The earliest days of a legendary jazz label – some of the first 78rpm material recorded by Prestige Records, all of it pretty darn great! The first half of the set features work by the group of tenorist Don Lanphere – a great player we don't really know at all, but one who's got Fats Navarro blowing trumpet on most of the tracks on the set! Piano is by Duke Jordan on the first two tracks, and Al Haig on all the rest – and titles include "Spider's Web", "Strike Up The Band", "Wailing Wall", "Go", "Stop", and "Infatuation". Next are some rare sides from saxophonist Leo Parker – playing alto here in addition to his usual baritone – in a group with Al Haig on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Max Roach on drums – on tunes that include "Mad Lad Returns", "Who's Mad", "Mona Lisa", "Darn That Dream", and "I Cross My Fingers". Last are some sweet bop sides from a trio with Al Haig on piano, Tommy Potter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – on the titles "Liza", "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Opus Caprice", and "Stairway To The Stars". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A classic cooker from Thelonious Monk – recorded during his legendary run at the Five Spot in the late 50s, and featuring some especially great work on tenor from a young Johnny Griffin! Griffin's filling a role here that would be cemented a bit more firmly in the 60s by Charlie Rouse – but what we like about his playing here is that it's not as clearly codified "Monkish" as some of Rouse's work (even though that's all pretty darn great) – sometimes a bit more open, although still filled with angular tones and changes on this set of all-original compositions by Monk. Rhythm is by Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – and titles include "Evidence", "Epistrophy", "Blue Monk", "Rhythm-a-ning", "Light Blue", and "Coming on the Hudson". LP, Vinyl record album

60s UK issue of the classic cooker from Thelonious Monk – recorded during his legendary run at the Five Spot in the late 50s, and featuring some especially great work on tenor from a young Johnny Griffin! Griffin's filling a role here that would be cemented a bit more firmly in the 60s by Charlie Rouse – but what we like about his playing here is that it's not as clearly codified "Monkish" as some of Rouse's work (even though that's all pretty darn great) – sometimes a bit more open, although still filled with angular tones and changes on this set of all-original compositions by Monk. Rhythm is by Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – and titles include "Evidence", "Epistrophy", "Blue Monk", "Rhythm-a-ning", "Light Blue", and "Coming on the Hudson". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the all-time classics of early 60's mainstream jazz – and a beautiful record that showcases writing and arranging talents of Oliver Nelson! Nelson had been bumping around a variety of sessions before this one – as a leader, sideman, and arranger – but it was with this album that his true talents really unfolded – sparkling with a depth of imagination and expression that marked him as one of the greatest artists in 60s American jazz! The group on the set is an all-star sextet – featuring Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard – a disparate group of players who manage to come together with Nelson and find a unique voice that's rarely been duplicated again! The album features 6 fantastic compositions by Nelson, including "Stolen Moments", "Hoe Down", and "Yearnin". A fantastic record – and one that you can't go wrong with! CD

Fantastic small group work from tenorist Sal Nistico – and one of the few records that really finds a way to capture his genius! Sal got his start in the Woody Herman band of the 60s – and although a standout there, he really shines even more brightly here in a small group setting – with a sharp edge on his horn that maybe only comes through this well in a handful of his European recordings, especially for the Ego label. In the spirit of that imprint, the great trumpeter Ted Curson is on board – and Sal's tone is also balanced out nicely by some equally great work from Nick Brignola on baritone. The rest of the combo is equally great – with superb rhythm from Ronnie Mathews on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and titles include "Be My Love", "Blues For KD", "Bambu", "Fee Fi Fo Fum", and "Anthropology". LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker on alto saxophone, Fats Navarro on trumpet, Curley Russell and Tommy Potter on bass, Bud Powell and Walter Bishop on piano, and Art Blakey and Roy Haynes on drums. CD

Notable sidemen include Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis, Walter Bishop, Al Haig, Roy Haynes, Kenny Clarke, and Candido. CD

Rare work by Charlie Parker, recorded at Storyville Nightclub in Boston in 1953 – originally broadcast on radio station WHDH, and featuring Bird in a more open, relaxed style than his studio sessions. The recording quality is a bit dated, but the quality of the playing isn't – with extremely fresh solo work by Parker, and great supporting work by players that include Herb Pomeroy, Red Garland, Roy Haynes, Kenny Clarke, and Sir Charles Thompson. Titles include "Cool Blues", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "Groovin High", "Out Of Nowhere", "Moose The Mooche", and "I'll Walk Alone". CD

Featuring Kenny Dorham, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Red Rodney, Charlie Shavers, Coleman Hawkins, Flip Phillips, Benny Carter, Johnny Hodges, Webster, Hank Jones, Al Haig, Thelonious Monk, John Lewis, Oscar Peterson. Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Percy Heath, Shelly Manne, Max Roach, Buddy Rich, Roy Haynes, Kenny Clarke, Art Taylor, Barney Kessel, Machito, and Gil Evans. CD

The first 12" LP to compile Bud Powell sides for Blue Note – nearly all of which were some of his best work of the 50s! The incredible pianist is caught here in the company of a few different trios – with drummers like Roy Haynes or Max Roach – and there's also a few nice large group tracks, with Fats Navarro and Sonny Rollins joining in. It's rare to hear Powell in such a setting, as the bulk of his work during the time was trio sessions – and the recordings here – "Dance of The Infidels", "Wail", "Bouncing With Bud", and "52nd St. Theme" – are some of his best. LP, Vinyl record album

A comprehensive set of live recordings by Bud Powell – recorded in that magical year of 1953, on location at the Birdland nightclub! This set's the biggest and best we've ever seen of these performances – and not only includes a wealth of trio tracks, but also some cuts with Charlie Parker on alto or Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet. Bud's piano alone is worth the price of admission, though – and these radio broadcasts capture him at the height of his bop powers – working with shifting lineups that include either Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Franklin Skeetes, or George Duvivier on bass – and either Art Taylor, Roy Haynes, or Sonny Payne on drums. Candido joins in on the Charlie Parker cuts, giving things a bit of a cubop swing – and the set features 49 tracks in all on 3CDs! CD

First-ever issue of material recorded live by Bud in 1953 – during a performance at Club Kavakos in Washington, DC – with a trio that features Charles Mingus on bass and Roy Haynes on drums. The set's from the private collection of Bill Potts, and is reasonably well recorded for the time – featuring Bud and the trio on a selection of shorter tunes, all given the Powell touch! Titles include "Sure Thing", "Little Willie Leaps", "Somebody Loves Me", "Salt Peanuts", "Conception", and "Lullaby Of Birdland" – plus an interview with Powell from 1963! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Sonny Rollins – a record that really lives up to its title, as it shows the maturing tenorist really finding his own voice in jazz – a sound that's unlike any other! Rollins' Riverside work sometimes seems to get overlooked sometimes in light of his freer late 50s playing on other labels – but this album's a real standout that shows that even with familiar material, Sonny can make magic happen in the way he phrases a tune and places a solo. Sonny's working here with a group that includes some hard-edged piano from Sonny Clark and some wonderfully inventive rhythm from Roy Haynes on drums – but Rollins is the real star in this quartet setting – shining throughout, in a mode that's incredibly economical, yet which speaks volumes with every note! Titles include "Mangoes", "Cutie", "Just In Time", and "Every Time We Say Goodbye". CD features one bonus track. CD

A well-selected set of tracks by the legendary vocalist Leon Thomas – one that focuses squarely on his recordings for the Flying Dutchman label – with standouts from his own records, a crucial collaboration with Johnny Hodges, and a previously unreleased tune as well! The collection features a really wonderful range of music – some tunes with the righteous feel of Thomas' singing with Pharoah Sanders, some others with a tighter soul feel, and even a few more with a classic jazz approach that's mighty nice! The albums under Thomas' name often feature some great small group backings – with players who include Billy Harper on tenor, and Roy Haynes or Bernard Purdie on drums – and some of the larger backings feature excellent arrangements from Oliver Nelson and Pee Wee Ellis. Titles include "Shape Your Mind To Die", "Just In Time To See The Sun", "It's My Life I'm Fighting For", "The Creator Has A Master Plan", "Let The Rain Fall On Me", "China Doll", "Bags' Groove", "One", "Come Along", "Let's Go Down To Lucy's", "Love Each Other", "Balance Of Life (Peace Of Mind)", "Umbo Weti", "Welcome To New York", and a previously unreleased version of "Um Um Um". CD

McCoy Tyner's definitely "reaching forth" here – stretching past obvious piano trio modes, thanks to hip help from Henry Grimes on bass and Roy Haynes on drums! The groove is very open and freewheeling – yet all without being avant or outside – those hip modal-inspired sounds that you'd be likely to hear on some of Haynes' excellent early 60s sessions, cast here in beautiful tones and colors that show Tyner already stretching past the core sounds he was laying down with John Coltrane. Even the ballads have a nice sort of edge – as familiar numbers are recast in some darker clothing – and titles include the originals "Reaching Fourth" and "Blues Back" – plus versions of "Theme For Ernie", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Old Devil Moon", and "Goodbye". CD

One of Sarah Vaughan's best albums from the 50s – a swinging live set caught at Chicago's Mister Kelly's night club – and recorded with very small combo backing! The album's a great contrast to some of Sarah's more fully arranged sets of the era – and it features piano from Jimmy Jones, bass from Richard Davis, and drums from Roy Haynes – all served up in a great blend of sensitive modes on the ballads, and more swinging styles on the upbeat numbers. There's a bit more of the latter, given the swinging feel of the set. The best part of this CD, though, is that it adds 11 extra tracks to the original album – for a whopping 20 tracks of beautiful live jazz vocals. Titles include "September In The Rain", "Alone", "Dancing In The Dark", "Lucky In Love", "Dream", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Just A Gigolo". CD

The famous 50s team of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding are reunited strongly here – after working alone for several years on their own projects! The groove here is a bit more open and less arranged than some of the pair's earlier projects – mostly just two trombones in the lead, soloing separately, with backing from a rhythm trio – split into two for each half of the album, with Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Roy Haynes handling side one; and Evans, Tommy Williams, and Art Taylor on side two. Tunes are short, but include deft demonstrations of the solo talents of each player – and titles include "Judy", "Alone Together", "Going, Going, Going", "Trixie", "This Could Be The Part Of Something", "Georgia On My Mind", "I Concentrate On You", and "Just For A Thrill". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little 15 track CD that compiles some of Lester Young's small combo work for Savoy – featuring backing by players that include Count Basie, Freddie Green, Shadow Wilson, Cozy Cole, Roy Haynes, and Junior Mance. Titles include "June Bug", "Blue Lester", "Blues N Bells", "Basie English", "Jump Lester Jump", and "Ding Dong" – and the album comes with a great cover image! CD

All the mater takes from the key late 40s recordings that Lester Young did for Savoy Records – key transitional material from swing into bop, with work from Billy Taylor and Junior Mance on piano, Freddie Green on guitar, Cozy Cole and Roy Haynes on drums, and Jesse Drakes on trumpet! 15 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic collection of funky jazz from the Mainstream Records label – a funky powerhouse that was maybe only second to CTI in the early 70s – and which had a great way of moving forward older soul jazz players to a sweet electric sound for the new generation! The choice of cuts here is superb – some of our favorites from Mainstream, including a lot of lesser-known gems from their more obscure LPs – packed in a collection that runs for nearly 80 minutes in length, with never a letup on the funky moments! Titles include "El Torro Poo Poo" by Charles Kynard, "Red Clay" by Jack Wilkins, "House Of The Rising Funk" by Afrique, "Naima" by Charles McPherson, "Equipoise" by Roy Haynes, "Quadrivium" by Hadley Caliman, "Mambo Au Go Go" by Joe Cain, "Hot Peppers" by Mauricio Smith, "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell, "Inner City Blues" by Sarah Vaughan, "M'Bassa" by Lamont Johnson, "The Loud Minority (edit)" by Frank Foster, "Babylon" by Buddy Terry, and "Ain't Got Nobody" by Maxine Weldon. CD

An unusuallly hip trio for Chick Corea – one that features Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – a double-length split set that features one batch of improvisations, and one batch of interpretations of the music of Thelonious Monk! CD

A beautiful set from Art – stripped-down and elegant, cut right at that time when his tone on trumpet was evolving into something sublime. The group's a perfect one for Farmer at this point – Hank Jones, Addison Farmer, and Roy Haynes, all lyrically-minded players with just the right touch to accompany Farmer without getting in the way of his sound. Titles include "Back In The Cage", "Stablemates", "Earth", and "Nita". CD

A definite sweet return from Freddie Hubbard – a record with a cover and title that might appear to be smooth jazz, but one with a sound that's solidly acoustic and soulful all the way through! The album's a great example of Hubbard's amazing work in the early 80s – a time when he was shaking off the larger and electric trappings of the 70s, to return to smaller combo work – but often with a really fluid and warm feel that showed the best lessons learned from the previous decade! Freddie's tone and timing here are impeccable – and the long tracks are especially great, with continually-inventive solo work that holds us rapt with attention. Other players include Lew Tabackin on tenor and flute, Joanne Brackeen on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – and titles include "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "Heidi B", "Sweet Return", "Whistling Away The Dark", and "Calypso Fred". LP, Vinyl record album

The only thing "straight" about Steve Lacy's horn is its shape – as the soprano sax here is used in some extremely inventive and modern ways, especially for the date of the session! We don't think we're going out on a limb to say Lacy is one of the foremost melodic improvisors of his time, and easily one of the most talented soprano players too – and his early date as a leader shows both his forward looking involvement with the avant garde (he'd played with Cecil Taylor just before this date and does a couple of his compositions here) and a career-long fascination with Thelonious Monk. Although the group here is piano-less – with Charles Davis on baritone sax, John Ore on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – there's a definite Monk-like edge to many of the numbers, carried off especially by the sharp turns in Lacy's horn! Titles include "Criss Cross", "Air", "Donna Lee", "Louise", "Played Twice", and "Inrospection". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from trumpeter Booker Little – one of the last few records that Book cut before his early death, and one of his only ones as a leader! The album features an excellent soulbop quintet with Wynton Kelly and Tommy Flanagan on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – working with that dark, sharp edge that always seemed to characterize Little's sessions – kind of an added fire he always brought to the studio when working as a leader. Little's trumpet has some of those great modern tones he blew with Max Roach – and the album's got some great little tracks like "Bee Tees Minor Plea", "Opening Statement", "Minor Sweet", and "The Grand Valse". Excellent stuff all around – and a record that would have been bigger, had it been issued on a larger label! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare glimpse of the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane – recorded in Monk's home turf of The Five Spot by Coltrane's wife at the time! The recording was done on a portable tape recorder, but the overall quality is surprisingly strong – not in stereo, but with more than enough depth to capture the interplay between Monk and Coltrane in the more relaxed, open setting of the club. 3 of the tracks on the set are quite long – "Trinkle Trinkle", "In Walked Bud", and "I Mean You" – and they're complemented by 2 shorter tunes – "Epistrophy" and "Crepuscule With Nellie". Group features Roy Haynes on drums and Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass. CD

One of the all-time classics of early 60s mainstream jazz – and a beautiful record that showcases writing and arranging talents of Oliver Nelson! Nelson had been bumping around a variety of sessions before this one – as a leader, sideman, and arranger – but it was with this album that his true talents really unfolded – sparkling with a depth of imagination and expression that marked him as one of the greatest artists in 60s American jazz! The group on the set is an all-star sextet – featuring Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard – a disparate group of players who manage to come together with Nelson and find a unique voice that's rarely been duplicated again! The album features 6 fantastic compositions by Nelson, including "Stolen Moments", "Hoe Down", and "Yearnin". A fantastic record – and one that you can't go wrong with! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little collection that features three albums originally recorded for Prestige and the fourth over on Impulse. All titles feature Oliver Nelson and Eric Dolphy on reeds, plus Roy Haynes on drums – alongside Richard Williams and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Melba Liston on trombone, Bill Evans on piano, and others! CD

A landmark album from Sonny Rollins – a record that really lives up to its title, as it shows the maturing tenorist really finding his own voice in jazz – a sound that's unlike any other! Rollins' Riverside work sometimes seems to get overlooked sometimes in light of his freer late 50s playing on other labels – but this album's a real standout that shows that even with familiar material, Sonny can make magic happen in the way he phrases a tune and places a solo. Sonny's working here with a group that includes some hard-edged piano from Sonny Clark and some wonderfully inventive rhythm from Roy Haynes on drums – but Rollins is the real star in this quartet setting – shining throughout, in a mode that's incredibly economical, yet which speaks volumes with every note! Titles include "Mangoes", "Cutie", "Just In Time", and "Every Time We Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

An interesting tribute to the passing of pianist Eddie Costa – mostly because the overall feel is much more in a soulful hardbop mode, quite different than the modern and chamber sides that Costa cut during the 50s! Side one features work by the Clark Terry quartet – with Terry on trumpet, Dick Hyman on piano, Art Davis on drums, and Osie Johnson on bass – and side two features and even better group led by Coleman Hawkins – with Hawk blowing in that great late solo style of his, alongside players that include Sonny Clark, Roy Haynes, and Chuck Israels. Tracks on the album are all long and intimate – mellow, but soulful, with plenty of interesting solo space. Titles include "The Simple Waltz", "Just You Just Me", "I'm Confessin", and "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever by Sarah Vaughan – and a really jazz-based session that's totally hip! Sarah's working here live at the legendary London House nightclub in Chicago – singing with a small combo that includes Ronnell Bright on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – augmented by some great horn work from Thad Jones on trumpet and Frank Wess on tenor. The set's got a relaxed jazzy feel that's really a welcome departure from some of Sarah's more over-arranged albums from the time – and the interplay between the vocals and the horns is easy, relaxed, and very well placed throughout – a perfect summation of the subtle Vaughan genius, but one that's rarely ever captured this well on record! Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Detour Ahead", "I'll String Along With You", "Three Little Words", "Speak Low", and "All Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great early 60s albums by one of the most unique reed talents ever! Although he also played tenor with the best of his contemporaries, Frank Wess had a firm attachment to the flute, and was one of the first really soulful players on the instrument – setting the stage for later giants of the instrument like Bobbi Humphrey and Hubert Laws. Southern Comfort is one of Frank's best albums from the time, and it features a larger than usual soul jazz combo – one that includes Oliver Nelson on tenor, Albert Aarons on trumpet, George Barrow on baritone, and Tommy Flanagan on piano. Tracks are longish, with a great rolling easy soul jazz groove. Titles include "Blues For Butterball", "Summer Frost", "Gin's Beguine", and "Shufflin". The Yo Ho album features some very nice tenor work from Frank, in addition to the regular flute – and Thad Jones plays trumpet, and Gildo Mahones (always a favorite!) plays piano. Roy Haynes is on drums, giving the whole thing a nice light lyrical feel. Tracks are long – and titles include "The Lizard", "Yo Ho", "Cold Miner", and "The Long Road". CD

A reverent snapshot of the spiritual & soul jazz emanating from the Mainstream label in the early 70s – a well curated set featuring great numbers by Frank Foster, Blue Mitchell, Hadley Caliman, Roy Haynes and other giants of the scene! The material comes from a time in Mainstream label history when it was essentially relaunched as a jazz label, following some the psyche era rock albums of the previous few years. Soulful jazz sounds from a spiritual realm as well as some in a jazz funk mode, and excellent material all the way! 12 great tracks in all: The sprawling opener "The Loud Minority" by Frank Foster, "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell, "Up And Down" by Harold Land, "Watercress" by Hadley Caliman, "Kamili" by Buddy Terry, "Senyah" by Roy Haynes, "EW Beautiful People" by Frank Foster, "Little One" by Hadley Caliman and "Petits Machins" by Johnny Coles/ CD

Don't pass this one up – even though this set is a 1970s repackaging of the album originally entitled Trane Whistle. Although lots of other albums by Eddie Lockjaw Davis are laidback quartet and quintet sessions, this one's got a stunning big band backing him up, and the sound is incredible. The leadoff track, "Trane Whistle", has Lockjaw screaming in a way that you thought you'd never hear, and playing with tones that are a lot darker than usual. The set moves on from there in a nice batch of material that includes "Whole Nelson" and "Stolen Moments", two fantastic originals by Oliver Nelson, who arranged the album. Both cuts are great, and show a whole new side of Lockjaw that might make you sit up and realize what a great player he is. Dolphy's in the band, and so are Richard Williams, Melba Liston, and Roy Haynes. Great stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classic early 60s modern jazz sets – back to back in this great 70s package! First up is the album Far Cry from Eric Dolphy – Eric Dolphy's first meeting in the studio with trumpeter Booker Little – a brilliant batch of modernism that's easily one of the hippest records Little ever worked on! The Dolphy heard here is Eric at his most inventive – sharp-edged and angular one minute, then spiritually lyrical the next – playing flute, bass clarinet, and alto sax equally well on the record – and somehow managing to get Little to share his inspiration perfectly on every number. Other players include Jaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – a rhythm team whose abilities are a big part of the success of the record – and titles include "Far Cry", "Mrs Parker Of KC", "Left Alone", "Ode To Charlie Parker", and "Miss Ann". Next is Where – a haunting and unusual batch of tracks from bassist Ron Carter – working here with a group that includes spiritual modernists Eric Dolphy on reeds and Mal Waldron on piano – both players who really add a lot to the set! In a way, the album's more like Dolphy's own work as a leader from the time than the sort of music usually associated with Carter – and Ron really seems to let the reedman shape the overall sound of the set with his tremendous work on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. Carter plays a bit of cello in addition to his bass – giving the record a nicely eerie sound at points – and Waldron's piano, as always, is excellent during this point in his career. Titles include Randy Weston's "Where" and "Saucer Eyes", plus "Bass Duet", which features Carter dueting with George Duvivier, and a very nice version of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

A key early album from reedman Roland Kirk – at set that really has him strongly finding his voice in jazz, and transforming most of modern music in the process! The set's a perfect illustration of the way that Roland could swing with soul, yet still reach out with bold new ideas too – mixing up work on tenor sax, manzello, stritch, flute, and even nose flute – instruments often played at the same time, with this amazing multi-reed style that's really mindblowing – and which follows the soaring sheets of sound of the Coltrane generation, yet completely in its own way too! There's a sharp modern edge to most of the rhythms – thanks in part to the presence of Andrew Hill on piano and celeste on a few cuts – alongside from Vernon Martin on bass and Roy Haynes and Henry Duncan on drums – and a bit of additional piano from Wynton Kelly. The whole thing's amazing – one of those records that never fails to delight us – and titles include "3 In 1 Without The Oil", "ED", "Domino", "Meeting On Termini's Corner", and "A Stritch In Time". CD

One of the all-time classics of early 60s mainstream jazz – and a beautiful record that showcases writing and arranging talents of Oliver Nelson! Nelson had been bumping around a variety of sessions before this one – as a leader, sideman, and arranger – but it was with this album that his true talents really unfolded – sparkling with a depth of imagination and expression that marked him as one of the greatest artists in 60s American jazz! The group on the set is an all-star sextet – featuring Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard – a disparate group of players who manage to come together with Nelson and find a unique voice that's rarely been duplicated again! The album features 6 fantastic compositions by Nelson, including "Stolen Moments", "Hoe Down", and "Yearnin". A fantastic record – and one that you can't go wrong with! LP, Vinyl record album

Recorded at Carnegie Hall, with Tommy Potter on bass, Roy Haynes on drums, Al Haig on piano, and Red Rodney on trumpet. Titles include "Ornithology", "Cheryl", "Ko Ko", "Bird Of Paradise", and "Now's The Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Definitely the way ahead in jazz – back in the 60s, and well into the 21st Century too! Archie Shepp's in prime form here – working with a sextet that's awash in avant freedoms, but which always shows a great sense of restraint – just the right power gained from the new modes of jazz expression, as the players dance together beautifully on a razor's edge of personal creativity and ensemble exploration. Players here include Grachan Moncur on trombone, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Beaver Harris and Roy Haynes on drums – and the album also features the first piano player on most of the Shepp albums on Impulse – Walter Davis Jr, making a rare outside appearance with the group! Titles include the classic track "Frankenstein", plus "Fiesta", "Damn If I Know (The Stroller)", and "Sophisticated Lady" – all nice and long! LP, Vinyl record album

Important early work from Jaki Byard – one of his first records as a leader, and a wonderful set of quirky piano trio tunes! Jaki's working here with Ron Carter on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – in a format that's similar to other trio records of the time, but which is really pushed to the limit by Byard's unique conception of the keys, and his unabashed ability to play well and whimsical at the same time! And by "whimsical", we're not saying "goofy", or "silly" – but really just are referring to Jaki's clearly unabashed love of all things musical – a joyous celebration of many strands of jazz, all coming together in a sound that's all his own! (Jaki worked often with Roland Kirk – and that's a good point of comparison.) Titles include "Cinco Y Quatro", "Giant Steps", "Garnerin A Bit", "To My Wife", and "Mellow Septet". CD

Amazing modern work from the young Chick Corea – a set that captures the pianist in much more avant territory than his famous 70s sets – at a time when he was just coming off some years working in a variety of modes on the New York scene! The group here is as revolutionary as Chick's own work on piano – a trio with Miroslav Vitous on bass and Roy Haynes on drums – generations coming together to really unlock the possibilities of a piano trio, with the same sort of freshness that you'd hear in the earliest work by Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett from the same time. By that, we mean that there's still elements here that tie the approach to older modes – but with a quality that's also instantly Chick's own – especially on the very compelling original material on the set. Titles include "Now He Sings – Now He Sobs", "Steps – What Was", "Matrix", and "The Law Of Falling & Catching Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic collection of funky jazz from the Mainstream Records label – a funky powerhouse that was maybe only second to CTI in the early 70s – and which had a great way of moving forward older soul jazz players to a sweet electric sound for the new generation! The choice of cuts here is superb – some of our favorites from Mainstream, including a lot of lesser-known gems from their more obscure LPs – packed in a collection that runs for nearly 80 minutes in length, with never a letup on the funky moments! Titles include "El Torro Poo Poo" by Charles Kynard, "Red Clay" by Jack Wilkins, "House Of The Rising Funk" by Afrique, "Naima" by Charles McPherson, "Equipoise" by Roy Haynes, "Quadrivium" by Hadley Caliman, "Mambo Au Go Go" by Joe Cain, "Hot Peppers" by Mauricio Smith, "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell, "Inner City Blues" by Sarah Vaughan, "M'Bassa" by Lamont Johnson, "The Loud Minority (edit)" by Frank Foster, "Babylon" by Buddy Terry, and "Ain't Got Nobody" by Maxine Weldon. CD

A great set of unreleased recordings that was issued after John Coltrane's death, but which stands as an essential chapter in his groundbreaking body of work for Impulse! The album features 2 tracks recorded at the Newport Jazz fest in 1963 – both with Roy Haynes on drums, plus the usual McCoy Tyner/Jimmy Garrison lineup. One of these cuts is a very long reading of "My Favorite Things" – with a sweet loping modal groove, but soloing that is quite a bit more "out" than the famous studio version. The 3rd track on the album – "Selflessness" – was recorded in LA in 1965, and it features Raphael Don Garrett on bass clarinet, adding some nice Dolphy-esque touches. CD

Leon Thomas' first album for Flying Dutchman – and one of his best ever! The vibe is very similar to his work with Pharoah Sanders – with long modal tracks that bring out the best side of Thomas' spiritual vocalizations – especially on the 17 minute track "Pharoah's Tune (The Journey)", which is worth the price of the album alone. The personnel is mindblowing, too – with Billy Harper, Billy Cobham, Roy Haynes and Jerome Richardson among the players – but make no mistake, it's Leon's voice and incredible energy that makes this such a classic! Beautiful spiritual jazz vocal material, with a sound that's beyond compare! Other tracks include "Come Along", "I Am", "Bag's Groove" and "Um, Um, Um". CD