Great 50s work from Miles – including "Little Melonae", "Budo", and "Sweet Sue Just You" played by a group with John Coltrane on tenor and Red Garland on piano; "Green Dolphin Street" by a group with Hank Mobley on tenor and Wynton Kelly on piano; and "Green Dolphin Street", "Fran Dance", and "Stella By Starlight" by the excellent Miles 58 group with Cannonball Adderley on alto, Coltrane on tenor, and Bill Evans on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our 50s favorites by Miles Davis – and a record that offers the same twin-sax sound as his classic Kind Of Blue – with both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley working alongside Miles in the group! Rhythm here is by the Prestige-era trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – but it's the two saxophonists who really help Davis shape the feel of the record, pushing things past the initial Coltrane/Davis groove with a really wonderful sense of space and sound! Titles include the classic "Milestones", plus "Two Bass Hit", "Dr Jeckyll", and "Sid's Ahead". CD

Way more than just a simple version of work from Porgy & Bess – and instead, a key collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans – done with a sound that really transforms the tunes! True, the work here is all based on George Gershwin's original compositions – but through his inventively modern arrangements, Gil Evans really pushes the familiar numbers to a whole new place – and Miles glides over the top with some especially shimmering solos! Titles include "Summertime", "The Buzzard Song", "I Loves You, Porgy", and "Fishermen, Strawberry, & Devil Crab". Also includes the tracks "There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York", "I Loves You, Porgy (alternate)", and "Gone (alternate"). CD

Thelonious Monk may have written the title tune, but Miles Davis makes it all his own here – blowing with a subtle moody magic that makes the album one of his true treasures from the early Columbia Records years! John Coltrane's along on tenor sax – helping Davis expand the sound the pair first forged on Prestige – and also present is the rhythm trio of Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – impeccably recorded here with a wonderful sense of space, and almost a bridge between older Miles modes, and the genius to come. Titles include Miles seminal take on "Round Midnight", plus "Tadd's Delight", "Dear Old Stockholm", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "A Leu Cha". CD

A beautiful collaboration between Miles Davis and the great Gil Evans – and perhaps the most perfectly realized of all their projects! The album's got a wonderfully unified feel – as it begins with long compositions that have a distinct Spanish-tinge (and not a Latin-tinge, which is an important distinction to the way the album progresses.) Evans' arrangements have a majesty that takes the songs to the next level – working them as lush, lively backings for Davis' equally majestic trumpet solos, some of the finest he ever recorded with large group backing. Wonderful all the way through – and with the tracks "Concierto De Aranjuez", "Saeta", "The Pan Piper", and "Solea". CD

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A funky fusion classic – the second Columbia set from this killer group of all-star players! The style's like the first Dreams album – a bit rock-influenced at times, but filled with jazzy instrumentation by players who include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Michael Brecker on saxes, Don Grolnick on keyboards, and Billy Cobham on drums! Edward Vernon sings on most numbers, with a soulful style that's a bit of a change from usual work of this type – and the set's got a feel that's definitely in keeping with the odd Gahan Wilson cartoon on the front cover – familiar grooves, but a bit offbeat too, and very much in its own sort of space. Titles include "Here She Comes Now", "Imagine My Surprise", "Medicated Goo", "Don't Cry My Lady", "Just Be Ourselves", "Why Can't I Find A Home", and "Calico Baby". CD

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Three albums – That's The Way Of The World, I Am and Open Your Eyes packaged in a lux tin case. CD

A dream band indeed – as the set features Maynard working with some excellent players who manage to come together tightly as a unit, then break out in really strong and hard-blown solos! Even in these early recordings, the style of the Ferguson group is firmly in place – incredible tightness, but a real respect for the soloists – and a power to kick it louder and larger than even in a small group setting. Players include Herb Geller, Al Cohn, Hank Jones, Budd Johnson, and Ernie Wilkins – and titles on this first volume include "Maynard The Fox", "The Wailing Boat", "Somebody Wants Me Down There", "Little Girl Kimbi", and "Button Nose". Plus, CD also features 9 bonus alternate takes! CD

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A fantastic collection of work from smooth jazzy keyboardist Rodney Franklin – filled with some of the best tunes from his Columbia albums of the late 70s and early 80s! Franklin was a killer player in the mode of Webster Lewis, Bobby Lyle, Patrice Rushen, and some of the other major label keyboardists at the end of the 70s – taking the smoother electric sound that was forged by Ramsey Lewis and Johnny Hammond, and pushing it into a sound that was more in the R&B fusion mode favored by Donald Byrd in the mid 70s. Franklin's work for Columbia was some of the best of this type of work at the time – and because the albums sometimes had one strong cut followed by one weaker cut, this greatest hits package is even more delightful – offering a strong listening approach all the way through! Titles include "Windy City", "On The Path", "Destiny", "Love Is The Answer", "Endless Flight", "Festival", "I Like The Music Make It Hot", "Theme For Jackie", "Felix Leo", "Vibrations", "The Groove", and "You'll Never Know". 15 cuts in all! CD

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A seminal session from Curtis Fuller – one of a handful he cut for Savoy, recorded during that late 50s/early 60s period when he seemed poised to become one of the biggest trombonists in jazz! (Whatever happened? How did he cut so many records as a leader so fast, then slide back into being a sideman for most of the rest of his career?) The set's cut in that laidback blowing session mode of the Savoy hardbop years – with tremendous work from Benny Golson on tenor, plus Tommy Flanagan on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Al Harewood on drums – all working through easily-handled tunes that include "Minor Vamp", "Love Your Spell Is Everywhere", "Five Spot After Dark", and "Twelve Inch". Think soul jazz with a slight touch of mysticism! CD

A nice little collection of some of Dizzy Gillespie's best bop material for Savoy – tunes that were originally recorded as 78rpm singles – then issued together on this classic album of all-star players! The tunes are short, catchy, and often very grooving – that mix of whimsy and modernism that made Dizzy stand out from the start – handled by a few different groups of players, with musicians who include Milt Jackson on vibes, John Coltrane on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, and Percy Heath on bass. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Star Dust", "The Bluest Blues", "The Champ", "Birk's Works", "Caravan", "Time On My Hands", and "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Bee". CD

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A fantastic double-length set from Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters – easily one of Herbie's greatest records ever, but originally only issued in Japan! Hancock is in tremendous form here – almost as if he's merging the grooves of the Headhunters album with the wilder electric modes of Sextant – stretched out in a live setting with Herbie on Arp, clavinet, and Fender Rhodes – in a very hip group with Bennie Maupin on reeds, Blackbird McNight on guitar, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion. Tracks are long, and move nicely between funky passages and soulful elements – at a level that's quite different from the double-live Japanese albums that Miles Davis recorded for Columbia at the same time. Titles include "Actual Proof", "Spank A Lee", "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" – and great remakes of "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Herbie's still in electro-grooving mode here – not groundbreaking as earlier records, but still handled by Bill Laswell, and with a tackhead groove pretty firmly in place. The tracks are a bit more complicated than before, with vocals by Sugarfoot, and bass by Bootsy Collins. Titles include "Vibe Alive", "Perfect Machine", "Chemical Residue", "Beat Wise", and "Maiden Voyage/P Bop". CD

The brilliant bluesy side of Hendrix – great stuff recorded from '66-'70 – including his most blues based originals and incredible covers! Bluesy it is, but it's also Jimi – with the soaring, loose and massively influential lead guitar grooves and many of which went unreleased until the 90s – and remains among the most essential of posthumous Hendrix releases. Includes "Hear My Train A Comin'" (acoustic and electric versions), "Born Under A Bad Sign", "Catfish Blues", "Red House", "Voodoo Chile Blues", "Mannish Boy", "Once I Had A Woman", "Jam 292" and "Electric Church Red House". CD

One of the greatest early 70s recordings from Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – a richly organic session that builds from spare trumpet and percussion, into a fuller, more spiritual sound! Hino starts out the set working in almost Don Cherry territory – blowing alongside some slight accompaniment on percussion, bells, and drums in an earthy, introspective mode – before a larger group moves in to sweep up his horn, and push the album with a tremendously soulful spirit. The mix of styles gives the record a wonderful depth – one that's sometimes missing in Hino's other work, but which makes this set a real standout from the time. Other players include Hidehumi Toki on sax, Motohiko Hino on drums, and Hideo Miyata on alto and flute – and titles include "Oriental Dance", "Thanks Toko", "Reve Provencale", and "Open Vision". LP, Vinyl record album

Terumasa Hino's looking a bit cheesy on the cover of this one – but the record's hardly the slick 80s affair you might expect – and instead is a great session of ballads and more gentle numbers, recorded in the US with full string backings and a warmly sensitive approach to the music! There's a depth here that goes beyond most of Hino's other work of the decade – an approach to the tunes that reminds us a bit of Art Farmer or Freddie Hubbard in a similar setting – with warmly lyrical lines undercut with a slight hint of sadness – that "blue" reference in the title and cover image. Hino plays cornet with a core group that includes Jim Hall on guitar, Kenny Kirkland on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Grady Tate on drums – plus a bit of vocals – and strings are arranged by David Nadian. Titles include "Greensleeves", "Black Orpheus", "Alone Alone & Alone", "Nature Boy", and "Lush Life". CD

A back-to-basics session – with Hino on trumpet, Roland Hanna on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. CD

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Sweet Bob James for Tappan Zee – a very cool Japanese-only compilation! With Eric Gale and Steve Khan on guitar, Patti Austin on vocals, David Sanborn and Michael Brecker on saxes, and Steve Gadd and Idris Muhammad on drums – on cuts that include "Angela (Taxi)", "Rush Hour", "Night Crawler", "Big Stone City", and the exclusive "Sparkling New York". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal session from 70s French synth maestro Jean-Michel Jarre – his 8-part "Equinoxe" suite, a great bit of electronics that was almost France's answer to Kraftwerk at the time! Jarre's style is a bit warmer and more focused on the melody – and the range of keyboards and synthesizers used on the album create a rich tapestry of sound that almost has a soundtrack-y feel at the best moments. CD

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A totally wonderful little record that's every bit as sexy as you might guess from the cover – and which also has some of the groovy French elements you might expect from the title! The set's got this slinky, erotic vibe that's almost in Serge Gainsbourg territory – save for the fact that the tunes are mostly instrumental, and Monica Lassen seems mostly on the set to moan, giggle, and make other expressions of pleasure as the set goes on – a bit like the presence of a woman on a sexy French record at the end of the 60s! The music is very cool, too – somewhere in a space between late 60s European soundtrack modes and bossa nova – with lots of cool organ lines, soulful sax, captivating rhythms, and cool effects that further underscore the sound of the set – on titles that include "Dalliance In Wave", "On Rollin Yacht", "A Lodge Of Joy", "Embrace Ment", "Path For Two", and "Che Vuole Quesat Musica Stasere". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's definitely all woman – thanks to the sexy sounds of Monica Lassen on vocals! The singer works at a wordless level here – breezily scatting alongside these slinky, jazzy lines from The Sounds – a Japanese group who've clearly drunk deep from the well of bossa nova and European soundtrack influences of the 60s – and find a way to create their own small combo variation of those styles! The music has bits of organ, guitar, flute, and even what feels like electronics at points – and Monica's often more than content to step back, and let the group groove, then come in for a sigh, a moan, or a lighter vocalized passage. Titles are as sexy as the image on the cover – and include "Three Woman", "Love Touch", "Whimper", "Incitation", and "Happiness" – plus the long "Tie In/Double Bed/Enjoy Time". LP, Vinyl record album

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Rare live material by Monk – recorded in Tokyo in 1963, and for many years a set that was unavailable to the rest of the world on record! The date's a great one – and features the classic Columbia quartet with Charlie Rouse on tenor, Butch Warren on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums – that impeccable group that provided Monk with such a strong platform for a number of years, and really helped focus and advance his ideas. Rouse is especially wonderful, and he gets a lot of freedom on the record to work out these complicated solos that differ from some of his tighter work on some of the Monk studio albums of the time The set covers 2 LPs – and titles include "Panonica", "Evidence", "Bemsha Swing", "Epistrophy", "Hackensack", and "Blue Monk". CD

The majestic Maria Monte rises yet again – serving up a really wonderful album that comes nearly a decade after her last – and one that seems to have her music getting better and better with each new release! Maria was one of the most mature artists of the early 90s MPB scene – but now that she's hit her more mature years, she's even more advanced – and more into a special space that's inhabited by a rare few Brazilian artists – like Gal Costa or Maria Bethania from generations before! Maria's got plenty of great help on the set – including Arnaldo Antunes and Nando Ries – and guests include Ato Lindsay and Seu Jorge, plus others – but it's clear from the start, that Monte is the main attraction. Titles include "Sal", "Vagalumes", "Feliz Alegre E Forte", "Voce Nao Liga", "Elegante Amanhecer", "Medo De Perigo", "Deja Vu", "Calma", "Totalmente Seu", and "Espaconaves". LP, Vinyl record album

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A very cool setting for Japanese vocalist Mari Nakamoto – a unique trio outing that features guitar from Kazumi Watanabe and bass from Isao Suzuki – both really creative players who push the album way past the usual! The mix of guitar and bass is wonderful – gentle, but still quite swinging even in the mellow moments – but in ways that leave plenty of space for Nakamoto to get really expressive on her vocals, at a level that definitely marks her as one of the best female jazz singers in Japan during the 70s. Tunes are mostly standards, but done in really fresh ways – and titles include "Sunflower", "Just Friends", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "You Came A Long Way From St Louis", and "What A Difference A Day Makes". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album for the O'Jays – a set that moved them from the indie ranks to 70s megasoulstatus! After years of bumping around on a variety of labels, and in a variety of styles, the group really exploded with this wonderful set – an album that has them soaring along in the righteous Philly groove of the early 70s – a sound that turned out to be a perfect foil for the trio's sublime, yet earthy harmonies. Arrangements are by some fo the best of the core Philly scene – Thom Bell, Norman Harris, Ronnie Baker, and Bobby Martin – and the album's overflowing with great tunes that completely redefine the sound of group soul in the 70s! Includes megahits "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train" – plus "Shiftless, Shady, Jealous Kind of People", "When The World's At Peace", "Time To Get Down", "Who Am I" and more! CD

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Two later albums from this Atlantic Records soul legend! Pickett In The Pocket is one of Wilson Pickett's overlooked 70s gems for RCA Records – material that's often overshadowed by his earlier fame on Atlantic, but which still has the singer very much at the top of his deep soul game! The music here is that mature version of southern soul that was bubbling up in the 70s – handled by Brad Shapiro with some nicely sophisticated touches that remind us that Pickett's not just another funky singer, but a very wide-ranging talent – almost working with some echoes of the Otis Redding legacy on the ballads. Cuts include "What Good Is a Lie", "I Was Too Nice", "Iron It Out", and "Take Your Pleasure Where You Find It". Next up is one of Wilson's last 70s recordings for RCA – and oddly, an even rootsier effort than the previous ones! The sound here is much more in a country soul mode than some of Wilson's earlier work – recorded in LA, but with a down-home sound that's almost got more Jackson touches than some of Pickett's more classic southern soul recordings. The sound is laidback and mellow on many of the numbers, and although there's a bit of synthesizer from Robert Margouleff listed in the credits, the overall sound is warm and acoustic. Arrangements and production are by Yusuf Rahman, and titles include "Mighty Mouth", "Good Thing", "Gone", "I've Got A Good Friend", "Let's Make Love Right", and "Join Me & Let's Be Free". CD

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A nearly-lost relic of 80s groove – and a sharp little side project from Rick James! Process and group are clearly going for a sound to rival the Time on this set – working as a well-costumed group ensemble with a bass-heavy funky groove at the bottom of every track – and their groove is definitely as sharp as any of the big names from the Twin Cities who were topping the charts at the time! And although you might be attempted to dismiss them as a copycat combo, the group actually comes off pretty darn well – with songs that we dig quite a lot – and which have held up surprisingly well over time. Titles include "Ooh Wee", "Stomp & Shout", "Serious Freak", "Too Sharp", "Come Into My Life", "Dance The Way You Want (Party Freaks)", and "Daddy's Home". CD

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A fantastic album from Sade – issued after a way too long hiatus from the record racks, but one that also shows just why she's always such a classic talent, and has the right to disappear for awhile, then come back and give us another dose of magic! The style's a real change from the Lovers Rock album – but at the same time, it's still a perfect fit for the vocals – maybe more spacious overall in the way the whole thing is recorded, but still with a lean vibe at the core – and that mellow-stepping, easygoing energy that makes the lyrics come across so well! And at a time when so many other artists were going for triple-length projects filled with skits, intros, and other bits – the whole set has a really classic approach, with a tight group of core songs that include "The Moon And The Sky", "Soldier Of Love", "Morning Bird", "Babyfather", "Long Hard Road", "Be That Easy", "Bring Me Home", "In Another Time", "Skin", and "The Safest Place". LP, Vinyl record album

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A beautifully burning double-length set from Soft Machine – proof that the group were really at the height of their powers during the early 70s – magically blending together jazz, rock, and fusion into one soaringly spacey new sound! The work here is a key fore-runner of countless trends to come – including recent keyboard-heavy work on the cosmic club scene – particularly 4 Hero and the generation of others that sprang up in their wake. Soft Machine have a similar British bent for blending styles here – using jazz elements that are on a par with their best contemporaries in the straighter part of that genre – but fusing them together with a more pulsating approach to rhythm that pushes all the solo bits wonderfully! There's a fair bit of groove heavy tracks here that still sound as fresh today as when they were recorded – and the album features great drums from John Marshall, keyboards from Mike Ratledge, bass from Hugh Hopper, and a wide variety of reeds from Karl Jenkins. The album's a rich tapestry of long and short tracks, all woven together – and titles include "All White", "Between", "Riff", "EPV", "Stumble", "5 From 13", "Riff II", "The Soft Weed Factor", and "Chloe & The Pirates". CD

A great little set from the precursor to Steps Ahead – heard here on a Japanese-only album that's got a really wonderful sound! The group's a quintet that includes Michael Brecker on tenor, Mike Maineri on vibes, Don Grolnick on keyboards, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Peter Erskine on drums – working together in a style that's mostly acoustic, but which has some slight electric touches on the bottom – expanding the sound ever so slightly, but still letting the jazz colors and tones of the players dominate the set. Tracks are all originals, and all quite long – and the bass of Gomez and vibes of Maineri really give the whole thing a sense of soul that pushes it ahead of the pack. Titles include "The Aleph", "NL4", "Patch Of Blue", "Four Chords", and "Nichka". CD

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Includes the compositions "Le Baiser De La Fee", Symphony In C", "Pulcinella", "Octet For Wind Instruments", and "L'Histoire Du Soldat (suite)". CD

A great bit of electric jazz from the Japanese scene of the 70s – an album that easily rivals the best CTI work in the US at the time! Trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki heads up a quintet here – one that's heavy on electric piano and keyboards, played in a stretched-out sort of groove that reminds us a lot of the energy on Freddie Hubbard's funkiest albums from the same period. The tracks are all quite long – and step out with a wonderfully rhythmic sensibility – spare at times, and very focused on the right rolling approach to the groove. Suzuki's trombone solos are matched by some equally great sax work from Takeru Muraoka – and rhythm is from Kunimitsu Inaba on bass and Akira Ishikawa on drums. Filled with great breaks and laidback jazzy grooves – and featuring tracks that include "Cat", "Walk Tall", "Romance", "Shrimp Dance", and "Kuro To Shiro". LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling group – with Nicky Hopkins on keyboards, and both Jon Mark and Alun Davies on vocals and guitar! CD

Masahiro Andoh on guitars, Takeshi Ito on alto sax, EWI, Hirotaka Izumi on acoustic piano & synesizers, Mitsuru Sutoch on basses, and Hiroyuki Noritake on drums & drum machine. CD

Songs selected and remixed by guitarist Masahiro Andoh – titles include "Chou Chow", "It's Magic", "Hearts", "Travelers", "Cape Light", and "Takarajima". CD

Raunchy R&B from the mighty Treniers – featuring some of their great postwar singles for Okeh Records – including a few unissued tracks! Titles include the legendary "Poon Tang" and "Hadacol That's All". CD

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A live Japanese album from 24th Street Band – done in a mode that's arguably more jamming than any of the group's studio sets! There's still plenty of crossover vocals in the mix, but the overall sound has more of an edge – especially on the guitars, which hit lots of rock/fusion notes on the session, and give Hiram Bullock a real chance to shine on his solos. The rhythms are a bit heavier too – with louder drumming from Steve Jordan, in a sound that really propels the tunes along nicely! Titles include "City Streets Country Roads", "Slow Down", "Ricky & The Radio", "Share Your Dreams", "The House That Jack Built", and "New York City Strut". CD

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A definite tempest from the start to the finish – and a brilliant live demonstration of the mighty powers of the VSOP group! The ensemble features soaring acoustic sounds from the quintet lineup of Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – all musicians who were experimenting with a lot of different styles at the time, especially electric ones – but come together here in an all-acoustic mode that's filled with wonderful solos throughout. You can definitely hear some of the inspiration the players each took from their own projects – but it's also focused back into a more solid, soulful style here – really opening up on long tracks that include "Eye of The Hurricane", "Maiden Voyage", "Lawra", and "Red Clay". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from Weather Report – an album that has them picking up a bit more soul than before, and shaking off some of the experimental sounds of their roots – yet all in a way that still makes them one of the most revolutionary fusion combos of the time! There's an incredible sense of tightness between the reeds of Wayne Shorter, the keyboards of Joe Zawinul, and the bass of Miroslav Vitous – and even when things go a bit outside, there's always a sense of focus and groove that brings them back together – a style that's never entirely funky, but which has plenty of funky elements to please our ears! Dom Um Romao's percussion is always a treat, and Zawinul's electric keys come through beautifully in the mix – on tracks that include "125th Street Congress", "Boogie Woogie Waltz", "Adios", "Manolete", "Will", and "Non-Stop Home". CD

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Includes the albums Time After Time, On A Friday, and Back To The Future from Swedish clarinetist Putte Wickman. CD

One of the best late records we've ever heard from this masterful French tenor player! The setting is Osaka, where Wilen plays magnificently with a stripped down group that features Laurent De Wilde on piano, Gilles Naturel on bass, and Peter Gritz on drums. Gone are the bright tones and bad production that sometimes marred Wilen's other late recordings – and in their place is a fire that we've hardly heard since the old days. The tracks are long and introspective – with the kind of soloing that first brought us to Wilen's genius years ago. Titles include "L'Aime Des Poetes", "Les Feulles Mortes", "No Problem", "Souls Le Ciel De Paris", and "Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours". CD

Music from ET, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Empire Of The Sun, Jaws, and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind – performed by John Williams and the Boston Pops Orchestra. CD

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A sweet little piano trio set from Yama & Jiro – that's Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on piano and Tetsujiro Obara on drums – joined here by Akira Daiyoshi on some mighty warm bass! The set's got that wonderful open, laidback vibe you sometimes get on these Three Blind Mice sessions from the 70s – a beautiful recording quality that really lets all the subtle, gentle moments come through all with a quality that's nicely different than an American trio session of the time. Titles include "Girl Talk", "Gone With The Wind", "The Way We Were", "What Now My Love", and "Autumn In New York". CD

Not "Misty" in an Errol Garner sense – although Tsuyoshi Yamamoto serves up his own version of the tune here – and instead a hip set from the Three Blind Mice scene of the 70s, with a very open, freewheeling approach to piano trio work! Yamamoto's a bit straighter than some of his contemporaries on the label, but still finds a way to really open things up with a fresh approach – a style that's strongly helped by the round, warm bass tones of Isoo Fukui – who's a great counterpoint to the jaggedly brilliant solo work from Yamamoto himself. Tetsujiro Obara plays drums, and the album's a masterpiece of space and understatement – with titles that include "Yesterdays", "Misty", "Blues", and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". CD