One of the best albums that Al Cohn and Zoot Sims ever cut together – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of their collaborations during the 50s and 60s! The set's got a nice small group feeling, and is a bit more open and relaxed than some of their RCA material – still in the sharp, thoughtful mode that marked both Cohn and Sims' sessions – but also a bit more earthy, too – possibly because they've got Mose Allison in the combo on piano. The album includes the incredible spare sax-only track "Improvisation For Unaccompanied Saxophones", which is an extremely haunting track that sounds unlike anything the pair had ever done together – and other titles have the full quintet playing, tunes that include "The Opener", "The Note" and "You N Me". CD

How many different iterations of the "Four Brothers" were there? We don't know, but as near as we can tell, this grouping might most resemble the "original", with four West coast heavies joining forces for a swinging side. Originally making up the sax section of Woody Herman's Thundering Herd, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Herbie Steward and Serge Chaloff are the brothers, and they're joined by fellow Herman alum Buddy Jones, plus Elliot Lawrence and Don Lamond in the rhythm section on this side for Vik. As you'd expect, the numbers are all West coast gems, by the likes of Cohn, Sims, Jimmy Giuffre, Gerry Mulligan and Manny Albam amongst others, and featuring the brothers blowing in a remarkably spry manner for such a heavyweight lineup. 10 tracks in all: "Four And One More", "So Blue", "The Swinging Door", 'Four In Hand", "A Quick One", 'Four Brothers", "Ten Years Later", "The Pretty One", "Aged In Wood" and "Here We Go Again". CD

A motherlode of rare tenor work from the east coast bop scene – rare singles and album tracks recorded for the Dawn label! First up are 4 numbers done by Stan Getz in 1949 with a group that includes Al Haig and Jimmy Raney – on titles that include "Skull Buster", "Ante Room", "Pennies From Heaven", and "Poop Deck". The Getz edge is already very firmly in place on these sides, with a sound to match the quality of Stan's work for Prestige or Roost in the same era. Wardell Gray follows with 2 numbers – "It's The Talk Of The Town" and "In A Pinch" – both done with a similar group that includes Raney and Haig, also recorded in 1949. The scene then moves to 1956 – a big year of recording for the Dawn label – and features 2 tracks that have Paul Quinichette blowing with the Gene Roland group – "These Foolish Things" and "Along About This Time Of Year" (neither of which are on the other Quinichette Dawn/Biograph CD.) Last up is Zoot Sims – one of Dawn's strongest artists – heard here on 6 tracks from 1956, done with a group that includes Jerry Lloyd on trumpet – and including "Blues For The Month Of May", "The Big Stampede", "Jerry's Jaunt", and "I Should Care". CD

Rune's guitar and Zoot's tenor – in a group that features additional guitar by Bucky Pizzarelli, with George Mraz on bass and Peter Donald on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure we've ever heard trumpeter Joe Newman and tenorist Zoot Sims work together on a record – and certainly never as striking a setting as this – a record that really gives both musicians a chance to open up and blow! Despite the title, the players are less "locking horns" here than really working together in the lead – hitting the kind of tight head arrangements that you might hear on some of Sims material with RCA, but getting a grittier groove from both the Roulette Records style of recording, and the efforts of a cool rhythm trio that features Adrian (Johnny?) Acea on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Osie Johnson drums. Newman's horn has an especially gutbuckety quality, and Sims follows suit with some deeply soulful work on his solos – on titles that include "Corky", "Mambo For Joe", "Midnite Fantasy", "Tater Pie", "Oh Joe", and "Oh Shaye". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great little set from Zoot Sims – earthy, and almost a bit more fragile than much of his other work! There's a real "down home" feel to the whole record – as Zoot blows comfortably and easily in a quartet with Dave McKenna on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – making a rare non-Mingus appearance for the set! Zoot's horn has a bit more dirt in the tone than on some of his "cleaner" sessions – a style that we like a lot, and which really fits the feeling of the set. Titles include "Doggin' Around", "Avalon", "Jive At Five", "I've Heard That Blues", and "Goodnite Sweetheart". The CD contains 14 tracks, with a number of alternate takes, for a total of 72 minutes. CD

A great chapter in 60s bossa jazz – Zoot Sims "answer" to Stan Getz's bossa work on Verve – recorded in a similar jazz-meets-bossa style, with some great guitar work by Jim Hall! Zoot's solos are a bit tighter and not as laidback as Stan's – giving a more jazz-based sound to the work that makes for a nice change – and most of the tunes feature larger backings from Manny Albam and Al Cohn – never too over-arranged, but with enough of a full swinging sound to set things right. Hall's guitar works surprisingly well in the setting – and titles include "Barquinho De Papel", "Ciume", "Recado Bossa Nova (parts 1 & 2)", and "Cano Canoe". LP, Vinyl record album

Zoot Sims plays the music of Johnny Mandel – a wonderful combination that makes the record a real standout in Sims' career from the time! The tunes all have a really well-penned quality – that mix of heartfelt and groovy that Johnny Mandel did so brilliantly back in the 60s – often for larger soundtrack modes, but with a sense of feeling that makes them work even better in a small group lineup like this. Of course, it helps that Zoot's raspy tone is leading things off, in a well-recorded setting – and the other players in the group have a cohesive energy that's different than some of the other Pablo dates of the time – more serviceable swingers letting the lead man get all the best space on the tunes. Players include Mike Wofford on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, Nick Ceroli on drums, and Victor Feldman on vibes and percussion – and titles include "Zoot", "Quietly There", "Cinnamon & Clove", "Low Life", "Emily", and "A Time For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Jimmy Rowles on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Akira Tana on drums. CD

An early 60s album that brings together some excellent early 50s sides by Zoot Sims – originally issued on 10" LPs, but expanded here with better notes and more space! Half the set features a group with Harry Biss on piano, Clyde Lombardi on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – and the rest features John Lewis, Curley Russell, and Don Lamond. Titles include the two part number "Zoot Swings The Blues", plus "Trotting", "I Wonder Who", "It Had To Be You", "Jane-O", and "East Of The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A motherlode of great music from Zoot Sims – mid 70s recordings done for the Groove Merchant label, presented here in a late 70s package! Although Groove Merchant was mostly known for its funkier sounds, the work here is nicely back to basics for Sims – small group sessions that give him plenty of room to open up and blow – paired with players that include Lionel Hampton on vibes, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Buddy Rich on drums. The sound is warm, but never sleepy – and Zoot's tenor has a nice edge on his solos that dominate most tunes. Titles include"A Summer Thing", "Somebody Loves Me", "Up A Lazy River", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Send In the Clowns", and "Memories Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Zoot Sims blows it nicely on this open-ended live set recorded in Copenhagen – a batch of tracks with the same sort of long, free space for solos as other dates done on that scene by American tenor stars! No surprise, Kenny Drew's backing Zoot up with some tremendous rhythm accompaniment – working here with a trio that includes Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – just about the best backing a player like Sims could have hoped for on the date! All the tracks here move well past the 5 minute mark – with most approaching 10 – and Zoot's ability to solo strongly in an extended fashion is very firmly in place. Titles include "Groovin High", "Too Close For Comfort", "Blue Hodge", "Morning Fun", "All The Things You Are", "It's All Right With Me", and "In The Middle Of A Kiss". CD

Zoot Sims blows it nicely on this open-ended live set recorded in Copenhagen – a batch of tracks with the same sort of long, free space for solos as other dates done on that scene by American tenor stars! No surprise, Kenny Drew's backing Zoot up with some tremendous rhythm accompaniment – working here with a trio that includes Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – just about the best backing a player like Sims could have hoped for on the date! All the tracks here move well past the 5 minute mark – with most approaching 10 – and Zoot's ability to solo strongly in an extended fashion is very firmly in place. Titles include "Groovin High", "Too Close For Comfort", "Blue Hodge", "Morning Fun", "All The Things You Are", "It's All Right With Me", and "In The Middle Of A Kiss". CD

Not as much of a party as you might expect from the title, but quite a lively little album – and possibly one of Zoot's best from the 70s! There's a tightly fluid feel to this record that we really love a lot – not one that's electric or slick, but served up by a great backing trio that includes Jimmy Rowles on piano, Mickey Roker on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – all coming together in ways that often groove slightly, which is a real surprise for an album by Zoot – and a very nice surprise at that! Zoot himself plays both tenor and soprano sax, and although some of the tunes here are familiar ones, they're taken with unusual arrangements and plenty of personal focus on the solos. Titles include "Fred", "Restless", "Caravan", "Dream Dancing", "The Very Thought Of You" – plus the bonus tracks "Love Me" and "Getting Sentimental Over You". CD

A really beautiful later album from Zoot Sims – one that might easily be overlooked, given its understated appearance on a sometimes-cheap label – but a record that really helps Zoot find whole new magic for the 70s! The date's nice and laidback – with great guitar from Bucky Pizzarelli, who himself is really a cut above here – a master of chromes, balancing out the sharply raspy tone that makes Sims' tenor so fantastic – with subtle but strong accompaniment on bass by Milt Hilton, and nicely restrained work by Buddy Rich on drums! The feel is maybe like some of Zoot's work on Pablo, but hipper too – and titles include "Memories Of You", "Summerset", "A Summer Thing", "Somebody Loves Me", and "Nirvana". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice set – just Zoot's tenor with Joe's guitar! Titles include "Blues For 2", "Dindi", "Remember", "Black & Blue", and "Takeoff". LP, Vinyl record album

One of THE classic Zoot Sims small group recordings of the 50s – recorded with a quintet lineup that includes some great valve trombone work from Bob Brookmeyer! The overall sound isn't nearly as modern as you'd expect from the title (and in fact the cover, which has Zoot sitting in front of an abstract statue, kind of grimacing, might even be taken to imply that the "modern" in the name is a bit of a joke!) But given that Brookmeyer's phrasing is fresh and inventive, and that Sims could easily be moved into some challenging territory with the right players, the set's certainly got a quality that ranks it up there with the best of its contemporaries – no matter how you define the term "modern"! Other players include John Williams, Milt Hinton, and Gus Johnson – and titles include "September In The Rain", "Down At The Loft", "Our Pad", "One To Blow On", and "Dark Clouds". LP, Vinyl record album

Alive, and plenty lively – one of our favorite albums ever to feature the team of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims – and one that has them really stretching out a lot more than usual! The album's got a format that's quite different than the tightly-reigned sound of Sims and Cohn on other dates – as all the four tracks here run for longer than nine minutes – really allowing lots of room for solo space – and some great interplay between the reedmen too! Phil Woods joins the twin tenors on alto for two tracks – and the rest of the group features Mose Allison on piano, Nabil Totah on bass, and Paul Motian on drums. Titles include "Lover Come Back To Me", "It Had To Be You", and "Wee Dot". CD

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A really great little set from Zoot Sims – earthy, and almost a bit more fragile than much of his other work! There's a real "down home" feel to the whole record – as Zoot blows comfortably and easily in a quartet with Dave McKenna on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – making a rare non-Mingus appearance for the set! Zoot's horn has a bit more dirt in the tone than on some of his "cleaner" sessions – a style that we like a lot, and which really fits the feeling of the set. Titles include "Doggin' Around", "Avalon", "Jive At Five", "I've Heard That Blues", and "Goodnite Sweetheart". LP, Vinyl record album

A 60s compilation of some of Zoot's great work during the 10" days at Prestige – back when he was playing with a bit more fire than in some of his later work. Half the tracks are cut with a small group that includes Kenny Drew and Stu Williamson – and the other half are cut with a larger group led by Chubby Jackson, and featuring Howard McGhee, JJ Johnson, Georgie Auld, and Gerry Mulligan. Tracks include "So What", "Toot No 2", "Howdy Podner", "Flyin The Coop", and "Hot Dog". LP, Vinyl record album

Zoot Sims and Hans Koller on alto and tenor saxophone and clarinet, Helmut Brandt on flute and baritone saxophone, Adi Feuerstein and Gerd Husemann on flute and tenor saxophone, Hans Hammerschmid on piano, Willie Dennis on trombone, Peter Trunk on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. CD

While not as classic as the bossa sessions that Stan Getz cut for Verve, these early 60's sides by Zoot (for the Colpix label) are still pretty tasty groovers in the pop bossa vein that was sweeping the US at the time. Zoot lays down some nice easy solos over larger bossa arrangements, and Jim Hall joins the set on guitar. Hall's not as Braziliany as players like Joao Gilberto or Charlie Byrd, but he does the job nicely enough, and there's more than enough good moments on this nicely priced 18 track set. Titles include "Instant Samba", "Maria Ninguen", "Recado Bossa Nova", "Poquito Cantando", and "Cantada A Orquesta". CD

Not as much of a party as you might expect from the title, but quite a lively little album – and possibly one of Zoot's best from the 70s! There's a tightly fluid feel to this record that we really love a lot – not one that's electric or slick, but served up by a great backing trio that includes Jimmy Rowles on piano, Mickey Roker on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass – all coming together in ways that often groove slightly, which is a real surprise for an album by Zoot – and a very nice surprise at that! Zoot himself plays both tenor and soprano sax, and although some of the tunes here are familiar ones, they're taken with unusual arrangements and plenty of personal focus on the solos. Titles include "Fred", "Restless", "Caravan", "Dream Dancing", and "The Very Thought Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of early 50s recordings with Art Blakey, Al Cohn, Kenny Drew, Percy Heath, Don Lamond, John Lewis, Curly Russell, George Wallington, Stu Williamson, and Kai Winding. LP, Vinyl record album

Personnel: Zoot Sims tenor sax, Dick Nash on trombone, Jack Sperling on drums, Rolly Bundock on bass, Paul Atkerson on piano, and Tony Rizzi on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 60s issue of tracks that Sims originally recorded in the mid 50s, and which ostensibly were issued on 10" LP. Sims is joined by Phil Woods on alto sax, Jon Eardley on trumpet, Milty Gold on trombone, George Syran on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass and Nick Stabulas on drums for these 6 tracks. The titles are "For Leap Year", "There's No You", "On The Minute", "Ladders", "Koo Koo", and "Eard's Word". LP, Vinyl record album

A 2LP set that features the core album Interaction by Stitt & Sims – plus a lot of additional material from other albums. The core set was recorded in Chicago after the two had played together at the Plugged Nickel in the Windy City! Backing is by the trio of John Young – who gives the album a rolling bottom groove that shows off the Chicago sound of the early 60s quite nicely – and both Stitt and Sims respond with some strong solo work on their own part, opening up a bit more than on other sides at the time. Tracks include three originals by Stitt – "The Saber", "Katea", and "I Want To Go Home" – as well as "My Blue Heaven", "Fools Rush In", and "Look Down That Lonesome Road". Added to that is some material from the Zoot Sims Quartet album on Argo from 1956 – featuring the tracks "That Old Feeling" and "Woody N You" – plus tracks from the 1960 Stitt set Burning – including the tracks "It's Hipper Than That" and "How High The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful pairing of this German pianist and American tenor star Zoot Sims – and an album that may well be the greatest that Jutta Hipp ever cut! Hipp was one of the rising stars of the German postwar jazz scene in the 50s – and although she issued other American albums in the decade for Blue Note and Decca, this side's probably the best-remembered of the bunch – thanks to the presence of Zoot, and support from a great rhythm section that includes Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums – both of whom match the modern tones of Jutta's piano, but also give a solidly soulful Blue Note feel to the set. The group's completed by trumpeter Jerry Lloyd, who helps bring a nice sparkle to the frontline – and titles include "Just Blues", "Wee Dot", "Almost Like Being In Love", and "Down Home". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "S'Wonderful" and "These Foolish Things". CD

Featuring Joe Puma, Randy Weston, Paul Quinichette, Zoot Sims, Sims-Brookmeyer Quintet, Tony Scott, Jazz Modes, Mat Matthews. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal west coast recordings by Clifford Brown – recorded in LA in 1954, with a mixture of hard bop and lyricism, in that sparkling mode that Brownie left as his indelible imprint on the west coast scene of the 50s! Players include Bob Gordon on baritone, Stu Williamson on trombone, Zoot Sims on tenor, and Russ Freeman on piano – and Jack Montrose arranged the set. Titles include "Tiny Capers", "Bones For Jones", "Joy Spring", "Finders Keepers", and "Daahoud". CD

One of the better of Bethlehem's west coast sessions from the 50's, and a split LP that brings together 2 different sessions – one by trumpeter Conte Candoli, and one by drummer Stan Levey (both sessions, we think, were issued on 10" originally). The Candoli session features a quartet that has Candoli as the main soloist on tracks like "Night Flight", "Tune For Tex", and "On the Alamo". The Levey session features a sextet with Candoli, Zoot Sims, and Jimmy Giuffre, and swings a bit harder than the quartet side. Tracks on this one are mostly originals, and include "Drum Sticks", "West Coasting", "Fast Clip", and "Extraversion". 15 tracks in all – which is a bit longer than usual! CD

Later Atlantic Records material from the legendary Ray Charles – a set that definitely lives up to the genius of the title, in that it shows a real sense of development in Ray's music! Charles has moved from the shorter R&B of his early Atlantic singles, to embrace some greater jazz-based sophistication – served up here with players who include Paul Gonsalves and Zoot Sims on tenor, Clark Terry and Joe Newman on trumpets, Melba Liston and Al Gray on trombones, and Freddie Greene on guitar – all players who really shift things towards a richer, fuller sound – setting the stage for Charles 60s growth at ABC Records, but with less of the country modes. Titles include Charles takes on classics like "Just For A Thrill", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin", "Am I Blue", and "It Had To Be You" – and the record also features a young Marcus Belgrave delivering a trumpet solo on "Alexander's Ragtime Band". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful late album from Coleman Hawkins – recorded in 1956 with the orchestra of Billy Byers, including soloists Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, and Hank Jones. Coleman's the main blower, though – and the arrangements have a solid base that lets him open up in that exploratory tone he was crafting during the time. And although tracks are short, there's a heck of a lot of soul packed into them – recorded with impeccable quality, much more so than earlier sides. Titles include "I Never Knew", "Bean & The Boys", "The Essence of You", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Dinner For One Please, James", and "I'm Shooting High". Plus, the CD features 8 bonus tracks – all unreleased extra takes! CD

A killer collection of this unique musical moment from Gerry Mulligan – with material that appeared on the albums Concert Jazz Band, Concert Jazz Band At The Village Vanguard, A Concert In Jazz, Concert Jazz Band On Tour Guest Soloist Zoot Sims, and Gerry Mulligan 63 – plus unissued tracks, too! CD

Gerry Mulligan meets up with a great array of 50s modernists here – in specially setting dedicated to all Mulligan-penned compositions! Although a radical player himself on the baritone sax, Gerry also added something strong to the 50s jazz catalog with his great tunes from the early days – gently modern numbers that slowly became standards over the years, thanks to respect from other players. The best of these tracks are showcased here – played by Mulligan with a sax section that includes Zoot Sims on alto and tenor, Al Cohn on tenor and baritone, Lee Konitz on alto, and Allan Eager on alto and tenor. Rhythm is by the piano-less section of Freddie Green on guitar, Henry Grimes on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums – and titles include "Venus De Milo", "Revelation", "Sextet", "Turnstyle", "Four & One More", "Crazy Day", and "Disc Jockey Jump". LP, Vinyl record album

Late 60s greatness from Pepper Adams – an overlooked session that's easily one of his most standout sides of the decade! There's an easygoing swing to the record that's simply wonderful – a well-blown sound that's never too overthought or academic – just pure proof of the sort of inroads that Pepper Adams made with the baritone sax back in the 50s, as he liberated the instrument from its work in the chorus to a fully-voiced solo instrument of its own! The other players certainly help contribute to the magic of the date – and in addition to a rhythm section that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums, the set also features Zoot Sims on tenor, blowing with a tone that's almost as deep as Adams! Titles include "Cindy's Tune", "I've Just Seen Her", "Serenity", "Inanout", "Punjab", "Elusive", and "Verdandi". CD

A great collection of a unique showcase in 50s jazz – large group recordings by arranger Manny Albam, done to showcase some of the best players of the time from both the New York and LA scenes! The sessions were originally recorded for Decca – with volume 1 featuring mostly players from New York, and volume 2 featuring the cream of the crop of the west coast scene. The format was simple – in that Albam would pen arrangements for longish tracks that brought together the whole ensemble – then allowed plenty of space for players to break out in well-crafted solos. Artists include Art Farmer, Harry Edison, Conte Candoli, Bob Brookmeyer, Phil Woods, Zoot Sims, Bill Holman, Gerry Mulligan, Charlie Mariano, Milt Hinton, Lou Levy, Hank Jones, and Pepper Adams – and tracks include "See Here Miss Bromley", "Poor Dr Millmoss", "Blues From Neither Coast", "Home Brew", "Little Eye Opener", "Blues Over Easy (parts 1 & 2)", and "Afterthoughts". 2CD set features 20 tracks in all – seemingly a lot more than on the original albums! CD

Features work by Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, and Joe Wilder – with arrangements by Tony Scott, Marty Paich, and Dick Hyman! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes a CD of 'live" tracks with Sonny Cohn, Al Grey, Bobby Platter, Freddie Green and others. A CD of small groups with Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, Zoot Sims and more. A disc of Big Band with Bobby Mitchell, Sonny Cohn, Curtis Fuller, Bobby Platter and others, and a disc with vocalists Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Turner, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, and Bill Caffey. CD

With Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Benny Carter on alto, Zoot Sims on tenor, Vic Dickenson and Al Grey on trombone, Ray Brown on bass, and Jimmie Smith on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better of Bethlehem's west coast sessions from the 50's, and a split LP that brings together 2 different sessions – one by trumpeter Conte Candoli, and one by drummer Stan Levey (both sessions, we think, were issued on 10" originally). The Candoli session features a quartet that has Candoli as the main soloist on tracks like "Night Flight", "Tune For Tex", and "On the Alamo". The Levey session features a sextet with Candoli, Zoot Sims, and Jimmy Giuffre, and swings a bit harder than the quartet side. Tracks on this one are mostly orignals, and include "Drum Sticks", "West Coasting", "Fast Clip", and "Extraversion". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Bethlehem Records date from vibes man Teddy Charles – stepping out here in a set that's one of his most openly swinging of the time! The record still has some of the modern currents of Teddy's other work, but also makes great use of Zoot Sims on tenor – really pushing him out front for some bold solos on most numbers – in a great group that also includes Jimmy Raney on guitar, Sam Most on flute, and Dave McKenna on piano. There's a bit of audience noise at times, but we can't tell for sure if this is an actual live album – given the clarity of the performances throughout. Titles include "Nigerian Walk", "Rifftide", "Yesterdays", "That Old Black Magic", and "Yale Blue". CD

Great early genius from the Clarke Boland Big Band – proof that Kenny and Francy were onto something great, right from the start! The album really has the group hitting the heights of their MPS years – stretching out way past earlier big band modes, into the hip mix of rhythms and soulful solos that made the ensemble unlike any other group in the 60s – a really groundbreaking approach to their music, delivered by a range of top-shelf players! Arrangements are by Boland, who also plays piano – and other group members include Benny Bailey and Jimmy Deuchar on trumpets, Derek Humble on alto sax, Carl Drewo and Zoot Sims on tenor, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax and flute, and Ake Persson on trombone – plus rhythm from the rock-solid duo of Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include the Latin-tinged "Los Bravos", and more great originals by Boland – including "Volutes", "The Styx", "Charon's Ferry", and "Box 703 Washington DC" – plus versions of "Gloria" and "Last Train From Overbrook". LP, Vinyl record album

Al Cohn leads a host of great sax players like Gene Quill, Sol Schlinger, Phil Bodner, and Zoot Sims through a set of tight arrangements that have nice little openings for searing solos by the stars. There's a lot of tracks (including "Shazam", "Shutout", "Villa Rowboats", and "Solsville"), and the group plays fast and hard to get them all in. LP, Vinyl record album

The first album in a legendary run of vocal jazz classics on Atlantic Records – and a set that really helped Chris Connor move to a new level of expression in her music! The sound here is much richer than Connor's previous recordings for Bethlehem – and the small combo jazz backings have been replaced by fuller orchestrations by Ralph Burns – done in a cool, edgey sort of way that really pushes Chris into newly sophisticated territory! The sound's on a par with the best June Christy/Pete Rugolo collaborations on Capitol – and the group's filled with some great jazz players, including Zoot Sims, John Lewis, Milt Hinton, and Oscar Pettiford. Titles include "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "My April Heart", "He Was Good to Me", "Where Are You", and "Get Out Of Town". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that compiles early Miles Davis sides from two different Prestige sessions of the early 50s. One features Miles with a sextet that includes Sonny Rollins, Bennie Green, John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Roy Haynes – on the tracks "Morpheus", "Down", "Blue Room", and "Whispering". The other session features a septet, with Lewis, Kenny Clarke, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Leonard Gaskin, and Sonny Truitt. Titles include "Tasty Pudding", "Floppy", "Willie The Wailer", and "For Adults Only". LP, Vinyl record album

Not just Miles Davis live at Newport – but Miles at Newport over the course of 20 years, in the space of eight different live performances – almost all of which are previously unreleased! Apart from the 1958 and 1969 Newport material here, most of the 4CD set features all-new, all-great vintage Miles material – with Newport performances from 1955, 1958, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, and 1975 – the last three of which are Newport festivals in Europe and New York. And these aren't just random tracks, but full sets, too – even with some announcements at the start or end – and players include Gerry Mulligan and Zoot Sims for the 1955 concert; John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, and Bill Evans in 1958; Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams for 1966 and 1967; Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, and Chick Corea in 1969; a big electric group with Keith Jarrett, Gary Bartz, Michel Henderson, and Mtume in 1971; and Pete Cosey, Davie Liebman, Reggie Lucas, and Mtume for the 1973 and 1975 shows. A huge amount of material – 4 CDs in a great package, with detailed notes, too! CD

One of the greatest albums on the Bethlehem label – and one of the first albums as a leader by the legendary Booker Ervin! At the time of the set, Ervin had come off a great stint with the Charles Mingus group – one that inflected his rootsy Texas tenor tones with a sharper modern edge – heard to perfection on this great little session, which is equal parts hard swinging soul jazz and dark-tinged early 60s modern! Zoot Sims joins Booker in the front line, and the two of them trade tenor solos throughout on the album's long compositions – grooving with a great sextet that includes Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond on the kit! Cuts include "Largo", "The Book Cooks", "The Blue Book", and "Git It". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout in the Bill Evans catalog for Riverside – and that's saying a lot, given how important all of his Riverside albums are! The core session's a rare quintet outing for Evans – one that breaks the mode of the usual trio format by adding in Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Jim Hall on guitar – alongside rhythm players Percy Heath on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums – already a unique enough match for Evans' talents. In a way, the record's one of those sessions that Riverside would sometimes do – pairing a key new voice as a leader with others in an all-star group – but in another way, it's also a return to the sound that first brought Evans' to a wider audience in the 1957 and 1958 years – when he was working in non-trio groups with more famous players – adding his unique piano stylings to their (then) better-known solo modes. The pairing of Evans and Hall has been beautifully documented on other records – and sounds equally great here – but the real treat is Freddie Hubbard's horn, which often lays back on most of the tracks, then bursts in with a brashness that really ignites some of the tunes! He's playing a bit muted here, trying to go for that Miles/Evans combination from the late 50s – but that's plenty ok with us, as we love those records a lot. Titles include "When You Wish Upon A Star", "You & The Night & The Music", "I'll Never Smile again", "You Go To My Head" and the Evans original, "Interplay". This double-length set also expands the original Interplay album with even more material from another group session in 1962 – a set recorded also with Philly Joe Jones on drums and Jim Hall on guitar – plus Ron Carter on bass and Zoot Sims on tenor. Titles include "Time Remembered", "Loose Bloose", "Fun Ride", "There Came You", "Fudgesickle Built For Four", and "My Bells". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Curtis Fuller's best albums, and a record that's always darn tough to find in the original! Curtis' soulful horn is matched by a tight group that includes Zoot Sims on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Dave Bailey on drums – who's playing here in tip top form. All tracks have a nice Latinish groove, but the main vibe is straight soul jazz hard bop, with tight changes, and great long drawn-out solos. Titles include "One Note Samba", "Besame Mucho", and "Wee Dot". LP, Vinyl record album

With Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Jimmy Giuffre, and Joe Lovano. CD

Featuring Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Mintzer, Steve Marcus, and Pat LaBarbera. CD

Quincy Jones meets Henry Mancini – and the result is an album that's as groovy as it is jazzy – every bit as wonderful as you might expect, and with a few surprising touches as well! Given that Mancini's tunes are already pretty darn great on their own – and plenty jazzy too – it's amazing to hear Quincy transform them for the record, bringing in some of the styles that would show up even more strongly in his own 60s soundtrack work – clever instrumental twists, occasional electric moments, and a growing sensitivity we never would have expected in his music a decade before. There's loads of lovely reeds – courtesy of Jerome Richardson, Seldon Powell, Zoot Sims, and Roland Kirk – and other players include Gary Burton on vibes, Mundell Lowe on guitar, Toots Thielemans on harmonica, and Phil Krauss on percussion. Titles include "Baby Elephant Walk", "Charade", "Dreamsville", "Bird Brain", "Days Of Wine And Roses", "Mr Lucky", "Pink Panther", "Moon River", "Peter Gunn", and "Odd Ball". LP, Vinyl record album

Two albums on one CD. First up is Roland Kirk's Triple Threat, which features James Madison on piano, Carl Pruitt on bass, and Henry Duncan on drums. Next is Booker Ervin's The Book Cooks – one of the greatest albums on the Bethlehem label – and one of the first albums as a leader by the legendary Booker Ervin! At the time of the set, Ervin had come off a great stint with the Charles Mingus group – one that inflected his rootsy Texas tenor tones with a sharper modern edge – heard to perfection on this great little session, which is equal parts hard swinging soul jazz and dark-tinged early 60s modern! Zoot Sims joins Booker in the front line, and the two of them trade tenor solos throughout on the album's long compositions – grooving with a great sextet that includes Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Mingus' drummer Dannie Richmond on the kit! Cuts include "Largo", "The Book Cooks", "The Blue Book", and "Git It". CD

Bold work from Elliot Lawrence – one of the groovier big band leaders on the west coast of the 50s – and one of the few who really found a way to mix older modes and some of the modern changes going on at the time! Lawrence's music almost always has a groove – his audience were often dancers at some of the bigger spots on the coast – but he also finds a way to fold in some strong solo work too, but all without some of the more academic tones that would come from a group like Stan Kenton's. Key soloists here include Al Cohn and Zoot Sims on tenor, Hal McKusick on alto, Nick Travis and Ernie Royal on trumpets, and Eddie Bert and Urbie Green on trombone – and the set features material from the albums Plays Tiny Kahn & Johnny Mandel Arrangements, Swinging At The Steel Pier, and Plays For Swinging Dancers. Titles include "Blue Room", "Who Fard That Shot", "Blues Alley", "Ponce", "Tenderly", "Walkin My Baby Back Home", "Hackin Around", "Cupcake", "Ivy Walk", "Handmade", "Nightfall", "Jazz Lullaby", and "Mood Midnight". CD

Kind of a hokey idea – but one that comes off really well, thanks to some great players on the set! The core group features work by Teddy Charles on vibes – leading shifting ensembles that include Phil Woods, Teo Macero, Jimmy Raney, Bob Brookmeyer, and Zoot Sims. And although the tracks are all numbers from the famous musical of the same name, Macero put together the album during the same time as his more famous modern jazz projects for Columbia. Charles more than keeps things at a hip level – and tracks include "Adelaide", "Fugue For Tinhorns", "I'll Know", "My Time Of Day", "Luck Be A Lady", and "Guys & Dolls". LP, Vinyl record album

With featured soloists Dick Medonian on alto, Frank Rebak on trombone, Zoot Sims on tenor, Burt Collins on trumpet, Al Cohn on tenor, Nat Pierce on piano, Urbie Green on trumbone, and Dick Hixon on bass trombone. LP, Vinyl record album

A searing live performance from this great large group – featuring Gerry Mulligan in the lead on baritone – with Zoot Sims on tenor, Bob Donovan on alto, Gene Quill on alto and clarinet, and trumpets from Nick Travis and Conte Candoli – all in a large group, with no piano at all. CD

A stone cooker – and one of the best versions of Porgy & Bess recorded in a jazz format! It's a slightly-forgotten fact that at the time of the big late 50s film version of Porgy & Bess, there was a bit of trouble with the soundtrack – so the market was flooded with other versions of Gershwin's score in a hope to fill the void. This is one of the best of that bunch – a very well-done set of tunes arranged and conducted by Bill Potts, recorded with a strong set of soloists that include Al Cohn, Gene Quill, Zoot Sims, Art Farmer, Bill Evans, Charlie Shavers, Bob Brookmeyer, and Harry Edison. Tracks are the usual batch of Porgy & Bess numbers – "I Loves You Porgy", "It Ain't Necessarily So", "My Man's Gone Now", "A Woman Is A Sometimes Thing", "Summertime" – all woven together wonderfully in a rich tapestry of sound, with some particularly evocative solos. LP, Vinyl record album