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Foxy R&B, and a fair bit of soul as well – wonderful work from the previously-untapped Paso and Foxy record labels – headed up by legendary Chicago DJ Richard Stamz! Stamz was a key early force in African-American broadcasting in the Windy City – an important DJ not just in blues and soul, but also a TV figure as well – one who really helped get a heck of a lot of great music started in the early days of soul! This package features some real killers by artists who do a great job of skirting the rough line between blues and soul in Chicago in the 60s – some of whom would record more famously on other labels, like One-Der-Ful, but who really sound great here. The package was put together by the folks who've researched and recounted Stamz colorful life in print – and has a great array of rare music, plus stories of the DJ as well. Titles include "Say You Love Me" by Harold Burrage, "The Buzzard" by Freddie Robinson, "What's The Matter With You Sam" by The Ideals, "Just One More Time" by Loretta Branch, "You Gonna Cry" by Flora D, "I'm Trying" by Lee Shot Williams, "Gittin Along" by Willie Williams with the Howlin Wolf Band, "Goin Home" by Mary Johnson, "Please Love Me" by Harold Burrage, "Romeo Joe (part 1)" by Robert & The Rockin Ravens, and "Garlen's Mambo" by Ze Majestics. CD

Hardly the blues that you might expect from the title – although knowing Muhal Richard Abrams, there's no doubt some sort of blues influence lurking in the background of his complicated orchestrations for the date! The album's a suite of original compositions by Abrams – all numbers played by a largeish group with lots of wonderful horn patterns – complexly woven together with lots of shifting shapes and tones, then sometimes breaking out in bold, free moments of improvisation! It's records like these that show why Abrams was one of the leading lights of the AACM by the early 80s – as much an important composer as a musician – equally skilled at both levels, and very sensitive to the strengths of the players he chose to work with. Muhal plays piano here – and other group members include Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Craig Harris on trombone, Wallace Laroy McMillan on baritone and flute, Jimmy Vass on alto and flute, Eugene Ghee on tenor and clarinet, Howard Johnson on tuba, Jean-Paul Bourelly on guitar, Michael Logan on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. Titles include "Cluster For Many Worlds", "Quartet To Quartet", "Ancient & Future Reflections", "Du King", "Chambea", and "Duet For One World". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from tenor legend Budd Johnson – and a record that nicely updates his sound by pairing him with a hip 60s-styled group! The album's got a jaunty feel that's like the best soul jazz sessions on Impulse at the time – taking Budd's tenor and placing it next to trumpet by Joe Newman, piano by Albert Dailey, bass from Richard Davis, and drums by Grady Tate. Upbeat tracks bounce along in a swinging take on mainstream soul jazz – and the mellower cuts feature some really wonderful blowing from Budd – done with a raspy tone that's got a nice earthy quality! Includes the jazz dancer "Off The Wall", the samba-styled "Strange Music", a snapping take on "Baubles Bangles & Beads", and the syncopated groover "Playin' My Hunch". LP, Vinyl record album

Heads or tails, it's a winner every time – as the record's one of the last clear moments of genius from keyboardist Bob James in the 70s! The sound here is stepping out a bit more from Bob's earlier sides on CTI, but there's still plenty of great keyboard work to make the album worth seeking out – as well as that unusual James approach to rhythm, which often makes tunes come across with lots of angular moments and darker corners, no matter how smooth the overall production might sound. Other players here include Richard Tee, Ralph MacDonald, Randy Brecker, Alphonso Johnson, and Steve Gadd – and titles include the seminal break track "Night Crawler", plus "Heads", "We're All Alone", "I'm In You", and "One Loving Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Very righteous work from Esther Marrow – an overlooked soul singer who works with a hell of a lot of pride and power! The set's an overlooked gem in the Fantasy catalog of the 70s, and it's one of only two secular soul albums cut by Marrow – and quite possibly the best of the bunch, too! Esther's got some great help on the set from arrangers Richard Tee, Bernard Purdie, and Bobby Scott – each of whom set Marrow up with some small group backing that keeps things tight and soulful throughout – thanks in big part to the drum work, which is handled by Purdie, Jimmy Johnson, and Idris Muhammad. Other players include Tee on organ and piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and Ralph McDonald on congas – whose percussion really helps shape the sound of most of the grooves. There's a horn section too – used sparingly – and there's also a bit of backing vocals from The Reflections, although Esther's pretty much in the lead on all numbers. Titles include "Trade Winds", "Things Ain't Right", "Ask Me To Dance", "Woman In The Window", and "Ghetto". LP, Vinyl record album

A solo set by pianist Jason Moran – but one that's got the intensity of a full group session! We honestly didn't know how we'd respond to this one, but we find the album to be really compelling – a great blend of tunes from sources that include James P Johnson, Arthur Baker, and Muhal Richard Abrams, next to some sparkling originals by Moran. Titles include "Planet Rock", "You've Got To Be Modernistic", "Passion", "Gansterism On A Lunchtable", "Time Into Space Into Time", and "Gentle Shifts South". CD

Two rare sessions originally recorded for a larger collection called The Birdland Story and gathered here under the title Minor Strain. The first set is led by Lee Morgan and features Wayne Shorter on sax, Bobby Timmons on piano, Jimmy Rowser on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The second half of the record features a septet session with Thad Jones on trumpet, Billy Mitchell and Frank Wess on reeds, Hank Jones on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. CD

Cootie Williams on trumpet, Abraham 'Boomie' Richman, Al Klink, Elwyn Fraser, Nick Caizza, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque, and Stanley Webb on saxophone, Billy Byers, Bobby Byrne, Lou McGarity, and Richard Hixson on trombone, Hank Jones, Henry Rowland, and Lou Stein on piano, Barry Galbraith, George Barnes, and Tony Mottola on guitar, Eddie Safranski on bass, and Don Lamond, and Osie Johnson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic funk, rare soul, and contemporary goodies too – all served up in a beautiful package designed by the folks at Seth Rogan's Houseplant! As with the previous set, this one is divided into three modes – one record sativa, one indica, and the third a hybrid – capturing different moods with each record, but with an all-soul, rock-solid selection of tunes throughout! As with previous volumes, the classic and contemporary come into play in a really great way – and this volume also features some great international titles too – a set list that includes "Follow The Wind" by Coletta Woodson, "Cookin" by Tortilla Factory, "Bra" by Cymande, "High Beams" by Tkay Maidza, "Lupita" by Nico Gomez, "Pretty Woman Pass On By" by Richard Marks, "Norma Jean" by Napoleon Demps, "Bizness" by Tune Yards, "Right On" by Carleen & The Groovers, "The Love You Left Behind" by Syl Johnson, "Groovy Babe" by Durand Jones & The Indications, "Kill Dem" by Jamie XX, "Aminata Du The" by Amadou Balake, "Help Me To Understand" by Harlem Gospel Travelers, "Will I See You Again" by Thee Sacred Souls, "Grow Forever" by Lizette & Quevin, "Tearz" by El Michels Affair & Lee Fields, "Everything That Looks Good" by Charles Suggs, "Raggio Verde" by Il Quadro Di Troisi, "Let's Do It Today" by The US, and "When We Would Ride" by Kendra Morris & Eraserhood Sound. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful, most sophisticated, and most fully-realized sessions from trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson – and a record that features some incredible larger backings from David Amram! The set's a haunting suite dedicated to the children of Vietnam – one that starts out in a darkly brooding mode, but which opens up with some extremely redemptive moments as the set moves on – done in a very spiritual approach to soul jazz that's strongly in the Alice Coltrane tradition! Instrumentation includes a small string group, plus added percussion – and musicians on the set include Art Webb on flute, Richard Davis on bass, Billy Hart on drums, Michael Cochran on piano, and Hannibal himself on both trumpet and koto. The lovely Alpha Johnson sings on a few of the album's tracks, and the whole thing is very warm and deep, and has a lot of variance in tempo and mood, with a strong spiritual feel similar to that of some of the more ambitious Strata East recordings from the time! Titles include "Forest Sunrise", "The Bombing", "Prayer", "Aftermath", and "Finale". LP, Vinyl record album

A follow up to Tompkins Square's excellent Berkeley Guitars compilation – featuring some of the best solo acoustic folk guitar players in the Bay Area, and simply an excellent set of timeless music by wonderful modern players – including Aaron Sheppard, Richard Osborn, Trevor Healy, Chuck Johnson, Sean Smith, Lucas Boilon and Ava Mendoza. Includes "The Transmigration Of The Old West" by Aaron Sheppard, "A Dream Of Distant Summer" by Richard Osborn, "Wrapped In Water" by Trevor Healy, "A Struggle, Not A Thought" by Chuck Johnson, "Ourselves When We Are Real" by Sean Smith, "Studies Of The Oak As Pertaining To Druidic Rites Of Passage" by Lucas Boilon and "Redwood Regional Park Blues: Between Hay And Grass" by Ava Mendoza. CD

Music from Johnny Watson & Jeannie, Johnny Watson, Henry Strogin, Robert McKirby, Jimmy Nolen, Richard Lewis, Abe Moore, Larry Waters, TW Sams, Dessa Ray, Johnny Oits, Ray Johnson & more. CD

Sweet electric work from Ron Carter – subtle magic in the best CTI mode! Ron arranged the set himself, but he's working with a core group of CTI players that includes Bob James and Richard Tee on electric piano, Hubert Laws on flute, Ralph MacDonald on percussion, and Billy Cobham on drums – shifting mood, tone, and color with ease as each new track on the album emerges – and uniting the whole proceedings with work on acoustic bass and piccolo bass! Not funky, but very soulful – with a keen sense of space, but never too much so to make things snoozy. Titles include "Blues Farm", "Hymn For Him", "Two Beat Johnson", and "R2, M1". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Ben Webster – perhaps not his most sophisticated, jazz-wise, but done up in a cool cover that has him standing in front of the steel globe at the 1964 World's Fair in New York. The music on the disc has a similar optimistic approach – as Ben solos lightly over rhythms by either Hank Jones or Roger Kellaway on piano (and a bit of harpsichord), plus bass and drums backing by Richard Davis and Osie Johnson. The album's got a great rolling soul jazz number called "See You At The Fair", and a very odd crashing harpsichord number called "Lullaby Of Jazzland" – plus the tunes "Fall Of Love", "While We're Dancing", and "Our Love Is Here To Stay". CD

One of Sammy D's best albums of the late 60s – and a beautiful mix of modes that he explored on the Reprise label! The title track is Sammy's big hit "I've Gotta Be Me", but that tune's followed up with some nice groovers – like Sammy's versions of "My Personal Property" and "I'm a Brass Band" – both pulled from Sweet Charity, a film in which he had a part. Arrangements are by HB Barnum, JJ Johnson, and Richard Wess – and get very nicely jazzy in parts, an aspect that's further emphasized by Jimmy Bowen's great production. Other tracks include "She Believes In Me", "Sweet November", "Here I'll Stay", "I'm Glad There Is You", and "I've Got You Under My Skin". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet blend of west coast jazz and Brazilian rhythms – and one of our favorite records ever from trombonist Raul De Souza! The session's got a more soulful, jazzy feel than some of Raul's other dates from the 70s – not nearly as tight as his sets for Capitol, with an earthy undercurrent in the music, thanks to the production efforts of Airto, who spearheads the session. Horns are by JJ Johnson, with some slight echoes of his soul soundtrack work of the period – and other players include Ted Lo on keyboards, Richard Davis on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – plus a bit of guest alto sax from Cannonball Adderley on a few tunes. Titles include "Water Buffalo", "Dr Honoris Causa", "Canto De Ossahna", "Nana", "Festival", and "Chants To Burn". CD

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller either – instead king of a rousing approach to jazz trombone that really makes Hampton the kind of the soul jazz approach to the instrument! Slide's working here with a cool octet that has the focus of a group half their size – a really well-chosen lineup of young, hip players that includes George Coleman on tenor sax, Hobart Dotson and Richard Williams on trumpets, Larry Ridley on bass, and additional trombone from a y oung Charles Greenlee! Titles include "El Sino", "Ow", "Milestones", and the stormin' title cut "Somethin Sanctified". LP, Vinyl record album

A previously unreleased live date from west coast vocalist Bev Kelly – captured here at the end of the 70s in a great small club setting! The album's quite different than Bev's earlier work of the 60s – more dynamic, but never too over the top – just enough sense of freedom and presence to show a great evolution in her music over the course of the 70s. A number of the album's best tracks are originals penned by Kelly – and as before, she shows a lot more of a jazz-based sensibility in her music – a style that's not content to just sing standards in traditional torch modes, and which instead really takes off with the tunes – in the way you might expect from a more dynamic horn player! The group's great too – a combo headed by drummer Al Williams, who also happened to own the club the set was recorded in – with piano and electric piano by Dwight Dickerson, tenor by Rudy Johnson, guitar by Richard Madariaga, and bass by Leroy Vinnegar. Titles include "Lament", "One Day", "Welcome To My Heart", "Nonchalantly", "Drinking Again", "Reflections", "Our Time To Love", "Bein Green", and "Soul Eyes". CD

One of the most beautiful, most sophisticated, and most fully-realized sessions from trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson – and a record that features some incredible larger backings from David Amram! The set's a haunting suite dedicated to the children of Vietnam – one that starts out in a darkly brooding mode, but which opens up with some extremely redemptive moments as the set moves on – done in a very spiritual approach to soul jazz that's strongly in the Alice Coltrane tradition! Instrumentation includes a small string group, plus added percussion – and musicians on the set include Art Webb on flute, Richard Davis on bass, Billy Hart on drums, Michael Cochran on piano, and Hannibal himself on both trumpet and koto. The lovely Alpha Johnson sings on a few of the album's tracks, and the whole thing is very warm and deep, and has a lot of variance in tempo and mood, with a strong spiritual feel similar to that of some of the more ambitious Strata East recordings from the time! Titles include "Forest Sunrise", "The Bombing", "Prayer", "Aftermath", and "Finale". CD

One of the most beautiful, most sophisticated, and most fully-realized sessions from trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson – and a record that features some incredible larger backings from David Amram! The set's a haunting suite dedicated to the children of Vietnam – one that starts out in a darkly brooding mode, but which opens up with some extremely redemptive moments as the set moves on – done in a very spiritual approach to soul jazz that's strongly in the Alice Coltrane tradition! Instrumentation includes a small string group, plus added percussion – and musicians on the set include Art Webb on flute, Richard Davis on bass, Billy Hart on drums, Michael Cochran on piano, and Hannibal himself on both trumpet and koto. The lovely Alpha Johnson sings on a few of the album's tracks, and the whole thing is very warm and deep, and has a lot of variance in tempo and mood, with a strong spiritual feel similar to that of some of the more ambitious Strata East recordings from the time! Titles include "Forest Sunrise", "The Bombing", "Prayer", "Aftermath", and "Finale". LP, Vinyl record album

These sides feature Charlie Shavers working with an octet that includes Billy Byers, Jerome Richardson, Budd Johnson, and George Barnes. The tunes on these sides have a more tightly arranged approach than Shavers' other recordings from this period – still with a strong focus on his fluid solo lines. Titles include "Period Of Adjustment", "Bossa Nova Petite", "Undecided", "Opus 5", "School Days", and "Big Time Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A further chapter in the big band years of JJ Johnson – heard here at a point when JJ was pushing his ensemble even more than before, with a fluid groove that almost matches the energy of similar groups on MPS at the time! There's a real undercurrent of hipness going on in the record – a quality that's not content to ape bigger band modes of earlier years, and instead finds a whole new space in sound – a relatively lean quality, but one that still uses the added players to create some magnificent qualities in sound – all to support the well-blown lead solo work by Johnson. There's a nice groove on most numbers, and the album features some especially nice reeds from Jerome Richardson and Frank Wess. Johnson handled arrangements, and titles include "Short Cake", "Space Walk", "Little Dave", and "Euro #1". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to imagine Etta Jones being lonely and blue – especially when she sounds as great as this! The album's one of Jones' early classics from Prestige – a date that really has her classing things up a lot, and drawing on bits of Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington's styles, to mix in with the bluesier tones of her roots – put together with a great deal of charm, and a new sophistication that made Etta one of the hippest jazz singers of the 60s! Backing is by a cool small combo – with Patti Brown on piano, Wally Richardson on guitar, and a bit of tenor from Budd Johnson – and titles include "I'll Be There", "In the Dark", "Gentlemen Friend", "I Wonder", and "Miss You So". CD includes 3 more bonus tracks from a date recorded with Gene Ammons on tenor – "But Not For Me", "If You're But A Dream", and "Cool Cool Daddy". CD

It's time to swing, but with a classy sound throughout – very much the best mix of modes Dakota Staton brought to her key early years at Capitol Records! Backings are by Sid Feller, and are pretty darn jazzy throughout – more so than some of Sid's other work of the time – a perfectly soulful setting for Staton's amazing vocals – very poised at points, yet never as stiff or stodgy as some of her contemporaries. Dakota's got a deep-toned approach to these tracks that really helps make the album way more than just another recording of familiar standards – and instead, does a great job of taking tunes into rich new territory. There's loads of great reedwork – from Phil Woods, Jerome Richardson, and Budd Johnson – and titles include "If I Should Lose You", "When Lights Are Low", "Willow Weep For Me", "But Not For Me", "The Song Is You", and "Until The Real Thing Comes Along". LP, Vinyl record album

It's time to swing, but with a classy sound throughout – very much the best mix of modes Dakota Staton brought to her key early years at Capitol Records! Backings are by Sid Feller, and are pretty darn jazzy throughout – more so than some of Sid's other work of the time – a perfectly soulful setting for Staton's amazing vocals – very poised at points, yet never as stiff or stodgy as some of her contemporaries. Dakota's got a deep-toned approach to these tracks that really helps make the album way more than just another recording of familiar standards – and instead, does a great job of taking tunes into rich new territory. There's loads of great reedwork – from Phil Woods, Jerome Richardson, and Budd Johnson – and titles include "If I Should Lose You", "When Lights Are Low", "Willow Weep For Me", "But Not For Me", "The Song Is You", and "Until The Real Thing Comes Along". Bonus tracks include "You'd Better Go Now", "You've Changed", "All In My Mind", "Detour Ahead", and "Once There Lived A Fool". CD

Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone, Ben Webster on tenor saxophone, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Ray Nance on trumpet, Lou Levy and Russ Freeman on piano, Emil Richards on vibraphone, Joe Mondragon and Wilfred Middlebrooks on bass, and Gus Johnson and Mel Lewis on drums. CD

With Clark Terry on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Julius Watkins on frech horn, Jay McAllister on tuba, Phil Woods on alto, Frank Wess on tenor, Jerome Richardson on baritone, Les Spann on guitar, George Duvivier on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to imagine Etta Jones being lonely and blue – especially when she sounds as great as this! The album's one of Jones' early classics from Prestige – a date that really has her classing things up a lot, and drawing on bits of Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington's styles, to mix in with the bluesier tones of her roots – put together with a great deal of charm, and a new sophistication that made Etta one of the hippest jazz singers of the 60s! Backing is by a cool small combo – with Patti Brown on piano, Wally Richardson on guitar, and a bit of tenor from Budd Johnson – and titles include "I'll Be There", "In the Dark", "Gentlemen Friend", "I Wonder", and "Miss You So". LP, Vinyl record album

Cannonball Adderley and Earle Warren on alto saxophone, Jerome Richardson on baritone saxophone and flute, Ray Brown and Sam Jones on bass, Ray Brown on cello, Nat Adderley on cornet, Albert Heath, Grady Tate, and Osie Johnson on drums, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Wild Bill Davis on organ, Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Danny Bank, Jimmy Heath, Phil Woods, and Robert Ashton on reeds, Budd Johnson and Seldon Powell on tenor saxophone, Yusef Lateef on tenor saxophone and flute, Britt Woodman, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Paul Faulise, Tom McIntosh, Tony Studd, and Urbie Green on trombone, Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Joe Newman, and Snooky Young on trumpet, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, and Marion Williams on vocals. CD

A very groovy set of short jazzy numbers from Quincy – a consummate expression of all the work he'd forged in the 60s on soundtracks and other jazz sides for Mercury! The album features Quincy working through a lot of soul numbers – jamming on them instrumentally with players that include Jerome Richardson, Bobby Bryant, Plas Johnson, Ray Charles, Carol Kaye, and Ben Tucker – plus a nice brace of percussion from Ray Bryant and Gary Coleman. Titles include "Boss Bird", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)", "Mohair Sam", and "Baby Cakes". LP, Vinyl record album

Late work by Sonny Stitt on Prestige – 2 albums with a really great feel! Going Down Slow has Sonny hitting a groove that's a bit more laidback than some of his funkier albums for Prestige, but one that's still pretty darn great overall! The sound is almost in a Stanley Turrentine mode at CTI – with fuller arrangements behind his saxophone solos, and a really easygoing groove throughout! There's a bit of strings in the backdrop, but these are often used somewhat lightly – and on the best numbers, Sonny's tone dominates and really directs the feel of the tune. Other players include Hank Jones on piano, Thad Jones on trumpet, and both Wally Richardson and Billy Butler on guitar – the latter of whom handles the solos. Titles include "Acid Funk Reprise" (aka "Moving Beauty"), plus "Miss Ann Lisa Sue & Sadie", "Where Is Love", "Living Without You", and "Goin Down Slow". So Doggone Good is a standout acoustic set from the great Sonny Stitt – recorded during an early 70s stretch when he was doing a fair bit of work with electric players! The format here is great – and even though the instrumentation hearkens back to the earlier years of Sonny's career, there's a sense of soulful flow here that definitely shows some lessons learned from the electric dates. Sonny's blowing alto and tenor with a lean, mean, confident tone – and the rest of the group features Hampton Haws on some very fluid acoustic piano, plus Reggie Johnson on bass and Lenny McBrowne on drums. Titles include "I Don't Know Yet", "Your Love Is So Doggone Good", "Back Door", "Orange Ashtray", "The More I See You", and "Speculation". CD

Music from The Nobletones, The Plurals, John Lester, The Mello-Queens, The Uniques, Gene Day, The Nobletones, Lee Richards, John Lester, The Mello-Queens, the Blenders, Arthur Johnson, and more - 30 songs in all. CD

One of the great Ray Brown LPs for Verve, featuring the legendary bassist in the company of Jerome Richardson, Herb Ellis, Osie Johnson, and Oscar Peterson (who plays organ on some cuts!). Cuts include "Jim", "Cool Walk", "Upstairs Blues", and "Bric a Brac". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever as a leader from alto saxophonist Pete Brown – a less-remembered talent of his times, but a key link between the generations of bop and swing! The set was only issued as a 10" LP, but packs the full punch of most longer albums – sublime alto from Brown with a crisp tone firmly in place – sitting somewhere between older bop players and some of the emerging Tristano-ites from the east coast – a vibe that's almost like Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson in their best younger years, but with a bit more soul too. The group's a hip sextet – with trumpet from Joe Wilder, guitar from Wally Richardson, and piano by Wadde Legge – and the album includes a great version of "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", plus the nice originals "Delta Blues" and "Used Blues". CD

Great later work from vocalist Alberta Hunter – a really well-recorded 70s session that was also done as a soundtrack – but which stands beautifully on its own! Backings here are by a great small combo, led by tenorist Budd Johnson and pianist Gerald Cook – with some nicely bluesy touches from Wally Richardson on guitar, plus trad horn lines from Vic Dickenson on trombone and Doc Cheatham on trumpet. Hunter's vocals are great – raspy enough to underscore her age and experience, yet wonderfully fluid as well – hardly dimmed at all by her advanced years. Titles include "I've Got A Mind To Ramble", "Workin Man", "You Reap Just What You Sow", "The Love I Have For You", "Chirpin The Blues", and "Some Sweet Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Nat King Cole as a leader and a sideman – incredible material from 1936-1946 – featuring the King Cole Trio, side work with Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers, Dexter Gordon, The Keynoters and The Lester Young Trio! There's a number of great tunes here with Nat singing, but also a whole bunch of recordings that shine a light on his impeccable work as a group piano player of the finest caliber, working as Nat King Cole and under some funny pseudonyms while he was recording hits for Capitol! Packaged stunningly, even by Hip-O Select Standards – essentially housing the CDs in a hardcover book of 31-pages with an essay by David Ritz, 7 3/8" square package with detailed session notes, and beautifully reproduced art work from original 78s and 10-inch LPs! Disc one features 17 tracks by the King Cole Trio with Nat singing and at the piano, with Oscar Moore on guitar and and Wesley Prince on bass: "Sweet Lorraine", "This Side Up", "Babs", "Scotchin' With The Soda", "Slow Down", "Hit That Jive, Jack" and more. Disc one also includes 5 tracks with Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers, with Nat on piano, Eddie Cole on bass, Kenneth Roane on trumpet, Tommy Thompson on saxes and Jimmy Adams on drums:" Honey Hush" (with Eddie on vocals) plus an alternate take, "Thunder", "Stompin' At The Panama" and "(Bedtime) Sleep, Baby Sleep". Last up on disc one, four tracks by the Keynoters with Willie Smith on alto, Nat as Lord Calvert on piano, Red Callender on bass and Jackie Mills on drums: "The Way You Look Tonight", "My Old Flame" and more. Disc 2 is comprised of Jazz At The Philharmonic: Los Angeles, July 1944, with collective personal including Nat as Shorty Nadine on piano and singing on "Sweet Lorraine", Shorty Sherlock on trumpet, JJ Johnson on trombone, Illinois Jacquet and Jack McVea on tenor, Red Callender on bass, Lee Young on drums, and Carolyn Richards singing on "The Man I Love". Other titles include "Blues", "Tea For Two", "Rosetta", "Bugle Call Rag", "Oh, Lady, Be Good!" and more. Disc 3 starts with 1943/44 material by Dexter Gordon's group featuring Nat on piano, Sweets Edison on trumpet, Gordon on tenor, Red Callender or Johnny Miller on bass and Clifford Owens on drums: "I've Found A New Baby", "I Blowed And Gone" and more. That's followed by Lester Young Trio material of similar vintage with Nat as Aye Guy on piano, Young on Tenor and Buddy Rich on drums: "I Cover The Water Front", "The Man I Love", "Peg Of My Heart" and more. Last, but not least, Keynoters alternate takes including "The You You Look Tonight", "Airiness A La Nat" and "I can't Believe That You're In Love With Me". CD

A wonderful little session from Manny Albam – one that continues the strong tradition of larger group jazz arranging he began in the 60s, but which takes it to an even deeper level! Manny composed the entire set as kind of a "city suite" in jazz – one that paints the picture of many different shades of city life through jazzy solos and a range of deeper tones and colors from the larger ensemble. Players include Frank Wess, Phil Woods, JJ Johnson, Jerome Richardson, and Mike Manieri – all extremely well-suited to an outing like this – and titles include "The Game Of The Year", "Born On Arrival", "The View From The Inside", "El Barrio Latino", "Ground Floor Rear", and "Riverview". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever as a leader from alto saxophonist Pete Brown – a less-remembered talent of his times, but a key link between the generations of bop and swing! The set was only issued as a 10" LP, but packs the full punch of most longer albums – sublime alto from Brown with a crisp tone firmly in place – sitting somewhere between older bop players and some of the emerging Tristano-ites from the east coast – a vibe that's almost like Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson in their best younger years, but with a bit more soul too. The group's a hip sextet – with trumpet from Joe Wilder, guitar from Wally Richardson, and piano by Wadde Legge – and the album includes a great version of "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", plus the nice originals "Delta Blues" and "Used Blues". LP, Vinyl record album