John Coltrane – Blue Train

Although never formally signed, an oral agreement between John Coltrane and Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion was indeed honored on Blue Train — Coltrane’s only collection of [...]

Frederick Knight – I’ve Been Lonely For So Long

The Bessemer, AL native has his finest hour with this, his first and only album for Stax Records. The title track, co-written by his wife Posie, was his biggest hit […]

Keith Jarrett – Facing You

Facing You is one of the most important recordings in contemporary jazz for several reasons, aside from being beautifully conceived and executed by pianist Keith Jarrett. It is a hallmark […]

Yusef Lateef – The Gentle Giant

Yusef Lateef’s music from the early ’70s commands large doses of both appeal and skepticism. At a time when funk and fusion were merging with the intensely volatile and distrustful [...]

John Coltrane – Olé Coltrane

The complicated rhythm patterns and diverse sonic textures on Olé Coltrane are evidence that John Coltrane was once again charting his own course. His sheer ability as a maverick — […]

John Coltrane & Don Cherry – The Avant-Garde

This album is rightfully co-credited to Don Cherry (trumpet), who ably trades blows with John Coltrane (tenor/soprano sax) throughout. The Avant-Garde also boasts the debut studio recording of [...]

Duke Ellington – The Feeling Of Jazz

This is a nice all-around set by the 1962 Duke Ellington Orchestra. Whether it be the lightweight but fun “Taffy Twist,” “I’m Gonna Go Fishin'” (the theme from [...]

The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Brubeck Plays Bernstein

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

One of the most important records ever made, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme was his pinnacle studio outing, that at once compiled all of the innovations from his past, spoke […]

John Coltrane – My Favorite Things

Although seemingly impossible to comprehend, this landmark jazz date made in 1960 was recorded in less than three days. All the more remarkable is that the same sessions which yielded […]

Decent set featuring the highly stylized, often erratic vocalist Lorez Alexandria doing conventional jazz and jazz-centered pop tunes and standards. She’s backed by a capable band, and [...]

Steve Tibbetts – Northern Song

With percussionist Anderson, Tibbetts explores urban landscape, especially on “Nine Doors/Breathing Space.” Tibbetts is reminiscent of Ralph Towner. Northern Song Review by Michael G. [...]

Lou Bennett – Dansez Et Rêvez

This release contains Bennett’s second LP as a leader in its entirety: Dansez et Rêvez avec le trio Lou Bennett (RCA Victor 430.051). Presented here for the first time ever […]

John Handy – Recorded Live At The Monterey Jazz Festival

John Handy’s performance at the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival was a sensation and arguably the high point of his career. The altoist, using a quintet that included violinist Michael White, [...]

Miles Davis – Sorcerer

Sorcerer, the third album by the second Miles Davis Quintet, is in a sense a transitional album, a quiet, subdued affair that rarely blows hot, choosing to explore cerebral tonal […]

Jackie McLean – Let Freedom Ring

Jackie McLean had always been a highly emotional soloist, so it makes sense that he was one of the first hard bop veterans to find a new voice in the […]

The Mahavishnu Orchestra* With John McLaughlin – The Inner Mounting Flame

This is the album that made John McLaughlin a semi-household name, a furious, high-energy, yet rigorously conceived meeting of virtuosos that, for all intents and purposes, defined the fusion of [...]

Miles Davis – Miles In The Sky

With the 1968 album Miles in the Sky, Miles Davis explicitly pushed his second great quintet away from conventional jazz, pushing them toward the jazz-rock hybrid that would later become […]

Miles Davis – E.S.P.

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet — saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams [...]

Les McCann Ltd. • Stanley Turrentine • Blue Mitchell with Frank Haines*, Herbie Lewis, Ron Jefferson – Les McCann Ltd. In New York (Recorded “Live” At The Village Gate)

*Japanese Import CD* “A thoroughly satisfying live date. The good-time pianist forgets singing on this Village Gate outing, and the band just cooks. Silky saxman Stanley Turrentine and [...]

Lou Donaldson Quintet – Wailing With Lou

*Japanese Import CD* “Wailing With Lou is an appropriate title for this enjoyable set of straight-ahead bop. Whether he’s riding the propulsive rhythms of “Caravan” or [...]

Curtis Fuller – Bone & Bari

*Japanese Import CD* “Curtis Fuller emerged during the 1950s as a leading hard bop trombonist. A native of Detroit, Fuller was initially inspired by hearing J.J. Johnson, who became a […]

Carmell Jones featuring Harold Land – The Remarkable Carmell Jones

*Japanese Import CD* “The Kansas City born trumpeter Carmell Jones was quickly signed by Pacific Jazz soon after his arrival in Los Angeles in 1960, and in addition to appearing […]

Toquinho & Vinicius – Vinicius & Toquinho

*Japanese Import CD* The Bossa Nova songwriting duo deliver smooth samba on this album, featuring tracks such as Samba Da Volta and Sem Medo.

Bud Powell – Bud Powell’s Moods

*Japanese Import CD* Bud Powell plays a variety of standards and original tunes in his delightfully idiosyncratic style.

Roberto Menescal E Seu Conjunto – A Bossa Nova De Roberto Menescal E Seu Conjunto

*Japanese Import CD*  

Laurindo Almeida & The Bossa Nova Allstars – It’s A Bossa Nova World: International Hits In Jazz Samba Arrangements

*Japanese Import CD* Laurindo Almeida and his All-Star band cover traditional songs from all over the world in a Samba style.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – 3 Blind Mice

*Japanese Import CD* “Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers rode through the rough waters of significant record label, personnel, and sound changes in 1962. A young Freddie Hubbard took the [...]

Elvin Jones – Dear John C.

*Japanese Import CD* “The second album by Elvin Jones as sole title rights leader (excluding the co-op ensemble that recorded the stunning and essential progressive jazz icon Illumination!) [...]

Hermeto Pascoal E Grupo – Festa Dos Deuses

*Japanese Import CD* An intense later album from Hermeto Pascoal’s group. Absolutely smokes.