Rare work from Eddie Jefferson – cut between his early years on Prestige, and his revival on Riverside – work done for the Festival Records label, but best known in this hip 70s package put together by Inner City! The work here is a great precursor to Eddie's 60s comeback – and shows him really moving forward strongly, even on a tiny label – reworking his older vocal style with a hipper modern groove, and really reaching some new territory in the process. The tunes are awash in those charming tones and phrasings that always set Jefferson apart from the rest – and there's a few R&B undercurrents here, mixed in with the more familiar bop influences. Players are all great too – and include Johnny Coles or Howard McGee on trumpet, James Moody on tenor, Matthew Gee on trombone, Musa Kaleem on tenor and baritone, and Johnny Acea on piano. Babs Gonzalez and Honey Gordon get in a few licks on versions of "So What" and "Sister Sadie" – helping Eddie out with their hip vocal talents – and other tracks include "Memphis", "Baby Girl", "NJR", "I've Got The Blues", "The Preacher", "Night Train", "Sherry", "Body & Soul", and "Workshop". 18 tracks in all! CD

There's two stylish British hipsters on the cover, but the album's filled with classic American jazz tracks – each hand-picked by Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller, and served up with plenty of soul! The work here begins in hardbop territory, and moves through 60s soul jazz and more righteous moments in the 70s – and while there's a few more recent tracks, the vibe of the record is very vintage throughout – and really reflects that longtime London love of obscure American records – sounds from a scene that has really taught us a lot over the decades! There's a few tracks here we haven't seen in years, and some great old favorites too – and titles include "Some Kinda Mean" by Sam Jones, "Now At Last" by Blossom Dearie, "Trees & Grass & Things" by Charles Williams, "Cherrystones" by Eugene McDaniels, "The Hipster" by Harold McNair ,"Chains" by Blacks & Blues, "Bend Your Head Down Low" by Geoffrey Stoner, "Sphynx" by Brand New Heavies, "Look At Me Look At You" by Marlena Shaw, "Get Up Off Your Knees" by David Axelrod, "Psychedelic" by Lee Morgan, "Terra Firma Irma" by Joe Gordon, "Rhythm Changes" by Kamasi Washington, "Just In Time To See The Sun" by Leon Thomas, "Bolivia" by Ulf Sandberg, and "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell. CD

A well-done package that celebrates the key contributions that Savoy Records made to the field of jazz on record – as the New Jersey company was one of the first to record the new wave of bebop in the late 40s, and quickly unleashed the music of Charlie Parker and his contemporaries on a host of famous 78rpm singles at the time! This set features many of those key 78 recordings, but focuses on their presentation in a series of 10" LP releases that Savoy did in the early 50s – vinyl packages that compiled the earlier shellac sides into a more durable format – and presented the key efforts that the label made in helping bebop get out of the clubs and onto the turntable! As with other Craft Records packages, the presentation is great – and really upgrades other reissues of the material with great sound, notes, and artwork that really live up to the contents within. 5LP set features all the original 10" LP sleeves, housed in a slipcase, alongside notes and photos – with classic material recorded under the leadership of Milt Jackson, Leo Parker, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, JJ Johnson, Charlie Parker, Kai Winding, Allen Eager, Budd Johnson, Fats Navarro, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Roy Porter, and Serge Chaloff! LP, Vinyl record album

Like so many Milestone 2-fers from the 70s, this set combines two excellent 60s hard bop LPs into one nice set! Both sides feature Adderley's trademark soul jazz hard bop hybrid, but in contexts that add a twist to the settings you might otherwise have heard Cannonball in. The first album's a quintet side featuring brother Nat, Wynton Kelly, Victor Feldman, Sam Jones and Louis Hayes with Feldman playing vibes on the tracks that feature Kelly, piano on the ones that don't – and includes "Arriving Soon", "New Delhi", "Winetone", and "Lisa". Cannonball's soulful alto meets the cerebral piano of Bill Evans in a more stripped down setting, with the group filled out by Percy Heath and Connie Kay, for a set that's filled with surprises, and some nice modal moments. The set includes versions of two of Evans' tracks – "Waltz For Debby" and "Know What I Mean?" – plus nice moody takes on other material, like John Lewis' "Venice", Clifford Jordan's "Toy", and Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous tribute to the ever-evolving genius of jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas – and a super-expanded live set that puts Dave in the company of classic players like John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, or Dexter Gordon – whose extended live expressions never fail to hold our imagination! The 8CDs of material here were recorded over four nights in 2015 – with Dave's trumpet in the same company as his excellent group on the Brazen Heart album – Jon Irabgon on tenor, Linda Oh on bass, Rudy Royston on drums, and Matt Mitchell on piano – a superb lineup that balances individual expressions with a really coherent sense of soul in the group. Many tunes repeat from night to night, but the solos and conception changes nicely – as you'd find in a box of this nature by John Coltrane – and the whole thing offers up a heck of a bang for your record-buying buck! CD

2 classic albums from British vocalist Georgie Fame – back to back on one CD! First up are Two Faces Of Fame – live and studio – as each side of the album was recorded in each mode! Side one features the Brit jazz vocalist swinging in a live set recorded in early 1967 – done with lots of Hammond organ in the lineup, and an overall style that picks up a lot from Ray Charles and Mose Allison, but filters it through the groovier beat group styles of 60s London. Side two is even better, and features Georgie singing in more of a jazz-based mode – with lineups that feature some striking players that include Tony Oxley, Peter King, Gordon Beck, and Tubby Hayes. Tracks include a wonderful take on Mongo Santamaria's "El Pussycat", plus the tunes "Do It The Hard Way", "It Could Happen To You", "C'Est La Vie", "River's Invitation", "Greenback Dollar Bill", and "Keep Your Big Mouth Shut". Third Face Of Fame is an even better album – one that has Fame moving past the swinging Mose Allison-inspired jazz vocal mode of earlier records, into a groovier style that picks up a range of different sounds! Georgie kicks off the album with his version of the ever-popular late 60s "Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde" – and seems to use that tune as an excuse to explore a nice range of older jazz vocal approaches, including one tune that even has him reciting the lyrics in a Beatles-sounding monologue! Arrangements are by Harry South, with players that include Gordon Beck, John McLaughlin, Ronnie Scott, Tony Coe, and Ian Hammer – and titles include "Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde", "Ask Me Nice", "When I'm Sixty Four", "Someone To Watch Over Me", "Blue Prelude", "Bullets Laverne", "This Is Always", "Mellow Yellow", and "Side By Side". CD

Nicole Glover's a hell of a tenorist – one with a deep, rich tone, but also lots of modern edges too – able to spin out really long, imaginative solos in a style that's almost at the level of vintage Sonny Rollins, especially given that the setting here is a trio on half the album! Nicole blows alongside the bass of Tyron Allen and drums of Kayvon Gordon, players who keep things loose and very open – so that Glover has all this space to express herself with a very unique voice. And half the record also features vibes from the great Steve Nelson – who seems to have some bolder, harder tones in his instrument to match Glover's energy. Titles include "Munsoon", "Inception", "Blues For Mel", "One Second Please", "The Fox", and "Open Or Close". CD

Dang, who is this guy? Jimmy's got a really wonderful voice (the title wasn't kidding!), with the mix of rootsiness and intensity that you'd find in the best mid 60s sides by Ben E King, inflected by some of the harder soul sound of the Minit label. Calvin Carter's producing the set here – working during the post Vee Jay years in LA – and arrangements are by Rene Hall and Jimmy Gordon. The set's a treasure, the kind of lost soul album that keeps you hitting these pages every week – and it's filled with great tracks like "I'm Gonna Move To The City", "The Turning Point", "In The Eyes Of My Girl", "I Don't Want To Hear It", and "I've Got To Live While I Can". LP, Vinyl record album

Early and mid 70s big band masterpieces from Charles Tolliver for Strata East – plus a brilliant batch of German recordings from 1979 with Hamburg's great NDR group that was never legitimately issued before now – in an amazing 3CD set from Mosaic! Disc One features the classic Impact – the first album by his legendary group on Strata East – a core quartet that features Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums and percussion – all augmented by some larger backings for the session! The core sound is amazing – with free lines that trade back and forth wonderfully, filled with life and a great lyrical sense of energy that Tolliver never had on some of his later sessions. The larger group hardly gets in the way at all – and they're mostly there just to shade in the background, but often drop out during the solos – giving full center stage exposure to Tolliver and Cowell! Tracks include "Ruthie's Heart", "Abscretions", "Household of Saud", and "On the Nile". Disc Two features Impact – an amazingly spiritual effort that really brings together the best strands of sounds running through the underground at the time! The format's a bit similar to Music Inc – with lots of strong lead action from Charles on trumpet, and Stanley Cowell on piano. But this time around, the larger group seems to be more fully integrated into the tunes – there not just to support the soloists, but to rise up with a full, proud sense of majesty that's really amazing. Other players include Cecil McBee and Reggie Workman on basses, Billy Parker and Warren Smith on percussion, Jon Faddis and Jimmy Owens on trumpets, John Gordon and Garnet Brown on trombones, and Charles McPherson, George Coleman, Harold Vick, and Charles Davis on saxes! Titles include great versions of the Tolliver classics "Plight" and "Impact" – plus "Mother Wit", "Lynnsome", and "Grand Max". Disc Three is a hidden gem from Tolliver's career – 1979 radio broadcast sessions with the NDR big band that includes Benny Bailey on trumpet, Herb Geller on alto, Wolfgang Dauner on piano, Lukas Lindholm on bass and Alvin Queen on drums. Here Tolliver plays some of the Strata material with these great European players who really seem to relish the opportunity – with each contributing brilliant solos. Includes "Ruthie's Heart", "Mother's Wit", Grand Max", "Impact" and more. CD

Nicole Glover's a hell of a tenorist – one with a deep, rich tone, but also lots of modern edges too – able to spin out really long, imaginative solos in a style that's almost at the level of vintage Sonny Rollins, especially given that the setting here is a trio on half the album! Nicole blows alongside the bass of Tyron Allen and drums of Kayvon Gordon, players who keep things loose and very open – so that Glover has all this space to express herself with a very unique voice. And half the record also features vibes from the great Steve Nelson – who seems to have some bolder, harder tones in his instrument to match Glover's energy. Titles include "Munsoon", "Inception", "Blues For Mel", "One Second Please", "The Fox", and "Open Or Close". CD

Rare work from Eddie Jefferson – cut between his early years on Prestige, and his revival on Riverside – work done for the Festival Records label, but best known in this hip 70s package put together by Inner City! The work here is a great precursor to Eddie's 60s comeback – and shows him really moving forward strongly, even on a tiny label – reworking his older vocal style with a hipper modern groove, and really reaching some new territory in the process. The tunes are awash in those charming tones and phrasings that always set Jefferson apart from the rest – and there's a few R&B undercurrents here, mixed in with the more familiar bop influences. Players are all great too – and include Johnny Coles or Howard McGee on trumpet, James Moody on tenor, Matthew Gee on trombone, Musa Kaleem on tenor and baritone, and Johnny Acea on piano. Babs Gonzalez and Honey Gordon get in a few licks on versions of "So What" and "Sister Sadie" – helping Eddie out with their hip vocal talents – and other tracks include "Memphis", "Baby Girl", "Sherry", "Body & Soul", and "Workshop". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early Kent/Ace compilation – vinyl only, and with work from The Gentlemen Four, Tony Drake, Tommy Hunt, Cicero Blake, Benny Gordon, The Masqueraders, Johnny Copeland, Msarvin Preyer, and others – lots of rare soul! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual set for both Dexter and Blue Note – first, because the set was recorded in Europe (not at Rudy Van Gelder's), and second because the tracks are all quite long! The album was recorded in Paris – and is cut in an open-ended format that's very much in the mode that Gordon would later use on late 60s and early 70s sessions for European labels. The group features (then) local contemporaries Kenny Drew on piano, and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and is rounded out by Donald Byrd on trumpet and Art Taylor on drums. Tracks are long, but not meanderingly so – and feature a great mix of Blue Note hardbop, with some of the "roomier" recordings that were given to American players in Europe. Side one features an extended reading of Donald Byrd's "Tanya", and other tracks include Kenny Drew's "Coppin' The Haven", and a version of "Darn That Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual session for Dexter Gordon – with Philip Catherine on guitar, Neils-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Jon Gordon on alto and soprano sax, Mark Turner on tenor sax, Kevin Hays on piano, Joe Martin on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. CD

Great old school Hammond jazz – featuring a trio with tenorist Sax Gordon in the lead, and Alberto Marsico playing some mighty nice lines on organ! The group's got Alessandro Minetto on drums as its third member – which creates an open, exploratory vibe that's not unlike some of the best Don Patterson albums on Prestige in the 60s – although maybe a bit more laidback here, as Gordon's focusing strongly on ballads. Most tracks have plenty of room for both tenor and Hammond solos – and titles include "The Glory Of Love", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Bubbles", "Easy Living", "Big Top Blues", and "In The Wee Small Hours". CD

Maybe one of the most soulful records ever cut by British pianist Gordon Beck – even if it appears here for the first time ever! The set's a killer – and has Beck working with vocalist Joy Marshall – a hip female singer who's right up there with the best 60s material by Carmen McRae or Nancy Wilson, and who has a range and sense of power that's maybe even greater than both of them! Equally great are the members of Gordon's group – as a young John McLaughlin plays guitar, the great Tony Oxley plays drums, and the always-excellent Jeff Clyne is on bass – working his instrument with this soulful, stepping vibe that seems to really get the group moving in the right direction. The whole thing's fantastic – a record that could have been issued on late 60s Chess/Cadet Records – and titles include "Sunny", "Telephone Song", "Come Back To Me", "Dr Feelgood", "Gentle Rain", "He Loves Me", and "Goin Out Of My Head". CD also features three trio tracks with Marshall on vocals – "Bewitched", "My Ship", and "Make Someone Happy". CD

A seminal set of work from the Blue Note scene of the 60s – a record that's not just noteworthy for its role in helping return tenorist Dexter Gordon to the spotlight, but also for the fantastic work of pianist Sonny Clark in the quartet! Sonny's in wonderful form throughout – and seems to be even more relaxed and inventive than in the company of some of the other horn players he'd work with on Blue Note – and that's saying a lot, given the company he would keep! Gordon's solos are confident and mature, but deeply personal too – and the rest of the group features Butch Warren on bass and the great Billy Higgins on drums – a percussionist whose sense of looseness and imagination really matches that of Dex. Titles include "Where Are You", "Three O'Clock In The Morning", "Cheese Cake", "Second Balcony Jump", and "Love For Sale". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

With Gordon Grdina on guitar and oud, Jon Irabaon on saxophones, Jesse Zubot on violin, Eyvind Kang on viola, Peggy Lee on cello, Tommy Babin on bass and Kenton Loewen on drums. CD

A strange mix of grooves – but a nice one! This album features a great batch of larger orchestral tracks from the Music DeWolfe Sound Library series – and the best ones have a stunning Brit Easy funk sound, similar to the best cuts from the Sound Gallery or Sound Spectrum albums. Wah wah guitar, funky organ, and tight compressed horn parts front the larger group – and there appears to be a nice bass driving the band in the back. Good cuts include "Soul Ceremony", "Gun Law", "Hunk", "Good Company", and "Bustle". Very nice! LP, Vinyl record album

This isn't one of those "phoned in" sessions that seem to turn up way too much in contemporary jazz! The album's a real classic from Dexter's first big "comeback" period – and represents the strength of his Blue Note years at their best! Gordon's rich, full tone isn't diminished a bit here – and his inventive blowing is given free reign on a set of quartet numbers recorded with Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. The album's got a few strong originals from Gordon – "Soul Sister" and "Ernie's Tune" – plus the very sweet Kenny Drew tracks "Modal Mood" and "Clear The Dex"! LP, Vinyl record album

Features Dexter Gordon on tenor sax, George Duke on piano, Oliver Johnson on drums, and Racquel Garrett on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

Nancie Banks conducting and on vocals, Alexander McCabe on alto saxophone, Craig Bailey on alto saxophone and flute, Charles Davis on baritone saxophone, Richard Johnson on baritone saxophone and flute, Bobby Porcelli and Patience Higgins on saxophone and flute, Mitch Frohman on tenor saxophone and flute, Alfred Patterson, Clarence Banks, John Gordon, and Ray Campos on trombone, Eddie Allen, Frank Gordon, James Zollar, and Tony Barrero on trumpet, Jack Jeffers on bass trombone, Lynne Arriale and Peter Schimke on piano, Michael Max Fleming on bass, Brian Grice and Vinnie Johnson on drums, and Ismael Bruno on percussion. CD

Seminal work from Dizzy – showing that he was a genius in any form of jazz! In the mid 50s, Diz had one of the hippest big bands going – filled with great young players that included Lee Morgan, Joe Gordon, Melba Liston, Benny Golson, Billy Mitchell, and Walter Davis Jr. The work he crafted here was partly an extension of his earlier bop sides, but also a demonstration of his desire to express himself in more expansive forms – kind of a hint of the direction he'd take in the 60s, with his work in Latin, soundtrack, and funk styles. The set combines tracks from 3 different Verve albums – and it also packages the material with a number of previously unissued tracks, and some great liner notes that do a wonderful job of summing up the spirit of the work. Arrangements are by AK Salim, Quincy Jones, Tadd Dameron, and Dizzy himself – and tracks include "Jordu", "Tin Tin Deo", "Groovin For Nat", "Dizzy's Business", "Jessica's Day", "Doodlin", "Yo No Quiero Bailar", "Birk's Works", "Tangorine", "Umbrella Man", and "Mayflower Rock". 42 tracks in all! CD

Essential work from vocalist Karin Krog – one in a number of sessions cut with some of the best saxophonists of her time (Dexter Gordon, Archie Shepp, John Surman) – a record that features some incredible late tenor from Warne Marsh, set beautifully alongside one of the few vocalists who could match him! Instrumentation for the record comes only from Warne's tenor and the bass of Red Mitchell – leaving Karin plenty of room to open up with imaginative interpretations of the tunes – and almost letting Marsh emerge as a second "voice" that contributes equally to the album. The approach is wonderful – spare and moody, but extremely soulful – and even familiar chestnuts sound completely fresh in the setting. Titles include "I Remember You", "Trane", "Moody's Mood For Love", "Loverman", and "Speak Low". CD

Classic early bebop from trumpter Fats Navarro – a seminal album that brings together earlier famous 78s recorded for Savoy Records! The set features the late great trumpeter leading 3 different small groups – all top-shelf lineups, with players that include Charlie Rouse or Dexter Gordon on tenor, Tadd Dameron or Al Haig on piano, and Art Blakey on drums! The recordings have the raw bebop energy that characterized the best of these Savoy sessions, but Navarro's playing adds touches of lyricism not usually heard on recordings like these. Certainly one of the albums that will convince you why Fats was so great – with the tracks "Barry's Bop", "Dextrose", "Stealing Trash", and "Hollerin' & Screamin". CD

Classic early bebop from trumpter Fats Navarro – a seminal album that brings together earlier famous 78s recorded for Savoy Records! The set features the late great trumpeter leading 3 different small groups – all top-shelf lineups, with players that include Charlie Rouse or Dexter Gordon on tenor, Tadd Dameron or Al Haig on piano, and Art Blakey on drums! The recordings have the raw bebop energy that characterized the best of these Savoy sessions, but Navarro's playing adds touches of lyricism not usually heard on recordings like these. Certainly one of the albums that will convince you why Fats was so great – with the tracks "Barry's Bop", "Dextrose", "Stealing Trash", and "Hollerin' & Screamin". CD

Bernard Purdie's first album as a leader for Prestige – cut right after he'd hipped up plenty of other sessions for the label with his famous funky drums! The groove here is very much in the best Prestige jazz funk mode of the early 70s – tightly vamping rhythms that draw heavily from Purdie's monstrous drums – and which also offer solo showcase space for Harold Wheeler on electric piano, Ted Dunbar on guitar, Tippy Larkin on trumpet, and Charlie Brown and Warren Daniels on tenor. Rhythm is augmented by Gordon Edwards on Fender bass and Norman Pride on congas – and the grooves hit a variety of modes that show that Purdie could sometimes be a more open-thinking rhythmatist than his funky contemporary Idris Muhammad. Titles include great instrumental versions of "Cold Sweat" and "Montego Bay", plus the originals "Wasteland", "You Turn Me On", and "Purdie Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer early work from Horace Silver – and a rare non-Blue Note session from the 50s! The album's Horace's only date for Columbia, and it's got a feel that's similar to some of the Jazz Messengers' hardbop recordings for the label at the time – cooking with a soulful intensity at the bottom, yet taking off with some tremendously well-carved solos on the top! The group's an all-star ensemble that includes some of the best harbop players of the time – Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd and Joe Gordon on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums – all grooving together with Horace as if they'd been backing him up for years. Titles include great originals "Silver's Beat", "Shoutin' Out", and "Hank's Tune – plus versions of "I'll Know" and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD

Killer early work from Horace Silver – and a rare non-Blue Note session from the 50s! The album's Horace's only date for Columbia, and it's got a feel that's similar to some of the Jazz Messengers' hardbop recordings for the label at the time – cooking with a soulful intensity at the bottom, yet taking off with some tremendously well-carved solos on the top! The group's an all-star ensemble that includes some of the best harbop players of the time – Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd and Joe Gordon on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums – all grooving together with Horace as if they'd been backing him up for years. Titles include great originals "Silver's Beat", "Shoutin' Out", and "Hank's Tune – plus versions of "I'll Know" and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A wailer! This rare 1955 album is one of Donald Byrd's first records as a leader – recorded for the tiny Transition label in Boston, but with a hardbop groove that's right up there with his early work for Savoy and Blue Note. The record is practically a Jazz Messengers session – as it features Art Blakey on drums, Horace Silver on piano, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Doug Watkins on bass – and it's also got the unique aspect of a two-trumpet frontline, as the young Joe Gordon joins Donald on the instrument for the session. Tracks are long and open-ended – with incredibly well-crafted playing that really keeps the set fresh, despite the young age of Donald at the time. Titles include "El Sino", "Doug's Blues", "Hank's Tune", and "Hank's Other Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever from Harold Land, and a great set that has a hard soul jazz feel – despite the "west coast" in the title. Harold's playing with a great group that includes Barry Harris, Joe Gordon, and Sam Jones – as well as guitarist Wes Montgomery, who's work on the session really gives it a soulful edge! The cover lists the rhythm section as "all-soul", and it's right, as the accompaniment for Harold here is more sensitive, and more swinging than on most of his other records. The set sparkles with brilliance, and with great relaxed soulful playing. Cuts include "Compulsion", "Ursula", "Terrain", "Klactoveedsedstene", and "West Coast Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest club records ever cut – and one with a great gimmick too! That gimmick is the "hotel sheet" – an instrument created by percussionist Jack Ashford, which is a light piece of metal that's snapped back and worth to create these cool wibbly, wobbly waves of sound – almost like a moog at times, which gives some of these tracks a bit of a P&P Records vibe! Ashford was a member of The Funk Brothers – and a percussionist on countless classic Motown sessions – but this album was recorded in LA with a sweet electric groove, and a mix of strings and funk that almost rivals Jack's only other full album – a rare blacksploitation soundtrack. The set features full arrangements from Paul Riser, orchestrations from Gordon Staples, and the whole thing was recorded at the Marvin Gaye studios – which you can almost hear in Ashford's surprisingly great vocals. The title cut "Hotel Sheet" has this wonderful popping moogy sound that's very nice – and other tracks include "Funky Disco Party", "Shar", "Hi Mom, Hi Al", and "Get Right On Top". CD

A great batch of live recordings by Tubby Hayes – caught at Ronnie Scott's during sets in '63, '64 and '65! Ronnie Scott allowed recorder Les Tompkins to tape a number of the jazz greats who came through London and played the historic Ronnie Scott's stage throughout the early 60s, and in doing so he captured a fair bit of history during one of the defining eras in jazz. These recordings of tenor sax giant Tubby Hayes and his crew(s) are another fine document! The set's featured great work by Benny Goodman on drums, Gordon Beck on piano, Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet and others, backing up Hayes on all fronts – whether those are muscular workouts, languid soloing, or bop grooving. Nice!!! Tracks include "Opus Ocean", "A Weaver Of Dreams", "Nobody Else But Me", "On Green Dolphin Street" and "By Myself" – plus a great interview except with the late great saxophonist, conducted by session recorder Les Tompkin's in January of '63! CD

With Dave Pell, Bob Cooper, and Gordon Brisker on tenor, Bill Hood on baritone, and horn solos by Harry Edison. LP, Vinyl record album

Killer early work from Horace Silver – and a rare non-Blue Note session from the 50s! The album's Horace's only date for Columbia, and it's got a feel that's similar to some of the Jazz Messengers' hardbop recordings for the label at the time – cooking with a soulful intensity at the bottom, yet taking off with some tremendously well-carved solos on the top! The group's an all-star ensemble that includes some of the best harbop players of the time – Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd and Joe Gordon on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums – all grooving together with Horace as if they'd been backing him up for years. Titles include great originals "Silver's Beat", "Shoutin' Out", and "Hank's Tune – plus versions of "I'll Know" and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of classic material by the legendary Dizzy Gillespie – a set that shows the earliest mark he made on modern music, recorded in the late 40s with an array of top-shelf players! The 20 track set list is overflowing with Gillespie classics – presented here in seminal recordings that feature Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, Milt Jackson, and others – some with a bit of scatting vocals from Diz, but mostly an instrumental focus that features plenty of firey trumpet solos! Titles include "Blue N Boogie", "Groovin High", "Dizzy Atmosphere", "Shaw Nuff", "Lover Man", "Salt Peanuts", "Hot House", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Our Delight", "One Bass Hit", "He Beeped When He Should Have Bopped", "Emanon", and "Ray's Idea". CD

One of the classic bebop sessions that Fats Navarro did for Savoy, featuring the late great trumpeter leading 3 different small groups, with players like Art Blakey, Charlie Rouse, Dexter Gordon, Al Haig, and Tadd Dameron. The recordings have the raw bebop energy that characterized the best of these Savoy sessions, but Navarro's playing adds touches of lyricism not usually heard on recordings like these. Certainly one of the albums that will convince you why Fats was so great, and with the tracks "Barry's Bop", "Dextrose", "Stealing Trash", and "Hollerin' & Screamin". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer early work from Horace Silver – and a rare non-Blue Note session from the 50s! The album's Horace's only date for Columbia, and it's got a feel that's similar to some of the Jazz Messengers' hardbop recordings for the label at the time – cooking with a soulful intensity at the bottom, yet taking off with some tremendously well-carved solos on the top! The group's an all-star ensemble that includes some of the best harbop players of the time – Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd and Joe Gordon on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums – all grooving together with Horace as if they'd been backing him up for years. Titles include great originals "Silver's Beat", "Shoutin' Out", and "Hank's Tune – plus versions of "I'll Know" and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD

Killer early work from Horace Silver – and a rare non-Blue Note session from the 50s! The album's Horace's only date for Columbia, and it's got a feel that's similar to some of the Jazz Messengers' hardbop recordings for the label at the time – cooking with a soulful intensity at the bottom, yet taking off with some tremendously well-carved solos on the top! The group's an all-star ensemble that includes some of the best harbop players of the time – Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd and Joe Gordon on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums – all grooving together with Horace as if they'd been backing him up for years. Titles include great originals "Silver's Beat", "Shoutin' Out", and "Hank's Tune – plus versions of "I'll Know" and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes". CD

A stunner of an album – light years ahead of Phil's earlier work in America – a bit funky at times, with some really open-ended modern sounds! The album features Phil with his incredible European Rhythm Machine – a group that includes Gordon Beck on electric piano, Henri Texier on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – and the fat basslines of Texier are a wonderful match for the keyboards of Beck – both perfectly balancing things out on the groove! Tracks are long, and a mix of hard out soloing with some nice rhythmic grooving – almost in a modal fusion mode, but not quite – and titles include "Josua", "The Meeting", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Ode A Jean-Louis". CD

Crucial cuts from The Investigators – a UK lovers rock group, but one who borrow plenty from American soul as well – as you might guess from their look on the cover, which almost makes them appear like some east coast indie act from the early 80s! The rhythms are definitely reggae on most tracks, but they're blended with a warmer modern soul style too – easygoing, in true lovers rock style – and given some great vocals from lead singers Michael Gordon and Lorenzo Hall. Titles include remakes of "Close To You" and "How Could I Let You Get Away" – plus originals "Run Away Child", "Marley's Gone", "Baby I Am Yours", "Turn Out The Light", "Living In A World Of Magic", and "Woman I Need Your Loving". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little bit of bop from LA – a tightly-crafted mid 50s date for the Bethlehem label – featuring drummer Stan Levey at the head of a great group of horn players! The album features some standout work from Dexter Gordon on tenor – making a rare appearance here as a sideman – and the frontline of the sextet also features Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone – both well-matched players, especially at this point in their careers. The group's completed by Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Lou Levy on piano – and there's a bit more bite on some tracks than the usual Bethlehem set. Titles include "Diggin For Diz", "Ruby My Dear", "Tune Up", "Stanley The Steamer", and "This Time The Drum's On Me". CD

A nice little bit of bop from LA – a tightly-crafted mid 50s date for the Bethlehem label – featuring drummer Stan Levey at the head of a great group of horn players! The album features some standout work from Dexter Gordon on tenor – making a rare appearance here as a sideman – and the frontline of the sextet also features Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone – both well-matched players, especially at this point in their careers. The group's completed by Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Lou Levy on piano – and there's a bit more bite on some tracks than the usual Bethlehem set. Titles include "Diggin For Diz", "Ruby My Dear", "Tune Up", "Stanley The Steamer", and "This Time The Drum's On Me". CD

Classic early bebop from trumpter Fats Navarro – a seminal album that brings together earlier famous 78s recorded for Savoy Records! The set features the late great trumpeter leading 3 different small groups – all top-shelf lineups, with players that include Charlie Rouse or Dexter Gordon on tenor, Tadd Dameron or Al Haig on piano, and Art Blakey on drums! The recordings have the raw bebop energy that characterized the best of these Savoy sessions, but Navarro's playing adds touches of lyricism not usually heard on recordings like these. Certainly one of the albums that will convince you why Fats was so great – with the tracks "Barry's Bop", "Dextrose", "Stealing Trash", and "Hollerin' & Screamin". CD

A surprising classic from the early 80s underground – a record that came to the world from the scene in Milwaukee, where neither the group nor the rest of the world would have expected the album to have such staying power over the decades! And yet, from the very first needle drop, it's hard to imagine otherwise – as the record's got this raw intensity that's not really punk, certainly not new wave – almost an American primitivist energy that really gets to the heart of the matter from the very first note – and goes on to deliver a non-stop testament of angst and longing, set to scratchy guitar and fast-riffing drums! Gordon Gano's vocals perfectly fit the spirit of the songs – and the set's full of classics that include "Blister In The Sun", "Kiss Off", "Add It Up", "Gone Daddy Gone", and "Prove My Love". 3LP version features a huge amount of bonus material on the second disc – demos of most tracks for the album, and live recordings from the same time – plus UK single tracks "Ugly" and "Gimme The Car" on the bonus 7" single! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of an album – light years ahead of Phil's earlier work in America – a bit funky at times, with some really open-ended modern sounds! The album features Phil with his incredible European Rhythm Machine – a group that includes Gordon Beck on electric piano, Henri Texier on bass, and Daniel Humair on drums – and the fat basslines of Texier are a wonderful match for the keyboards of Beck – both perfectly balancing things out on the groove! Tracks are long, and a mix of hard out soloing with some nice rhythmic grooving – almost in a modal fusion mode, but not quite – and titles include "Josua", "The Meeting", "Freedom Jazz Dance", and "Ode A Jean-Louis". LP, Vinyl record album