One of the first albums to really show Blue Mitchell's genius as a leader – recorded past the more formulaic bop modes of some of his other Riverside sessions, and handled with a lyrical edge that really gets at the best aspects of his playing. Of course, part of the reason for this is that Blue's in the company of some of his Horace Silver bandmates – including drummer Roy Brooks, tenorist Junior Cook, and bassist Gene Taylor – but even more than that, the presence of a young Cedar Walton on piano really makes the set sparkle, as does the choice of some extremely strong material – such as "The Cup Bearers" and "Capers", both written by that young and glowing jazz compositional lumiary, Tom McIntosh, and the tunes "Turquoise, written by Walton, and "Dingbat Blues", written by Charles Davis. Forgive the long sentence, but the quality of this one's best expressed in a single breath! CD

A dreamy exploration of south sea ideals from the great Les Baxter – a set that's got a more lightly drifting quality than some of his more percussive exotica albums, and which is awash in dreamy soundscapes penned by Les himself! The orchestrations are large and bold throughout – mixing strings and woodwinds almost in a soundtrack-y mode – but always with the light sense of interplay that makes Baxter's work so great. Titles include "Monkey Dance Of Bali", "Pearls Of Ceylon", "Tahiti: A Summer Night At Sea", "Hong Kong Cable Car", "Tramp Steamer To Singapore", "Spice Islands Sea Birds", "Harem Silks From Bombay", "Bangkok Cockfight", and "Sidewalk Cafes Of Saigon". LP, Vinyl record album

That's "gone" – as in the way June Christy really sends us – vocals that take us to a place that few other 50s singers could ever hope to reach! June's work here is a masterpiece of melancholic understatement – far less overblown than some of her pop contemporaries, but also filled with feeling in a way that's different from some of the other icy singers of the time. A big part of the album's strength lies with arranger Pete Rugolo – who gives June here some of the same dark corners and modern elements you'd find in her classic Something Cool album – which really hits the right sort of emotion for Christy. Titles include "When The Sun Comes Out", "It's So Peaceful In the Country", "When You Awake", "Lazy Mood", and "Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily one of the most modern recordings made by pianist Don Friedman in his early years – a set of forward-thinking numbers done with a quartet that includes guitar Atilla Zoller! As with Zoller's own work from the time, there's a freewheeling approach here that slides effortlessly between melody and rhythm – in a way that often has the guitar and piano flying freely, while the bass from Dick Kniss and drums from Dick Berk take off into sound patterns and tunes of their own. The approach isn't totally out, nor totally free – but it's certainly moreso than the usual album on Riverside from the time! Titles include "Israel", "Episodes", "Exploration", "Blizzard", and "Park Row". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album in 50s vocal jazz – spare, moody, and evocative tunes from Julie London – sung in a stripped-down setting that few other singers would dare at the time! The sound of the set is as sexy as the cover – intimate, personal, and breathily sung in a mode that comes across with a brashly adult presentation of the material. Backing only features Barney Kessel on guitar and Ray Leatherwood on bass – leaving Julie plenty of room to take over the record with her vocals – a real masterpiece of understatement, given the setting! Titles include her famous version of "Cry Me A River" – virtually THE version of the tune – plus "I Should Care", "Say It Isn't So", "Gone With The Wind", "Laura", and "Can't Help Loving That Man". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first albums to really show Blue Mitchell's genius as a leader – recorded past the more formulaic bop modes of some of his other Riverside sessions, and handled with a lyrical edge that really gets at the best aspects of his playing. Of course, part of the reason for this is that Blue's in the company of some of his Horace Silver bandmates – including drummer Roy Brooks, tenorist Junior Cook, and bassist Gene Taylor – but even more than that, the presence of a young Cedar Walton on piano really makes the set sparkle, as does the choice of some extremely strong material – such as "The Cup Bearers" and "Capers", both written by that young and glowing jazz compositional lumiary, Tom McIntosh, and the tunes "Turquoise, written by Walton, and "Dingbat Blues", written by Charles Davis. Forgive the long sentence, but the quality of this one's best expressed in a single breath! LP, Vinyl record album

One of Louis Prima's greatest albums! The cover has a photo of Louie singing to a moose (wildest, get it!) – and that image really sets the tone for the album, which is a classic batch of swinging vocal numbers recorded with Keely Smith in tow, and backing by Sam Butera & The Witnesses. Titles include "Blow Red Blow", "The Pump Song", "When You're Smiling/Sheik Of Araby", "Birth Of the Blues", "Closest To The Bone", and "Pennies From Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

Jack Teagarden sings and swings on trombone – that unique groove that was a key updating of his trad style in these later years! As you might guess from the title, the album's made mostly of tunes from spiritual sources – swung in tighter jazzy styles by arranger Van Alexander, who brings in some occasional vocal chorus bits from time to time – sung by doo wop legends The Five Keys! But Jack's almost always in the lead – hitting a crackling, honest sort of warmth, whether on vocals or trombone – on titles that include "This Train", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", "Sing & Shout", "Deep River", and "Goin Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Very groovy LP of bongo-oriented tracks conducted by Les Baxter for "young America" (or so says the label!) The overall feel is nice and jazzy, and the tracks have a nice snapping bongo sound. Tracks include "Reverberasia", "Bustin the Bongos", "Brazilian Bash", and "Afro-Deesia" – and they all sound as great as the titles might imply. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album of exotica! Tamboo was cut with Les' orchestra and chorus – and it's a swirling mass of tribal drums, singing strings, and moody voices that would forever change the face of easy listening. Les' compositions are astounding – filled with all the sophistication of a great soundtrack, but simple enough to evoke the fake primitive charm of the album's cover. Every cut is great – and tracks include "Simba", "Oasis of Dakhla", "Mozambique", and "Zambezi". The cover's got a gorgeous blue painting of natives dancing in the background, while a drummer drums in front. LP, Vinyl record album

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A real classic in the canon of American postwar jazz – one of the few albums ever cut as a leader by Boston baritone player Serge Chaloff – one of a handful of musicians who really helped move the instrument forward in jazz, and help it take a rightful place next to the expressiveness of the tenor and alto sax! Even though he hardly got a chance to record, Serge was a hell of a player, and one who has both the rich tone of the instrument completely in hand, while also able to move with the fluidity of a much leaner horn – a quality that's augmented here by the fantastic rhythm work from Sonny Clark on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The set's a treasure through and through – from the cool cover image, to the great music within – served up on tunes that include "How About You", "Handful Of Stars", "The Goof & I", "Susie's Blues", and "All The Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff by Nat – truly one of his greatest Capitol vocal albums, and set to great arrangements by Nelson Riddle, very much in a classic mode. Tracks include heartbreakers like "Dinner For One, James", "There Will Never Be Another You", and "There Goes My Heart" – plus more lively standards like "Almost Like Being In Love", "This Can't Be Love", and "Let's Fall In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Legendary early work from trumpeter Miles Davis – late 40s sessions for Capitol Records that are completely different than the bop material he was cutting with Charlie Parker and on his own! Instead, these sides have Miles working with a complex, more arranged style – built up with a young Gil Evans, in a mode that prefaces the later famous recordings the pair would make in the late 50s for Columbia. Here, the tracks are shorter, but beautifully blend bop ideas with fuller arrangements – and Davis blows alongside other key young modernists in a variety of larger groups – with work from Lee Konitz on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones, Al Haig and John Lewis on piano, and Kenny Clarke and Max Roach on drums. Mulligan contributed plenty, too – his ideas on an overall sound definitely helped shape these sides – and the record's go on to legendary status – even though it's very different than most other Miles Davis from the time. Titles include "Godchild", "Jeru", "Move", "Venus De Milo", "Budo", and "Deception". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album in Denny's legendary Exotica trilogy – a set of records that provided the extreme definition of the small sub-genre that today has become the stuff of legend! Denny's still working here in his classic format – a small group with heavy piano lines, playful percussion, and some birdcalls sung by the members of the group! The set's a mix of strange songs from strange sources, all given the sublime Denny twist – and titles include "Singing Bamboos", "Escales", "August Bells", "Ebb Tide", "Rush Hour In Hong Kong", and "Soshu Night Serenade". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of Bill Evans' landmark sessions with the young bassist Scott LaFaro – a player who made key contributions on every record he touched, then left this earth far too soon in his career! The live session's a perfect demonstration of the way that the Evans trio format not only re-worked the use of the piano in jazz, but also the bass and drums as well – as LaFaro's deeply evocative playing is paired with the equally fresh drum work of Paul Motian – heard here at his youthful early best, before some of his contributions to jazz had become cliche in the hands of other players. The session was caught live at the Village Vanguard on the night of June 25, 1961 – and titles include longish takes on "Solar", "Jade Visions", "Gloria's Step", and "Alice In Wonderland". LP, Vinyl record album

Great backings by Nelson Riddle! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Jubilee Stomp", "Drop Me Off At Harlem", "The Clothed Woman", "Sophisticated Lady", "Doin' The Voom Voom", "On A Turquoise Cloud", "All Too Soon", "Tonk", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "Echoes Of Harlem", "Prelude To A Kiss", "The Gal From Joe's", "Day Dream", and "Come Sunday". CD

The modern touch of Stan Kenton is used to transform a host of familiar numbers! LP, Vinyl record album

Breathy vocals from the great Julie London – an album recorded early in her years on Liberty Records, but with a slightly full sound overall! Backings are by the orchestra of Pete King – a little heavy on the strings, but never too much so – just enough to give the tunes a sad-tinged sort of sound that glows and shimmers nicely behind Julie's vocals – very much in the moody feel you might expect from the trashy image of London in an alley on the cover! The set's never sleepy, and has a nicely dark undercurrent – on titles that include "Nobody's Heart", "The Exciting Life", "Something I Dreamed Last Night", "Well Sir", "In The Middle Of A Kiss", "Pousse Cafe", "Mad About The Boy", and "My Man's Gone Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early west coast jazz! This album puts together 2 different sessions both recorded by Gene Norman in the early 50s. One features Shorty Rogers heading up a great group with Art Pepper and Jimmy Giuffre – on the tracks "Four Mothers", "Didi", "Sam & The Lady", and "Popo". The other features classic cool Gerry Mulligan material – played by a tentet with Chet Baker, Bud Shank, and Bob Enevoldsen. Titles on that one include "Westwood Walk", "Simbah", "Walking Shoes", and "Rocker". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early material by Erroll Garner – sides recorded at the end of the 40s, when he was really hitting his rhythmic stride! The tunes bristle with an approach to the material that's filled with life – as Garner seems to sense a rhythm where there might not necessarily be one – and gets equal pleasure from using his piano for rhythm as he does for spinning out a gentle melody. Titles include "Turquoise", "Pavanne", "Impressions", "Confessin", "Summertime", "Flamingo", "Reverie", and "Blue & Sentimental" – and the CD features 4 bonus cuts too! CD

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The earliest album that Buck Owens cut for Capitol Records – and a great little set that catches the legend just before he'd put his hit 60s style a bit more firmly in place! Here, Buck is coming across more as a rising talent from the Bakersfield clubs instead of the later chart-topping radio star – and as part of that, he's got a style that's a bit more down to earth, especially on the ragged ballads which really shine on the record. The whole thing's a wonderful look at a talent that's already great, but yet to become as codified as later on – and titles include "Above & Beyond", "Excuse Me", "Tired Of Livin", "Walk The Floors", "Take Me Back Again", and "Second Fiddle". LP, Vinyl record album

A Capitol classic from Dakota Staton – and the record that made her a real leading lady at the label in the years before Nancy Wilson's rise! The set's got a wonderfully laidback feel that's in keeping with the title, yet it also swings nicely too – kind of a new level of soul in jazz vocals that really points the way towards 60s recordings by Gloria Lynne, Etta Jones, and others. Backings are by Van Alexander, and include solos from Hank Jones on piano and Jonah Jones on trumpet – plus some great un-credited vibes and guitar – and titles include "The Late Late Show", "Give Me The Simple Life", "Moonray", "Ain't No Use", "Misty", "Summertime", and "What Do You See In Her". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz set – based around Jack Webb's character in the movie of the same name – and one that features a group of players that include George Van Eps on guitar, Matty Matlock on clarinet, Eddie Miller on tenor, and Nick Fatool on drums. The tunes are all named after a different shade of either blue or red – and have a dreamy, late nite take on trad jazz that's surprisingly nice. Titles include "Lobster", "Fire Engine", "Peacock", "Turquoise", "Periwinkle", "Midnight", and "Flame". LP, Vinyl record album

Great tracks from the early years of the synthesizer in British music – or at least the early years of the form in mainstream styles – and not some of the colder, more academic modes of the past! Yet the music also mostly predates the big Brit electro pop explosion that would come right after some of these tracks – including work recorded by some of the artists in this collection, who are featured at a time when they were more lo-fi, homegrown, and experimental! Right at a time when the guitar was being reborn in British punk, artists like these took that inspiration and moved in another direction – in styles that are heavy on keyboards, but very different than in the generation of Fender Rhodes, moog, and Arp. The whole thing was put together by Pete Wiggs and Bob Stanley, who've given us other fantastic sets on Ace – and titles include "An Evening In The Ray" by Care, "WXJL Tonight" by Human League, "A Map Of You" by New Musik, "Jean Walks In Fresh Field" by China Crisis, "Grey Skies" by Turquoise Days, "Feather Bed" by Trevor Bastow, "Tiny Children" by Teardrop Explodes, "Unless" by Pale Fountains, "Youth" by Soft Cell, "Tidal Flow" by Illustration, "Direct Lines" by Electronic Circus, "Christiana" by Paul Haig, and "October Love Song" by Chris & Cosey. CD