music made in a partnership with experimental filmmaker Bill Morrison as a reinterpretation of the Frankenstein story – each CD excellent in its own right, and it's all even better as a whole! The first entry is titled Soundtrack – a really striking record that marks the project as a compelling standout in Douglas's career! There's definitely a soundtrack approach to the music here – lots of rich textures and tones, shifting on a sonic landscape that's somewhat different than Douglas' more familiar jazz modes, yet which still has some of the spontaneously creative elements you'd expect! Dave plays laptop in addition to trumpet – and DJ Olive supplies some similar sonic elements too – in addition to other instrumentation from Marcus Strickland on tenor, Adam Benjamin on Fender Rhodes, Brad Jones on Ampeg baby bass, and Gene Lake on drums. Despite the acoustic elements, there's a strong resonance from the electric parts – which often have these deeply spooky tones – and titles include "Observer", "Spark Of Being", "Creature Three", "Chroma", "Is It You", "Three Ring Circus", and "Split Personality". The second part is titled Expand – this one billed as the "straight" performances of themes composed for the project! Expand does work as a solid modern jazz album, with shifting tones, creative sparks and dexterous rhythmic interplay and sharp solos. The textural experimental touches assure that it's a artful step to the left, though, and it's great stuff anyway you want to look at it. Titles include "Spark Of Being", "Creature", "Tree Ring Circus", "Observer", "Chroma", "Travelogue" and "Prologue". The final part is Burst – featuring compositions from the sessions that do not appear in the film! It's wonderful stuff, intuitive, rhythmically exhilarating and sharply creative modern jazz with great solos, unpredictable tonal shifts and creative bits of sound that work very well thematically. Titles "Leaving London", "Creaturecode", "The Growing Tree", "Vitalism", "Creature Discomfort", "Travelogue Complete", "Split Personality Infinitive" and "Tree Ring Vamp". CD

A pair of scores recorded a decade apart – both working pretty well together on a single CD! Seven Days In May is a mid 60s military thriller – scored by Jerry Goldsmith with a fair bit of snapping snare – but used in a way that kind of bridges suspenseful moments and more war-like themes – pretty darn taught throughout the entire soundtrack! The numbers have a nice sort of resonance with each other, and really keep up the energy – and tracks include "Main Title", "Pickets", "First Sign Of Trouble", "Midnight Rendezvous", "Casey Is Caught", and "Scott Defeated". The Mackintosh Man sounds quite different, and provides a great change of pace after the tenseness of Seven Days In May – a slightly whimsical score penned by Maurice Jarre for an overlooked early 70s spy thriller with Paul Newman – handled with this great main theme that's provided in a number of different variations – almost a jaunty number, with echoes of Italian modes of the time, but almost more comedy than spy! The pace and instrumentation changes a bit from track to track, but this great theme repeats often – and titles include "Postal Thief", "Meeting In Prison", "Escape Route", "Drugs For Rearden", "Party 2", "Loose Talk", and "Rendezvous With Wheeler". Features some bonus tracks too! CD

Beautiful black and white images from the East Harlem scene of the postwar years – material shot by New York photographer Leo Goldstein to partly document the new wave of Puerto Rican immigrants in the neighborhood, as maybe one of the first efforts to establish a Nuyorican sense of identity! The images are mostly portraits, with a few candids shot in the street – and given that the book is on Powerhouse, there's a nice resonance with some of that publisher's later volumes on early hip hop and other New York street photography. All images are in black and white, and the book is hardcover, and 158 pages. Book

A fantastic record that not only continues the great blend of sounds that saxophonist Muriel Grossmann has given us in recent years, but also pushes things forward with a stunning combination that really knocks things out of the park! This isn't the first record to feature Muriel with the Hammond of Llorenc Barcelo and guitar of Radomir Milojkovic, but their combination here has a way of soaring to the skies like the mixture of Grant Green and Larry Young a their most far-reaching – so much so that Grossman's work on soprano sax and tenor is maybe an equal third of the record, instead of the dominant voice of the leader – a really generous way of heading up the group, and one that has the record coming across as the beneficiary of that generosity too. Things are still as spiritual as before, but maybe step back a bit to bring in some soulful organ and guitar currents from a previous generation too – at a level that continues to make Muriel one of our favorite contemporary players in jazz! Titles include "Clarity", "Resonance", "Post-Meditation", "Liberation", "Compassion", "Non-Duality", and "Interconnection". CD

Wonderful work by Al Johnson – one of the unsung heroes of mellow 70s soul, finally getting his shot on a major label after many years as a songwriter and arranger for other aritsts. Norman Connors brought Al to Columbia – and as he did with other talents in earlier years, like Phyllis Hyman and Michael Henderson, this sort of sponsorship gave Al a chance to reach a much larger audience. Even though the record was never a huge hit, it is an enduring soul classic that still has a lot of resonance today. It features Al's classic duet with Jean Carn on "I'm Back For More" – a cut that was recorded by other artists, but which has its best-known version here. Also features "I've Got My Second Wind" – which Al did on an earlier album of his own – plus "You Are My Personal Angel", and "Peaceful". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful compilation of some of Virgin Islands-raised soul jazz great John Lucien's better material – culled from his ever-fresh records for RCA and Columbia throughout the 70s – really incredible stuff that works it's magic every time we hear it, yet has never been particularly easy to find in print over the years, especially in the US! Lucien's island upbringing is a distinctively great part of is charm, with a breezily melodic vibe, often with some lovely string accents – always with a spirtual soul resonance carried by his charismatic voice. This 17 track snapshot of his RCA and Columbia ouvre is very nicely selected – and the titles include ncludes "Dindi", "Find Yourself A Love", "Who Will Buy", "Lady Love", "Luella", "Esperanza", "Listen Love", "World Of Joy", "Creole Lady", "You Are My Love", "Maiden Voyage"., "Rashida", "Who Will Buy?", "Motherland", "Would You Believe me", "Hello Like Before" and "War Song". CD

Stunning sounds from Iranian pianist Morteza Mahjubi – an artist who tunes his instrument in all these very unique ways – so that the strings and the keys come together in ways that are unlike anything at all you'd hear in the west! At times, the instrument almost feels more like a stringed instrument being plucked – while at others, you can definitely hear the percussive resonance of the piano performance as well – on tracks that occasionally feature some other percussion or light instrumentation, and which are all improvisations that were done for radio in the late 50s and early 60s. The set features a total of 14 tracks in all – really mind-bending, other-worldly music. LP, Vinyl record album