A never-issued studio session from the 70s – one that has Stan Getz working with a really superb group that includes Joanne Brackeen on electric and acoustic piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all exploring the kind of territory that we loved on Stan's classic mid 70s albums on Columbia! The set's on Steeplechase, but this isn't one of those EU live albums with long takes of standards – and instead, the group have a warm, intimate, really cohesive style that's completely great – almost a bridge between Stan's Captain Marvel album and the Concord sessions to come. Titles include some really great song choices – versions of Milton Nascimento's "Cancao Do Sal" and Kenny Wheeler's "Quiso" – plus the classic tune "Litha" by Chick Corea, which Stan recorded so wonderfully in the past. Other titles include "Blue Serge", "I Remember Clifford", and "Lady Sings The Blues". CD features three bonus alternate takes too! CD

Fantastic work from Stan Getz! The sound here is wonderful – moody late 70s Getz, with some especially soulful moments on the mellow tracks too – that kind of spun-out blowing that we first started finding in Stan's career right around the Sweet Rain album, and which continued to show up beautifully on 70s albums like this! Joanne Brackeen plays some great piano in the quartet – including some electric keys too – and other players include Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Billy Hart on drums. CD

A double slice of Stan Getz – material issued previously on two separate CDs by Steeplechase, brought together here in the price of a single set! The work here is wonderful – moody late 70s Getz, with some especially soulful moments on the mellow tracks too – that kind of spun-out blowing that we first started finding in Stan's career right around the Sweet Rain album, and which continued to show up beautifully on 70s albums like this! Joanne Brackeen plays some great piano in the quartet – including some electric keys too – and other players include Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Billy Hart on drums. Tracks include "Infant Eyes", "Lush Life", "Stan's Blues", "Cancao Do Sol", "Lady Sings The Blues", "Blues For Dorte", and "Con Alma". CD

Two very different groups – both presented in unissued performances recorded on the same day in Copenhagen during the spring of 1959! First up is the Jimmy Giuffre trio with some tremendous guitar from Jim Hall – a key player who really helped Jimmy find that airy, open approach on his Atlantic Records gems at the end of the 50s – working here with just the bass of Buddy Clark for accompaniment. Giuffre mostly plays modern clarinet, in that famous style of his, but also handles a bit of tenor – on titles that include "Time Machine", "Careful", "The Little Melody", and "Song Of The Wind". And speaking of clarinet, that instrument gets a nice workout on the Gene Krupa tracks – as does tenor and flute, all handled by Ed Wasserman – who plays in a Krupa quartet that also includes Ronnie Ball on piano and Jimmy Gannon on bass. The music has that open, lively small combo vibe that marked some of Gene's best 50s sessions for Verve – and titles include long takes on "Undecided" and "Flamingo" – plus a 25 minute reading of "Sing Sing Sing". CD

A standout 70s set from Dexter Gordon – one that's a bit tighter than some of his longer-blown dates from overseas – and which almost sparkles with the same power as his 60s albums on Blue Note! The group here is nice and tight – with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all grooving in a style that's sharply focused, and which really sets the stage for Dex's wonderful tone on the solos. Pedersen's bass is great too – sometimes stepping out with a presence not usually heard on a set like this – and titles include the Gordon originals "The Apartment", "Antabus", and "Candlelight Lady" – plus "Wee Dot" and "Old Folks". LP, Vinyl record album

Rock-solid overseas work from the mighty Dexter Gordon – a studio set instead of one of his live dates from the Danish scene of the time – and a record that seems to have Dex coming across with even more focus and power than ever! The tracks are long, and his solos have this wonderful bite – driven strongly by work from Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all moving sharply and tightly, with maybe an especially sharp crackle in the drums of Higgins, which really seems to energize even the mellower numbers! Titles include the great originals "Catalonian Nights" and "Benji's Bounce" – plus "Easy Living", "Four", and "Billie's Bounce". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a trio of fantastic performances recorded by tenor giant Dexter Gordon at the Zurich Jazz Festival in 1975 – a set that has him blowing with all that late-life brilliance he brought to his best European recordings of the time! Yet also, possibly because of the festival setting, there's a sharpness here that's a bit different than some of Gordon's small club live dates of the period – this great sense of energy that comes through right away, and which also seems to come from the rest of the group too – a quartet lineup that includes Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. Titles on this third volume include "Jelly Jelly", "Didn't We", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Rhythm A Ning". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Bob Rockwell on tenor sax, Hal Galper on piano, Steve Gilmore on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Warm and wonderful work from saxophonist Jimmy Heath – still sounding great here in the 90s, and working in an excellent format that places his tenor and soprano next to guitar, bass, and drums. The lack of piano is quite striking – and the guitar work of Tony Perrone freely steps around Heath's horn with a quality that's really nice – teaming up in a frontline style, as if he were a trumpet player in the group – but also letting back for a more rhythmic approach that also has him shading in certain aspects of the tunes. Drums are by Heath's brother and longtime partner Albert "Tootie" – and titles include "Prince Albert", "Basic Birks", "Sleeves", and "Soul Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare small group work from the great Johnny Hodges – an unissued live set from the start of the 60s, and one that has Johnny working with key Ellington sidemen in a very Ellington-like setting! Solo Hodges could usually take one of two forms – more soulful small group material that has less of the arrangements of his longtime leader, the Duke – and more Ellington-based performances, of which this set is definitely one – as Hodges leads a hip combo with Ray Nance on trumpet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Harry Carney on baritone, Al Williams on piano, Aaron Bell on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. Tunes are almost all numbers by Ellington or Billy Strayhorn, but done in a nice lean style, with key solo performances throughout – and titles include "Rocking In Rhythm", "Jeep Is Jumpin", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Sophisticated Lady", "Mood Indigo", and "Solitude" – plus "Good Queen Bess", "Perdido", and "Autumn Leaves". The sound quality is great – very clear, with a nicely crisp tone on the horn parts, especially Hodges and Carney! CD

Bertha Hope on piano, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Dave Riekenberg and Junior Cook on tenor saxophone, Walter Booker on bass, and Leroy Williams on drums. CD

An unissued session from pianist David Janeway, done at a time when he was really hitting his stride – moving across the keys of the piano with this intuitive sense of feeling that makes for a very special record! The quality is a bit hard to describe, but if you've heard other Janeway sessions from the 90s, you'll know what we mean – a lyrical swing that's never sleepy or sloppy, and which always seems to sparkle with these fresh combinations of notes, yet never in a way that's trying too hard, or seems forced! The rhythm work of Harvie S on bass and Steve Johns on drums is a perfect complement to Janeway's piano – and on one track, they're joined by Pete Yellin on alto, for a great reading of "Invitation". Other titles include "Last Embrace", "Very Early", "Interchange", "Who Cares", "Return", and "Yours Is My Heart Alone". CD

An excellent trio set, from a time when the piano of Duke Jordan was really getting some great exposure on record! The trio features Sam Jones on bass and Al Foster on drums – on titles that include "Love Train", "Dig", "Dancer's Call", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully unique take on the music of Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman – served up here by a trio that features Kirk Knuffke on cornet, Jay Anderson on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums! The tunes are all classic Cherry or Coleman compositions – but the performance here is very different, with a robust quality that comes not just from the deeper range of the cornet, but also from the bold work on drum and bass – which still keeps things in that rompingly rhythmic mode of the group that Cherry and Coleman had together, but maybe both a bit more open in terms of the groove – and more focused on the one lead solo instrument. Knuffke's really opened up the sound of others in the past – but this record might well be his greatest achievement so far – as you'll hear on titles that include "Roland Alphonso", "The Sphinx", "Jayne", "Song In D", "Mind & Time", "Cherryco", "Golden Heart", "Paris Ambulance Song", and "Angel Voice". LP, Vinyl record album

Lee Konitz on alto saxophone, Rich Perry on tenor saxophone, Harold Danko on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. CD

Andy LaVerne on piano, Rick Margitza on tenor and soprano saxophone, Marc Johnson on bass, and Danny Gottlieb on drums. CD

A spot-on set from pianist Andy Laverne – all original material, penned by Andy himself, and underscored here by some excellent work on tenor sax from Ben Solomon! Solomon's got a richness to his tone that's great – a slightly dark edge that seems to bring out the same in Laverne's piano – as the pair work with tight rhythm accompaniment from Jason Tiemann on drums and Mike Richmond on bass – a pair who use a light touch, but in a very effective way – often gently swinging, but letting the piano and tenor really set the tone! Titles include "Corean", "Solace", "Bassline", "Tune For Tyner", "Flipside", and "Wistful Thinking". CD

A set that's headed up by guitarist Max Light, who wrote most of the material on the set – but one that's got some equally strong contributions from tenorist Noah Preminger, who's got this great way of weaving lines around the guitar – all while getting this deft rhythm accompaniment from Kim Cass on bass and Dan Weiss on drums! Cass has a rich, deep tone that's perfect – and Light is at his best here, but seems to get even more from the fullness of Preminger's presence – a mode that's a bit hard to describe in easy words, but which has the album crackling and bristling with energy throughout! Titles include "Luftrauser", "Subjective Object", "Barney & Sid", "Animals", "Half Marathon", and "Henceforth". CD

Bassist Ron McClure heads up a wonderfully warm group here – one that features excellent tenor from Anthony Ferrara, a player who blows with a slightly raspy, nicely soulful tone that's a wonderful complement to the bass! Other players include Michael Eckroth on piano and Steve Johns on drums – and the well-recorded session has Ron right out front with a strong vibe that reminds us what a great player he can be – while also letting Ferrara and Eckroth to have some great time in the spotlight as well. There's plenty of great originals by McClure on the session – including "Topanga", "Pure Imperfection", "Vinnie's 8 Bar Blues & Bridge", "Nimbus", "Let's Pretend Everything's Cool", and "Dog Day Rain". CD

Jackie McLean opens it up at Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – blowing in the long, open-ended style usually associated with live dates from the club! The format here is similar to the better-known Montmartre recordings by Dexter Gordon and Johnny Griffin – strong rhythms from a trio that features Kenny Drew on piano, Bo Stief on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – topped with dominant solos from Jackie, who's blowing here in a boppish style that's a bit different from some of his more spiritual sessions of the 70s. Titles include "Das Dat", "Smile", "Parker's Mood", and "Confirmation". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued live work from one of our favorite groups ever headed by baritone modernist Gerry Mulligan – his wonderful quartet with Art Farmer on trumpet! The mix of Farmer and Mulligan is fantastic here – on long tunes that stretch out even more than their studio performances of the period – and, like those, given great piano-less accompaniment from the great team of Bill Crow on bass and Dave Bailey on drums! Farmer is wonderful throughout – young and a bit more raspy than later years, maybe in part because he's on trumpet instead of flugelhorn – and his pairing really brings out a more relaxed, almost soulful side of Gerry at times. On two tracks, Mulligan switches his horn for a piano – equally great on versions of "Spring Is Sprung" and "I Can't Get Started" – next to other long tracks that include "Blueport", "What Is There To Say", "Just In Time", and "News From Blueport". CD

Alex Norris has a wonderful sense of tone here on both trumpet and flugelhorn – instruments he trades back and forth nicely across the set, in ways that really help illuminate the different flavors of the original songs that make up most of the album! Tenorist Ari Ambrose is also great too – balancing the phrasing and tonal placement of Norris in a way that opens up the record beautifully – as the pair get some strong accompaniment from Rick Germanson on piano, a player whose energy really seems to resonate with both Ambrose and Norris! The group also features Paul Gill on bass and Brian Floody on drums – and original titles by Norris include "Short Waltz", "Too Many Trips", "No News", "Lights Out", "There It Went", and the especially nice "Bossa Tranquillo". CD

Bassist Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen has been the background force on countless jazz records over the years – and when he gets the chance to step into the spotlight as a leader, he always seems to bring a lot to the proceedings! Here, Pedersen exposes the qualities of his bass in all sorts of wonderful ways – sometimes spare and very melodic, sometimes with more force driving the group – a great lineup that includes David Liebman on tenor, soprano, and flute – plus John Scofield on guitar and Billy Hart on drums. Scofield and Pedersen have a way of resonating together wonderfully – and titles include "Future Child", "Evening Sound", "Clouds", and "Dancing On The Tables". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great bassists, working here together in a really fantastic setting – not as a spare duo, but also not lost in a too-large group as well – as the lineup features guitar from Philip Catherine and drums from Billy Higgins – both very sensitive players who let Sam Jones and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen take the lead! The basses move nicely between rhythm and melody – almost with a gypsy swing guitar inspiration – which is maybe echoed just a bit by Catherine, who is at his best here – a great straight jazz player without some of the gimmicks of other albums of the period. Higgins is, as always, a delight – and he gets help from Tootie Heath on percussion on two tracks too. Titles include "A Notion", "Giant Steps", "Au Privave", "Yesterdays", "Little Train", and "Miss Morgan". LP, Vinyl record album

Rich Perry on tenor, Frank Kimbrough on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. CD

A well-balanced quartet session of the sort that seems almost effortless, and in the best recent style of the Steeplechase label – a really strong leader with a voice that really inspires the others in the group, as they move through some of his own originals and a nice mix of more unusual titles too! Rich Perry really lets the lineup open up and find their own pace amidst the tune – especially pianist Gary Versace, who has nicely sharp edges and a sense of freedom from time to time – working next to the bass of Jay Anderson and drums of John Riley. Riley and Versace both contribute key tunes the the session, along with Perry – and titles include "Now", "No Lines", "Living", "Gotta Blues One", "Blind Faith", "Progression", and "Mud". CD

A lost European performance from Bud Powell – recorded in Stockholm relatively late in his life, but on some nicely long tracks that really let Powell stretch out on the piano! There's a nice degree of echo in the recording – and we mean that not as a cover up for poor sound quality, because the quality here is quite strong – and instead delight in the way it has Bud's tones resonate strongly in the space of the performance hall – this bold, clear tone that really lets the Powell magic sparkle in all of its glory! The trio features Torbjorn Hultcrantz on bass and Sune Spangberg on drums – and titles on this volume include "Star Eyes", "Blues In The Closet", "I Hear Music", and "Moose The Mooche". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost European performance from Bud Powell – recorded in Stockholm relatively late in his life, but on some nicely long tracks that really let Powell stretch out on the piano! There's a nice degree of echo in the recording – and we mean that not as a cover up for poor sound quality, because the quality here is quite strong – and instead delight in the way it has Bud's tones resonate strongly in the space of the performance hall – this bold, clear tone that really lets the Powell magic sparkle in all of its glory! The trio features Torbjorn Hultcrantz on bass and Sune Spangberg on drums. Includes a rare vocal performance from Powell on the tune "This Is No Laughing Matter". CD

A lost European performance from Bud Powell – recorded in Stockholm relatively late in his life, but on some nicely long tracks that really let Powell stretch out on the piano! There's a nice degree of echo in the recording – and we mean that not as a cover up for poor sound quality, because the quality here is quite strong – and instead delight in the way it has Bud's tones resonate strongly in the space of the performance hall – this bold, clear tone that really lets the Powell magic sparkle in all of its glory! The trio features Torbjorn Hultcrantz on bass and Sune Spangberg on drums. Includes a rare vocal performance from Powell on the tune "This Is No Laughing Matter". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that's a really great showcase for both musicians – Nate Radley on guitar and Gary Versace on piano – coming together with a sense of chromes and tones that's really wonderful, and a gentle sort of swing that doesn't need any bass or drums to help the pair out! These tunes all have a groove, even if it's a bit gentle at times – and the sharper tones of Radley make for a nice match with Versace's phrasing on piano – very different than, say, a guitar/piano album in the hands of players like Bill Evans and Jim Hall! Radley contributed a number of great original tunes to the record – including "Wrong Ago", "Almost April", "Penumbra", "Big Reach", and "Juniors" – and the pair also do nice takes on "Some Other Blues" and "Who Can I Turn To". CD

Doug Raney on guitar, George Cables on piano, Steve LaSpina on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. CD

Dave Scott has a wonderfully sensitive sound here – a quality that almost reflects the image on the front, which seems to have him listening to the trumpet he holds in his hands – a photo that really gets at the special sort of ear that Scott has for crafting these beautiful tones on his instrument! The music isn't familiar hardbop, even though the lineup might make you think that – but it's also not free jazz either – as Scott instead has this way of composing original material that's as much about the texture of the tunes as it is the individual voices, at a level that sounds especially strong as his instrument is matched with the tenor of Rich Perry and piano of Gary Versace – the latter of whom has a wonderfully diverse set of styles here. Other group members include Johannes Weidenmuller on bass and Mark Ferber on drums – and tunes, as mentioned, are all originals – with titles that include "KC Swingin", "Ralph Retired", "Song For Alice", "Indifference", and "Venus At Dusk". CD

Sublime overseas work from these two legendary musicians – both players from different scenes in the US, and who never would have crossed paths back in the day – but who really sparkle here with a sense of brilliance that brings out the best in both artists! There's no other accompaniment at all – just the piano of Horace Parlan alongside the tenor and soprano sax of Archie Shepp – right at that point when Shepp was exploring more conventional structures of jazz, but with all the knowledge he'd learned from the avant scene – which makes for wonderfully soulful ballads here that are unlike anything you might expect. Parlan is great too – stretching out in the very resonant space of the recording – and titles include "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Amazing Grace", "Go Down Moses", and "My Lord What A Morning". CD

Sublime overseas work from these two legendary musicians – both players from different scenes in the US, and who never would have crossed paths back in the day – but who really sparkle here with a sense of brilliance that brings out the best in both artists! There's no other accompaniment at all – just the piano of Horace Parlan alongside the tenor and soprano sax of Archie Shepp – right at that point when Shepp was exploring more conventional structures of jazz, but with all the knowledge he'd learned from the avant scene – which makes for wonderfully soulful ballads here that are unlike anything you might expect. Parlan is great too – stretching out in the very resonant space of the recording – and titles include "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Amazing Grace", "Go Down Moses", and "My Lord What A Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

John Tchicai plays the music of Thelonious Monk, and a few of his own tunes too – in a wonderful set that shows beautifully why we always look out for work from this enigmatic saxophonist! There's definitely a Monkish vibe to the record, but Tchicai's approach is often quite personal too – creating warmth where others might have kept things angular, or changing up the pacing of the tunes – so that he's always leaving a very strong imprint of his own on the recordings, and not just covering too-familiar Monk territory. Each tune has a slightly different execution – and many numbers have John stepping out sparely, blowing in the lead – but with some warmth and depth that's quite different than the coldness of his modern moments from years back. And there's also a bit of Hammond on the record – played by George Colligan, who also alternates on piano – and use of that instrument really makes for a fresh sound too – a wonderful change that's almost like some 60s soul jazz take on Monk. Bass is by Steve Laspina and drums are by Billy Drummond – and titles include "Monk's Mood", "Coming On The Hudson", "Light Blue", "Ugly Beauty", "Ruby My Dear", and "Cool Copy". LP, Vinyl record album

Really beautiful later work from the great Mary Lou Williams – and one of the key records that shows just how much she'd evolved as a player since the early days! Part of the strength of the record is the rhythm work from Buster Williams on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – slightly more contemporary players who open up with a sense of warmth that Williams can't help but address – still work on the keyboard of the piano that's very much her own, and touched with the modern elements of her early days – but wonderfully sensitive in all the right ways, a richness that's perfect for the spiritual jazz generation of the 70s. Titles include the completely amazing "Baby Man", plus "Dat Dere", "Temptation", "Pale Blue", "Blues For Timme", "All Blues", and "Free Spirits". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Willis on piano, David Williams on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. CD

A warmly wonderful trio record – from a time when Chet Baker was exploring a whole new side of his talents! The group features just Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – which gives Chet a lot of room to open up – and he takes advantage of that fact to create all these wonderfully airy, sensitive lines on the trumpet – blowing in a completely different style than the classic years, and in a way that always makes us love these later albums so much! Tracks are all nice and long – and tunes include "Sad Walk", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "I'm Old Fashioned". LP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from Chet Baker – one of the key sides in marking out his new, more open approach to the trumpet – with long tracks overall. The setting here is spare – with backing by Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and Chet's mostly blowing on trumpet, but also gets in some sad vocals on two tunes – "But Not For Me" and "The Touch Of Your Lips". Other tracks include "I Waited For You", "Blue Room", and "Star Eyes". CD

Bassist Paul Brusger heads up this quartet, but the group's got strong contributions on all its four corners – tremendous baritone work from Gary Smulyan, who's becoming one of our favorite contemporary players on the instrument – plus soulful piano from Mike Ledonne, and just the right sort of swing from the great Louis Hayes! The players come together with a freshness that's noteworthy – really standing apart from even their other recent recordings – quite possibly due to the fact that every tune on the set (save one) is an original composition by Brusger, a writer with a really old school way of balancing lyricism and soul – a compositional strength that almost takes us back to Horace Silver or Duke Pearson. Titles include "In A Minor Funk", "When Will You Ever Learn", "All But One", "Bringin Home The Silver", "Waiting For The Next Trane", and "Andrea's Delight". CD

A real standout set from pianist Stanley Cowell – one of his few dates in recent years to feature more than a trio lineup – and recorded in a live setting that really seems to ignite some old school fires in Stanley's music! Make no mistake – Cowell is always wonderful – but there's a nice edge to his compositions here, as Stanley hits a bit harder, and drives things along to match the energy from the trumpet of Freddie Hendrix and alto of Bruce Williams – who play in a lineup that also features Tom DiCarlo on bass and Vince Ector on drums. Sunny Cowell performs a beautiful vocal version of the classic "Equipoise" – maybe worth the price of the album alone – and other tracks include "Cal Massey", "Montage For Toledo", "This Life", "Banana Pudding", "No Illusions", and a take on the Max Roach tune "It's Time". CD

A European session, with Davis on tenor, Thomas Clausen on piano, Bo Steif on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. Titles include "Locks", "Wave", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "Out Of Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

Walt Dickerson and Sun Ra are reunited – after only playing together on the seminal 60s album Impressions Of A Patch Of Blue! The session's a very spare one, in the typical mode of Dickerson's Steeplechase work of the late 70s – and most titles have Dickerson taking the main lead on vibes, with Ra providing flourishes of color and tone to the tracks – unusually restrained, but in a way that also adds a whole new level to our understanding of his genius! Titles include "Space Dance", "Constructive Neutrons", "Astro", and "Utopia". CD

Late 70s recordings of guitar and vibes duets from the forward looking percussionist Dickerson with Pierre Dorge. The compositons are all Dorge's and the playing is free, but restrained. 6 tunes in all, though 2 of them are fairly lengthy, with a few smaller vignettes as well: "Song For Irene", "Tribute To Master Tchicai", "Landscape With Open Door", "Mirjam's Blue Umbrella", "Boss Kodania", "Green Symmetry/Witches Weep & Dance" and "Tai Gong". CD

A never-issued studio session from the 70s – one that has Stan Getz working with a really superb group that includes Joanne Brackeen on electric and acoustic piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all exploring the kind of territory that we loved on Stan's classic mid 70s albums on Columbia! The set's on Steeplechase, but this isn't one of those EU live albums with long takes of standards – and instead, the group have a warm, intimate, really cohesive style that's completely great – almost a bridge between Stan's Captain Marvel album and the Concord sessions to come. Titles include some really great song choices – versions of Milton Nascimento's "Cancao Do Sal" and Kenny Wheeler's "Quiso" – plus the classic tune "Litha" by Chick Corea, which Stan recorded so wonderfully in the past. Other titles include "Blue Serge", "I Remember Clifford", and "Lady Sings The Blues" LP, Vinyl record album

American bassist Oscar Pettiford left our planet on the other side of the Atlantic – after just a few years of making some big waves on the European scene, where this tribute to his genius was recorded in 1960! The material here appears for the first time – and the bulk of the set features tremendous performances from very hip European groups who were following in the legacy of modern jazz that Pettiford and some of his generation helped unlock on the scene. The set begins with a trio that includes pianist Finn Savery and bassist Erik Moseholm, on titles that include "Bohemia After Dark" and "Willow Weep For Me". Baritone saxophonist Max Bruel leads a quartet through a reading of his own "Blues For Oscar" – followed by four tracks from the trio of pianist Bengt Hallberg, one with vocals from Alice Babs – titles that include "Blues By Alice" and "Dinah". Next is the legendary Jazz Quintet 60 – with Allan Botschinsky on trumpet, Bent Jaedig on tenor, and Bent Axen on piano – doing their renditions of Pettiford tunes "Why Not That's What" and "Blues In The Closet". Vibist Louis Hjulmand follows in a quartet with pianist Finn Savery on the Pettiford tune "Now See How You Are" – then the great Stan Getz comes in to finish things off in a quartet with Bengt Hallberg's trio – serving up takes of "Without A Song", "Get Happy", "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most", and "Nobody's Sweetheart". CD

Dexter Gordon blows back home in the US, but still with the long, open solo style of his European work for Steeplechase! The group features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a great rhythm section – and titles include "Apple Jump", "A La Modal", and "I'll Remember April". LP, Vinyl record album

Live recording from 1964 in Copenhagen, with Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels-Henning Orstred Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. CD

Really great material from tenor legend Johnny Griffin – maybe one of his best records of the 70s, and certainly one that shows that his early genius was alive and well – and really able to flourish in a setting like this! The tracks are long and open – in a mode that's similar to Dexter Gordon's work on Steeplechase at the time, but maybe with a bit more of a punch – that south side soul that Griffin always had in his horn, which also seems to bring more out of the rhythm group too – a trio that features Kenny Drew on piano, Mads Vinding on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. Griff fills the extended space of the tunes with endless imaginative solo moments – on titles that include "That Party Upstairs", "Alone Again", and "Soft & Furry". LP, Vinyl record album

No slush here, as Alex Heitlinger leads a large group with a really cool, crisp vibe – modern jazz arrangements with a style that's contemporary, but not in an avant way – maybe just with a boldness that embraces so many changes in bigger jazz ensemble modes on both the American and European scenes in the past fifty years – then gives things a spin that's very much in the spirit of the leader! Heitlinger composed most of the tracks on the set – and there's key solos on each, with work from Michael Thomas on soprano and alto saxes, Peter Sommer and Jon Armstrong on tenor, Greg Gispert and Shane Endley on trumpets, Corey Christiansen on guitar, Brian Woodbury and John Fedchock on trombones, and Carmen Staaf on piano. Titles include the originals "Unfurling", "Trail To Cullowhee", "For Patrick", "Lines & Circles", and "Here & Now". CD

Previously-unissued live work from the great Jackie McLean – working here on very long tracks recorded by the Left Bank Society in Baltimore right at a time when he was making tremendous sounds on Blue Note – with Lamont Johnson on piano, Scotty Holt on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's brimming with original compositions from Dave Pietro – fresh tunes that are as strong as his own work as a leader on alto, and which share a similar balance of sound! Dave's got an ear for his horn that opens up some of the lighter, leaner sounds of the alto – yet he also blows with a nice edge too, in a quality that's underscored by some of the album's work on trumpet from Scott Wendholt, whose tone resonates with Pietro's in a really great way. The rhythm trio are rock-solid – with Steeplechase stalwarts Gary Versace on piano and Jay Anderson on bass, joined by the great Billy Drummond on drums. Titles include the Pietro originals "Essence", "Auriga", "The Talisman", "Alexandra", "Until The Day", and "Eternal Optimism" – and a nice take on "The Windmills Of Your Mind". CD

It's easy to give the great Freddie Redd due respect – especially when the pianist sounds every bit as wonderful here as he did on his classic Blue Note albums from decades back! Freddie's a hell of a pianist, with a very unique vibe – able to be modern in conception, but lyrical in execution – sharp edges and angles warmed with a sense of humanity that always has Redd's music making this beautifully inherent sense, and drawing us right in, right away! The same seems to also be the case for his sidemen – who really flower in the setting – a lineup that includes John Mosca on trombone, Chris Byars on alto and flute, and Stefano Doglioni on bass clarinet. Mosca's trombone is especially nice – a real treat to hear in Redd's music – and titles include "A Night In Nalen", "Reminiscing", "Blue Hue", "I'm Gonna Be Happy", "OD", "Ole", "Lady J Blues", and "Melanie". CD

Mike Richmond is plucking the cello on the front of the cover – and within, he uses the instrument in a wonderfully fluid, jazzy style – really living up to the legacy of earlier work on the cello in jazz by artists like Ron Carter, Sam Jones, or Eldee Young! The group is nice and lean, with Andy Laverne on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Anthony Pinciotti on drums – and the cello is recorded very high up in the mix, with a lot more texture on the strings than you might expect – and certainly a very different sound than the use of the instrument in classical music or string quartet settings! Titles include a fair bit of Bill Evans numbers – versions of "Bill's Hit Tune", "Orbit", "Turn Out The Star", "B Minor Waltz", and "Waltz For Debbie" – and a nice take on "You Must Believe In Spring". CD

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A great later date from this trumpeter who made a few key 50s sessions on Prestige! The quintet date features Idrees on trumpet and flugelhorn – with Per Goldschmidt on tenor, Horace Parlan on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

There's no nostalgia here – as Akiko Tsuruga plays the Hammond B3, but in a way that's very fresh, and very much her own – using the instrument to create these bold blocks of color, which are then augmented by contributions from a mighty nice group of players! The horn work is especially great – and the record soars with the trumpet of Joe Magnarelli and tenor of Jerry Weldon – the latter of whom always seems to bring out something special on a date with an organ, balancing out Akiko's tone here in a really great way. Ed Cherry plays guitar, Byron Landham handles drums, and titles include the originals "Tiger", "Beyond Nostalgia", "Middle Of Somewhere", "Dancing Cats", and "Happy Blues" – plus versions of "Back Track" and "Mack The Knife". CD

One of those great later albums that has Chet Baker working alongside an instrument you never would have expected in the early days – blowing his own trumpet lines next to fantastic work on guitar from Doug Raney – a pair who really make some magic with this album! The set's also got the mighty Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – handling rhythm in a way that's strong, but gentle at the same time – this beautiful balance that echoes the warmth of both of the other players, as Chet's sparkling trumpet lines resonate with the great colors from Raney's guitar. Titles include "Broken Wing", "Down", "Daybreak", and "For Minors Only". LP, Vinyl record album

Overlooked later work by Chet Baker – with some nice long tracks that feature a unique trio with Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass! LP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from Chet Baker – one of the key sides in marking out his new, more open approach to the trumpet – with long tracks overall. The setting here is spare – with backing by Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and Chet's mostly blowing on trumpet, but also gets in some sad vocals on two tunes – "But Not For Me" and "The Touch Of Your Lips". Other tracks include "I Waited For You", "Blue Room", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Ballou on trumpet and flugelhorn, Greg Gisbert, and Tim Hagans on trumpet, George Colligan on trumpet and piano, Doug Weiss on bass, and Darren Beckett on drums. CD

Wonderfully warm work from the great Michael Cochrane – a pianist we always love, and who also seems to be playing a bit of Fender Rhodes on this album too! The instrument's not credited on the back, but turns up in an excellent version of Denny Zeitlin's "Quiet Now" – which is handled by Cochrane with just the right sort of space and tone to really open up the composition – in a way that's very different from the bolder, more soulful tones the pianist uses throughout the rest of the album. As always with a record from Michael, the original tunes are some of the best – and include "Discovery", "MC's Bossa", "Erie Blues", and "Fantasy" – all the kind of numbers that always have us digging for his records whenever we get the chance. Other tunes include "Oblivion", "Yesterdays", and "Visitation" – and the trio includes Daryl Johns on bass and Steve Johns on drums. CD

Michael Cochrane on piano, Ron McClure on bass, and Yoron Israel on drums. CD

A nicely fresh setting for pianist Stanley Cowell – a record that moves past his more frequent trio format, to feature the longstanding genius in a quartet with Bruce Williams on alto and flute! Williams has a laidback, lyrical tone that seems to bring out a different side in Cowell's music – especially as the album mostly features the pianist's own compositions – a way of building up his sound slowly, with a more quiet-burning version of the spiritual energy of Stanley's youth – yet still with end results that are equally redemptive, and very beautiful overall. The rest of the group features Jay Anderson on bass and Billy Drummond on drums – and Cowell also plays a bit of thumb piano and kyma too. Titles include "Celestial Women", "No Illusions", "Miss TE & O", "Sunlight Shifting", "B Minor Folksong", and "Nostalgia For Homelands". CD

A brilliant sextet session from Stanley Cowell – one of his few larger group sessions of the time, done during a period when he was recording almost exclusively in trio format! The album features a well-crafted sextet with lots of nice edges – bringing together Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Rick Margitza on tenor, Dick Griffin on trombone, Peter Washington on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all to shade and color Cowell's rich piano work and fresh compositions for the set. There's a deeply soulful feel to the record that's quite wonderful – a new exploration of Cowell's inspirations from the 70s, taken to some very tight territory here – but never with any sense of slickness at all. Titles include the excellent "Bright Passion", plus "Departure", "Setup", "Varions", "Bip Bip Bam" and "Sendai Sendoff". CD

Damn great work from Ronnie Cuber – one of the greatest baritone saxophonists still working the scene today – and a player who handles the heavy horn with all the dexterity of a tenorist! Ronnie's horn has graced many a session over the years, but he's always at his best on the few dates that offer up his talents as a leader – and the Cuber heard here will really surprise you greatly, if you only know his name from sideman credits. Ronnie blows beautifully throughout, with a depth of imagination and feeling that really stun us – surprising sensitivity on some tracks, but not in any sort of cliched ballad-heavy way. The rhythm section's got a great ear to match Cuber's vibe – and includes Helen Sung on piano, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Jonathan Blake on drums. Titles include "Gloria's Step", "Thermo", "Daahoud", "Watch What Happens", "The Duke", and "All The Things You Are". CD

Features Pierre Dorge on guitar and Tibetan conch trumpet–with Kasaper Transberg and Gunnar Halle on trumpet, Morten Carlsen and Jakob Mygind onsaxophones, Kenneth Agerholm on trombone, Irene Becker on piano and synthesizer, Thommy Andersson on bass, Martin Andersen on drums, and Ayi Solomon on percussion. CD

Great live work from Kenny Dorham – wonderfully recorded by Danish Radio from an early 60s performance in Copehagen – one that also features flugelhorn from Allan Botschinsky as well! The mix of trumpet and flugelhorn is totally great – a shifting, shimmering palette of colors and sound that steps right out with a bold, righteous energy – that sense of force that Dorham was beginning to show in some of his American recordings too – before his studio appearances were cut down all too quickly. Rhythms are extremely tight too – with Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and the tracks are nice and long, with versions of "Short Story", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Manha De Carnival", and "The Touch of Your Lips". CD

Ted Dunbar on guitar, Mickey Tucker on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, David Jones on drums, and special guest Dotti Anita Taylor on flute. CD

A standout 70s set from Dexter Gordon – one that's a bit tighter than some of his longer-blown dates from overseas – and which almost sparkles with the same power as his 60s albums on Blue Note! The group here is nice and tight – with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Heath on drums – all grooving in a style that's sharply focused, and which really sets the stage for Dex's wonderful tone on the solos. Pedersen's bass is great too – sometimes stepping out with a presence not usually heard on a set like this – and titles include the Gordon originals "The Apartment", "Antabus", and "Candlelight Lady" – plus "Wee Dot" and "Old Folks". CD also features the bonus track "Stablemates" – from the same session, but previously unissued. CD

Dexter Gordon blows back home in the US, but still with the long, open solo style of his European work for Steeplechase! The group features Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Al Foster on drums – a great rhythm section – and titles include "Apple Jump", "A La Modal", and "I'll Remember April". CD

Rock-solid overseas work from the mighty Dexter Gordon – a studio set instead of one of his live dates from the Danish scene of the time – and a record that seems to have Dex coming across with even more focus and power than ever! The tracks are long, and his solos have this wonderful bite – driven strongly by work from Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – all moving sharply and tightly, with maybe an especially sharp crackle in the drums of Higgins, which really seems to energize even the mellower numbers! Titles include the great originals "Catalonian Nights" and "Benji's Bounce" – plus "Easy Living", "Four", and "Billie's Bounce". CD

An unusual early Danish date – with Tete Montoliu on piano! CD

Dexter Gordon soars on tenor in this great 1964 date with Tete Montoliu on piano, Benny Nielsen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and he also vocalizes a bit on a version of the Benny Green tune "I Want To Blow Now" – next to other tunes that include long takes on "Body & Soul", "Satin Doll", and "King Neptune". Dex also introduces the set with a bit of patter too! LP, Vinyl record album

Not as striking as the word "Monster" in the title might make you think – but a nicely laidback European session, one that has Dexter blowing freely, with only bass and drum accompaniment. Tracks are mostly pretty long, and titles include "Tanya", "Born To Be Blue", "Nursery Blues", "Green Dolphin Street", and "Lullaby For A Monster". CD

Dexter Gordon on tenor sax, Lars Sjosten on piano, Sture Nordin on bass, and Fredrik Noren on drums. CD

Dexter Gordon on tenor saxophone, Philip Catherine on guitar, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. CD

One of a trio of fantastic performances recorded by tenor giant Dexter Gordon at the Zurich Jazz Festival in 1975 – a set that has him blowing with all that late-life brilliance he brought to his best European recordings of the time! Yet also, possibly because of the festival setting, there's a sharpness here that's a bit different than some of Gordon's small club live dates of the period – this great sense of energy that comes through right away, and which also seems to come from the rest of the group too – a quartet lineup that includes Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. Titles on this second volume include "Wave", "Darn That Dream", "Rhythm A Ning", "There Is No Greater Love", and "Sticky Wicket". CD

One of a trio of fantastic performances recorded by tenor giant Dexter Gordon at the Zurich Jazz Festival in 1975 – a set that has him blowing with all that late-life brilliance he brought to his best European recordings of the time! Yet also, possibly because of the festival setting, there's a sharpness here that's a bit different than some of Gordon's small club live dates of the period – this great sense of energy that comes through right away, and which also seems to come from the rest of the group too – a quartet lineup that includes Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. Titles on this second volume include "Wave", "Darn That Dream", "Rhythm A Ning", "There Is No Greater Love", and "Sticky Wicket". LP, Vinyl record album