A classic meeting of two powerful tenors on the west coast – Wardell Gray and Dexter Gordon – locked together beautifully in this seminal recording from an early Gene Norman concert! The format is loose and free – a key bop illustration of what the tenor sax could offer, when set in the hands of giants like this – and each track runs for an entire side of the record, with mighty bold solos from both Gray and Gordon, blowing head to head in the "chase" – plus trumpet from Conte Candoli, piano from Bob Tucker, bass from Don Bagley, and drums from Chico Hamilton. The album only features two long tracks – "The Chase" and "The Steeplechase" – but both of those are more than enough! CD

Konitz plays alto, and Mitchell plays bass and a bit of piano – on titles that include "I Love You", "Night & Day", "I Love Paris", "Love For Sale", and "It's All Right With Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A great meeting of two generations of jazz – and one that really blows the top off some of Dexter Gordon's other European sessions of the time! The setting here is definitely one that's more a Gordon-based date – long tracks with rhythm backing from a trio with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. But unlike some of the other long-blown Gordon-heavy albums for the stretch, the presence of Jackie McLean really brings in a new sort of fire – the kind of soaring, soulful energy he brought to his own records in these immediate post-Blue Note years – almost a Coltrane influence, and a sense of spiritualism that really comes through on some of his solo moments – even in this relatively straight setting. Titles include "Half Nelson", "I Can't Get Started", "Another Hair-Do", and "Dexter Digs In". LP, Vinyl record album

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Federico Bonifazi is great pianist, and also a hell of a writer too – one with a very fully-formed voice in jazz – able to fit complex ideas in a very tight space, while still very much letting the soloists do their thing! And yet Federico also seems to bring out a new depth in his group members too – as he did on a recent album that starred Eric Alexander on tenor, and he does this time around with Philip Harper on trumpet – sounding better than we've heard him in years! The richness of Bonifazi's writing, and his piano work, is tremendous – and gives Harper a platform from which to really soar – which he does wonderfully on some of the best tracks here. Credit should also be given to the strong bass work, which also really helps shape the sound of the set – from either John Webber or Lorenzo Sandi, depending on the track – and the group also features Billy Kaye on drums. Titles are all originals – and include "High Line", "Steps House", "Ballamorando Brando", "Crash", "Sounds Good", and "Borotalco". CD

Seminal work from Joe Bonner – a solo set that really lets him show off his mighty talents on the piano! Bonner's got a free, fluid groove that few other players can match in such a setting – and unlike other pianists, who might use a solo set to get intimately acquainted with some old jazz standards, Joe really brings in a new sort of freshness – mostly showcasing his own compositions, which sparkle brilliantly – and have an undeniable sense of rhythm, timing, and tone. Titles include "Devotion", "A Tale Of Two Cities", "Song For Cathy", "Getting You Off My Mind", and "Flat Top". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully sweet setting for guitarist Craig Brann – a player who's always been great before, but who really seems to be opening up some new modes here! The album's got this wonderfully rhythmic core – songs that swing, but in a very contemporary way – and which make use of Brann's guitar at a level that's far beyond more familiar guitar jazz material! The rhythm trio – Ethan Herr on piano, Nick Morrison on bass, and Cory Cox on drums – are really doing some amazing things here, as they snatch grooves out of the air, then reconstruct them in different building blocks of sound – a mode that must also be due to Brann's nice range of original material on the set. Some tunes begin with the leader playing these solo passages with surprising deftness – almost evoking the complexity of Spanish guitar – and trumpeter John Raymond completes the group for an added layer of color. Titles include "Dilla Daze", "Copy", "Verdict", "Good Intentions", "Reinventing Something Round", "Five Percent Of My Life Thus Far", and "Dozen The Swan's Hound". CD

A beautiful love letter to the Detroit jazz scene from pianist Greg Burk – not the famous motor city jazz world of the postwar years, but a really special time in the 90s when things were a bit more underground – and when Burk spent some formative years in the city! The notes recall some amazing days of warmth and collaboration with Detroit musicians – and the music here was all composed during that time, and really sparkles with the spirit that Burk speaks of in the notes – this soulful, lyrical, immediately personal flow between his piano, the bass of Matteo Bortone, and the drums of John Arnold. The compositions are wonderful – music that will really have us paying attention to Greg's skills as a writer – and titles include "Cass & Palmer", "Jangle", "Scene Unseen", "Matins", and "Woodward Stride". CD

A beautiful love letter to the Detroit jazz scene from pianist Greg Burk – not the famous motor city jazz world of the postwar years, but a really special time in the 90s when things were a bit more underground – and when Burk spent some formative years in the city! The notes recall some amazing days of warmth and collaboration with Detroit musicians – and the music here was all composed during that time, and really sparkles with the spirit that Burk speaks of in the notes – this soulful, lyrical, immediately personal flow between his piano, the bass of Matteo Bortone, and the drums of John Arnold. The compositions are wonderful – music that will really have us paying attention to Greg's skills as a writer – and titles include "Cass & Palmer", "Jangle", "Scene Unseen", "Matins", and "Woodward Stride". CD

A real gem of an album – the kind of spiritual 70s soul jazzer that we never tire of putting on the turntable! Drummer Michael Carvin heads a great group that features Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Sonny Fortune on alto and soprano, and Ron Burton on piano – and the ensemble grooves in a way that reminds us a lot more of recordings on Strata East from the time, than some of the snoozier sides on Steeplechase. The record fits nicely in with some of the few recordings of this nature on the label – work by Billy Gault and Rene McLean – and the album's worth it alone for Fortune's incredible post-Coltrane solos. Tracks include "The Camel", "MC Blues", "Kwebena's Blues", and "Osun". CD features a few bonus alternate takes, too. CD

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Sublime trio work from pianist Stanley Cowell – a player who's held us rapt with attention for decades – and continues to earn our faith with great records like this! The album features Cowell on piano, and a bit of kalimba – which is mighty nice – working with bassist Tom DiCarlo and drummer Chris Brown – both younger players who really seem to get Cowell's groove, especially in the more complicated moments – of which there are a few. The set begins with two great originals by Stanley – "Cosmology" and "El Space O" – then moves into the great "Asian Art Suite", which is really one of the most unusual, exotic things we've heard from Cowell in years! That music is then offset by the long "Civil Rights Suite" – which has bolder overtones to match its social message – and the set then concludes with two more standalone compositions by Cowell – "Long Vamp" and the classic "Abstrutions". CD

An unusual 90s session from Stanley Cowell – but a great one too! The record features the talents of vocalist Karen Francis on most numbers – one of the first times we remember Stanley working with a singer, in a set of tunes that includes vocal readings of some great compositions from the Cowell songbook! Francis' tone is somewhat brighter than you might expect – spiritual at points, straighter at others – and the rest of the group features Bill Pierce on tenor, Jeff Halsey on bass, and Ralph Peterson on drums. Includes a wonderful reading of "Equipoise", plus "Daydream", "I Think It's Time To Say Goodbye Again", "This Life", "Mandara Blossoms", "Winter Reflections", and "Rivers Of Our Fathers". CD

Harold Danko sounds wonderful here with his long-established trio – a group so well-matched, most of the songs on this set arose from collective improvisations during the recording sessions! Yet these aren't outside, avant tunes – in which all players roam freely in space – and instead, they're melodic, rhythmic, very tuneful extrapolations that are often based on older standards – but which are so transformed, you can't really hear any roots of the originals – as the players take flight in that magical collaborative creation that marks jazz at its best! Danko plays piano, Jay Anderson is on bass, and Jeff Hirshfield is on drums – and titles include "Sky Blues", "Stream Of Tears", "Shallow Waters", "Mademoiselle Dreamy", "Total Obsession", and "Ancient & Distant". 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

A tribute to the late trumpeter Chet Baker, but one that's got a rock-solid swinging feel that's quite different than most of Baker's music on record! The group here is a fantastic lineup – with Alex Sipiagin handling the trumpet parts, but in a way that's often quite un-Chet-like – alongside strong tenor from Seamus Blake, bold bass from Scott Colley, and dynamic drums from Bill Stewart – all working under the leadership of pianist Olegario Diaz, who colors the tunes with nicely vivid notes that fly from his fingers with a sparkling sense of imagination. Many numbers are from the Chet Baker songbook, but Diaz also wrote a few great songs of his own – and titles include "Everything I Love", "Star Eyes", "Just Friends", "CTA", "Rise & Fall Baker", "Bernie's Tune", and "I Remember Chet". CD

Fantastic vibes all around – a double set of work from the team of Walt Dickerson and Richard Davis! First up is the album Divine Gemini – a set that has some incredible interplay between the vibes of Walt Dickerson and bass of Richard Davis – both players who've already had a long resume of creative music by the time of this session, yet coming together here in ways that are completely new and fresh! Dickerson's often in the warmer side of his tones – still quite free at points, but never too obtuse – and always with plenty of room for the lovingly soulful sounds of Davis' bass. Titles include "Lucille", "Divine Gemini", "Always Positive", and "Her Intuition". Next up is the album Tenderness – a set recorded during the same space as the previous album from Walt Dickerson and Richard Davis – but sometimes with a slightly different feeling in the sound! There's definitely some of the tenderness promised by the title – especially at those great points when the colors of Dickerson's vibes are flowing beautifully next to Davis' mellow basslines. But there's also other points that are a bit more dynamic, too – bold notes from Walt that have this sense of texture that's really amazing – followed by equally wonderful sounds from Richard. Titles include "Tenderness", "So Thoughtful", "The Road Must End", and "Play Son Play". CD

A set recorded during the same space as the previous album from Walt Dickerson and Richard Davis – but sometimes with a slightly different feeling in the sound! There's definitely some of the tenderness promised by the title – especially at those great points when the colors of Dickerson's vibes are flowing beautifully next to Davis' mellow basslines. But there's also other points that are a bit more dynamic, too – bold notes from Walt that have this sense of texture that's really amazing – followed by equally wonderful sounds from Richard. Titles include "Tenderness", "So Thoughtful", "The Road Must End", and "Play Son Play". LP, Vinyl record album

Guitarist Pierre Dorge has been giving us amazing music for many years – but he sounds especially amazing here in the company of a really great group – the excellent Kirk Knuffke on cornet, plus Stephen Riley on tenor, Conrad Herwig on trombone, Jay Anderson on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums – all very dynamic players who seem to make Dorge sound even fresher than ever! There's an especially strong sense of phrasing on the record – no surprise, especially with Knuffke in the mix – and while Pierre can sometimes use his instrument in more abstract ways, that quality is really balanced by all the other members of the lineup. Anderson's bass is great – nicely pointed at the best moments, and a great contrast to Dorge's strings – and all tracks are originals, with titles that include "Lullaby For Sun Ra", "Mingus' Birthday Party", "Afrikaa Mbizo Dyani", "Sim Sim Ba", and "Alligator In Paradise". CD

With Thad Jones on flugelhorn and cornet, Bob Berg on tenor, George Mraz on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Titles include "Bossa Mood", "Lite Flite", "Precious Lady", and "Only You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more African-styled albums recorded by bassist Johnny Dyani – recorded with a septet that includes extra percussion and steel drums, in a groove that recalls Dyani's best work with British jazz players of the early 70s! The added percussion makes for a much greater emphasis on the rhythmic component of the set than on other Dyani albums for Steeplechase – and the group's augmented by some great work by Charles Davis on alto, and Ed Epstein on both tenor and alto. Titles include "Blame It On The Boers", "Funk Dem Dudu", "Grandmother's Teaching", and "Kalahari Lives". LP, Vinyl record album

Key work as a leader from Johnny Dyani – the legendary bassist from the pioneering South African combo The Blue Notes – recorded with a great quartet featuring Don Cherry, Makaya Ntshoko, and Dudu Pukwana! The album features a wonderful extended tune, running for all of side two, entitled "Jo'Burg–New York" – a musical journey that's worth the price of the album alone – and the set also features a number of great shorter tunes that include "Wish You Sunshine", "Song For Biko", and "Confession of Moods". CD also features a bonus 21 minute track – "Lonely Flower In The Village" – recorded at the original session, and never issued before! CD

A late 70s classic from South African bassist Johnny Dyani – and an album that reunites him with Dudu Pukwana, the saxophonist in their original group The Blue Notes! The album also features John Tchicai on both alto and soprano sax, as well as added guitar from Afredo Do Nascimento, plus some added percussion. Tunes have a nice rhythmic feel, but the solos are also quite raw and searing – really blowing open the whole thing, in the manner of some of the post-Blue Notes early 70s work by Pukwana, Dyanai, and sadly departed bandmate Mongezi Feza. Titles include "Heart With Minor's Face", "Magwaza", "Eyomzi", "Mbiza", and "Radebe". CD also features 4 bonus alternate takes! CD