The Bebop Shop New Releases

The Bebop Shop : New Releases


	Pat Metheny: Dream Box (CD: Modern Recordings) 20-time Grammy winner Pat Metheny returns with his most personal record to date - Dream Box. "Dream Box is an unusual recording for me," says Pat. "A compilation of tracks recorded across a few years. While on tour this past year (2022), I discovered a forgotten folder on my drive. I often make quick recordings of things; a new tune, a new (or old) guitar, a standard tune, or just to try something out. I have a folder where I stash these things, truthfully, usually never to be heard again. The only time I listen to my own stuff is while on the road. I often say I live on output, with little or no time for input. That changes on tour, where suddenly there seems to be more free hours in the day, albeit on a bus or in some far-flung hotel room. Occasionally, those moments offer a chance to rummage around in the files to see if anything interesting may lie there. This past year was a particularly busy travel year for me, with about 160 performances worldwide. In the course of all that travel, I found myself returning to that discovered folder again and again. From those listening sessions, I was surprised to find this program emerging as a coherent whole. I found that I had unintentionally gotten to a destination I had not planned for, and I am excited to share what I found there. These nine tracks were my favorites and added up to something unique for me. I never played anything more than once. These are really moments in time, and in fact, I have almost no memory of having recorded most of them. They just kind of showed up. Music exists for me in an elusive state, often at its best when discovered apart from any particular intention. I hope folks might find some dreams of their own in this music." (Warner Music) Price: £13.99


Pat Metheny: Dream Box (Vinyl LP: Modern Recordings, 2 LPs) Price: £28.99


	Donald Byrd: Slow Drag (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) More than a dozen albums into his Blue Note tenure, Donald Byrd’s 1967 date Slow Drag would be one of the last pure hard bop sessions that the reliably brilliant trumpeter would cut before his music began evolving towards fusion. Byrd flies high on this highly gratifying set that finds it’s groove across a variety of feels fueled by the tremendous drumming of Billy Higgins. The quintet is rounded out by alto saxophonist Sonny Red, pianist Cedar Walton, and bassist Walter Booker, each of whom contribute original compositions to the set list. The album opens with Byrd’s loose-limbed titled track, an endlessly entertaining 10-minute groovefest that features Higgins’ scene-stealing adlibbed vocals. “Secret Love,” a 1950s hit for Doris Day, becomes a modal jazz vehicle that shifts easily into a bright swing before Booker and Walton’s “Book’s Bossa” introduces a bossa nova flavor to the proceedings. Red’s upbeat boogaloo number “Jelly Roll” lifts the energy at the start of Side 2 followed by Walton’s soulful jazz waltz “The Loner.” The album comes to a close with a showstopping performance of the ballad “My Ideal” that’s a showcase for Byrd’s dazzling melodicism. This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket. (Blue Note Records) view larger image Price: £39.99


Stan Tracey Quartet: Jazz Suite- Under Milk Wood (Vinyl LP: Resteamed) Reissued on vinyl for the first time in nearly 40 years, The Stan Tracey Quartet's "Under Milk Wood" is considered one of the finest British jazz albums ever made, an effortlessly iconic masterpiece that encapsulates the heady '60s jazz boom. Limited one-off pressing of 1000 copies worldwide. Lacquers cut by Caspar Sutton-Jones @ Gearbox Studios. Includes new sleeve note by Stan Tracey's son Clark Tracey. (Proper Music) Price: £29.99


	Robin McKelle: Impressions Of Ella (CD: Doxie) From country music to rhythm and blues, Robin McKelle has made an entire career exploring the rich vastness of American music. With Impressions of Ella, McKelle returns to her traditional jazz roots and finds herself right at home. Introducing Robin McKelle, her eponymous 2006 debut, delved into a dozen timeless standards of the swing era ("Come Rain or Come Shine," "Night and Day," "On the Sunny Side of the Street"). For her latest effort, McKelle draws from only one source and perhaps her greatest artistic influence, Ella Fitzgerald. "The concept of the music of Ella came about because she was my first introduction to vocal jazz. I learned so much from her singing - the style of her swing feel and her singing resonates [with] me." To help bring her concept to life, McKelle enlists a brand new trio of venerated jazz players: Kenny Washington on drums, bassist Peter Washington, and NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron on piano. "I wasn't intimidated to make music with them, but [their] résumés were like, 'Wow!' [Am I] going to be good enough? Are we going to connect? The exciting thing was having the opportunity to sing over them as a trio; that was such a huge joy." The bond between a vocalist and an accompanist is perhaps one of music's most profound and extraordinary unions. Barron, a living jazz piano virtuoso, keenly understands this more than most. Cutting his teeth as a sideman for Philly Joe Jones and Dizzy Gillespie, Barron has recorded more than 50 albums, spanning over five decades, as leader. With Impressions of Ella, she doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel or limit her potential for creative expression. While it lauds our "First Lady of Song," the album also marks an inevitable coming of age for McKelle's career in jazz, as the fruits of her hard work and years of training finally ripen and bear fruit. (PIAS/Integral) Price: £13.99


Robin McKelle: Impressions Of Ella (Vinyl LP: Doxie) Price: £19.99


	Joe Lovano, Marilyn Crispell & Carmen Castaldi: Our Daily Bread (CD: ECM) The third album from Joe Lovano’s Trio Tapestry finds the group continuing to extend its spacious and lyrical approach, with deep listening and intense focus. “Our Daily Bread is fueled by the rhythm spirit of expression that projects the mysterious world of music that lies ahead,” says master saxophonist Lovano in his liner note and these elegantly fluid pieces and free-floating ballads indeed feel like songs of the soul. Our Daily Bread was recorded at Lugano’s Auditorio Stelio Molo in May 2022 and produced by Manfred Eicher. (ECM Records) Price: £14.99


Richie Beirach: Leaving (CD: Jazzline) Pianist/composer Richie Beirach re-imagines well known jazz standards in stunning solo piano concert at France's Ch?teau Fleur Cardinale. Forty-five years after his first solo piano recording, 'Hubris' for ECM Records, Brooklyn-born Richie Beirach returns to that intimate and revealing setting on 'Leaving'. A live concert in Saint-Etienne-de-Lisse, near Bordeaux, France, this collection of jazz standards he has played innumerable times over his long and illustrious career finds the 75-year-old pianist plumbing new depths of emotion and heights of expression in a highly exploratory program. (Proper Music) Price: £14.99


	Trichotomy: To Vanish (CD: Earshift Music) With a 20-year history of making music together, the award-winning Australian piano trio Trichotomy have crafted a sound that deftly blends captivating hook driven melodies, intricate rhythms and intuitive group improvising. With recent collaborative projects in Australia completed they now unveil 'To Vanish', released with the much-lauded Australia label Earshift Music. 'To Vanish', showcases the bands ability to synthesis a spectrum of concepts, extending the sound world first created on the 'Known/Unknown' album. It grabs the listener from the first track, with a sonically surprising journey in store. (Proper Music) Price: £13.99


Eric Alexander: A New Beginning (CD: Highnote) As difficult times often beget new beginnings, the COVID-19 quagmire gave birth to alto saxophonist Eric Alexander. To some, a tenor-to-alto switch may not seem to be a newsworthy matter, but for the initiated it's the stuff of headlines. An inveterate tenor at the apex of the scene for more than three decades, Eric put the alto away in his teen years and never looked back. "But with the dearth of opportunities to play during the pandemic, I started to work on it," he confesses. After successfully pitching the idea of using his second saxophone-with-strings project as a debut on alto, the present recording is quite simply astounding. Working with his regular rhythm section and adding ace string arrangements, this altoist delivers one revelatory performance after another. (Proper Music) Price: £13.99


	Bill Evans: Treasures - Solo, Trio & Orchestral Records from Denmark 1965-1969 (CD: Elemental, 2 CDs) 'Treasures' is a set of never-before-released live recordings by jazz piano icon Bill Evans in solo, trio and orchestral performances from the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, and Danish television and radio broadcasts from the mid-to-late 1960s, deluxe 2CD set. An official Elemental Music release in collaboration with the Bill Evans Estate, 'Treasures' is a 'holy grail' discovery culled from the private collection of Norwegian jazz musician Ole Matthiessenand released for the very first time as a 2CD limited-edition in deluxe packaging. (Proper Music) Price: £29.99


Marion Brown Quartet: Mary Ann (CD: Moosicus, 2 CDs) Historic live recording of Marion Brown from the Club Lila Eule, Bremen (Germany) from April 24, 1969, lovingly mastered by Johannes Scheibenreif, feat Ed Kroeger (trombone), Sigi Busch (bass) and Steve McCall (drums). The alto saxophonist Marion Brown (1931), who grew up in Atlanta, moved to New York in 1965, and almost immediately, while still an unknown, played on John Coltrane's seminal album "Ascension" and Archie Shepp's "Fire Music," quickly became one of the most radical yet romantic of free improvisers. (Proper Music) Price: £21.99


	Pharoah Sanders : Live At Fabriik, Hamburg 1980 (CD: Jazzline) Previously unreleased live recording from spiritual jazz saxophone titan Pharoah Sanders and his all-star quartet featuring pianist John Hicks, bassist Curtis Lundy and drumming great Idris Muhammad, who are in scintillating form across five epic tracks, including the classic "You Gotta Have Freedom" and "The Creator Has a Masterplan". (Proper Music) Price: £14.99


David S. Ware & Apogee: Birth Of A Being (CD: AUM Fidelity, 2 CDs) Birth of a Being' presents the essential first studio recordings by the late and incomparable jazz saxophonist David S.Ware as a bandleader. Recorded in New York, April 1977, the first disc features material originally released on LP by the Swiss label, hat Hut Records - out of print for over 30 years. The second disc features a full additional album of top-shelf material from those same sessions that have never been released in any form. This definitive edition was sourced from the original analog 8- track tapes, and newly mixed in 2015. 2023 repress with new packaging. (Proper Music) Price: £21.99


	Basie All Stars: Live At Fabrik, Hamburg 1981 - Vol.1 (CD: Jazzline) Previously unreleased recording of the Basie All Stars, some of biggest names from Count Basie's band - minus the legendary bandleader. Price: £14.99


Michel Petrucciani: The Montreux Years (CD: BMG) A collection of some of Michel Petrucciani's best Montreux Jazz Festival live performances! The release includes brand new liner notes and rare photos from his Montreux shows. (Warner Music) Price: £13.99


	Modern Jazz Quartet: The Montreux Years (CD: BMG) A showcase of some of The Modern Jazz Quartet's most iconic Montreux Jazz Festival live performances, recorded between 1985 and 1993. Price: £13.99


Charles Mingus: Changes - The Complete 1970s Atlantic Studio Recordings (CD: Rhino, 7 CDs) Mingus had two periods of recording with Atlantic Records, the first being in the 1950s and 1960s, and the second in the 1970s, which marked his last phase of music. This boxset includes his final studio recordings for the label, spanning the 1970s including the albums Mingus Moves, Changes One & Two, Three Or Four Shades Of Blues and others. Features previously unreleased outtakes of "Big Alice", "The Call" and "Music For Todo Modo". Price: £47.99


	Duke Ellington: All The Hits And More 1927-54 (CD: Acrobat, 4 CDs) Duke Ellington was one of the most important and influential figures in the entire history of jazz, as pianist, bandleader, composer and innovator, his career spanning half century as the genre evolved from the early days of electric recording. However, while critics and commentators focus on his over-arching significance as a giant of the jazz, it’s easy to forget that he was a genius at composing songs for the three-minute 78rpm single. During the first three decades of his career, before rock ‘n’ roll changed the pop landscape irrevocably, he had more than 70 records that were credited as chart hits and this 4CD set includes all those 77 recordings which are listed in recognised sources as hits. Alongside them, a further 20 or so numbers appear which are now regarded as significant compositions that became standards, or were hits for other artists. It features his celebrated No.1s Three Little Words, Cocktails For Two, I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart, and the Billboard R&B No.1s Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Sentimental Lady, Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me and Main Stem. Also included are classics like Mood Indigo, Sophisticated Lady, Solitude, Caravan, Take The ‘A’ Train and I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good. This comprehensive overview showcases his most successful output during the primary era of his career, and stands as a great showcase for the artistry which made the Duke such a celebrated artist. (Trapeze Music) Price: £19.99


Count Basie - The Legendary New Testament Band 1952-55 (CD: Acrobat, 3 CDs) Count Basie was one of the most influential personalities in the history of jazz history and his legacy is still celebrated today. As pianist, organist, bandleader, composer and innovator, he enjoyed a stellar career which spanned half a century across the middle decades of the 20th century. That career encompassed several musical and stylistic eras, and one of the most notable of those was the period in the early 1950s, when he formed a new orchestra, which became known as “The New Testament Band”, which adopted a musical approach considered fresh and distinctive for the period. Formed circa 1952, after Basie’s brief hiatus from the full orchestra as he was working with a small group of six to seven pieces during the industry imposed recording ban that began in 1948, the new approach was captured on recordings which were done at sessions covering a period of around four years. Many of the titles were issued on Norman Granz’s Clef and Verve labels during the mid-1950s. This 63-track collection comprises just about all the recordings which were released on the albums The Count, Basie Jazz, Basie Rides Again, The Swinging Count, Dance Session, Dance Session No.2, and Basie. The orchestra began to set standards of musical achievement that have been emulated by every jazz orchestra since that time. One of the things that set Basie’s collective apart from all others was the fact the Basie allowed and encouraged his musicians to compose and arrange. As one would expect, the performances featured here include some notable jazz names, including vocalist Al Hibbler, as well as renowned arrangers like Neal Hefti, Buster Harding and Manny Albam. It’s a collection which offers an enlightening, entertaining and substantial snapshot of Basie’s music at a key moment in his career. (Trapeze Music) Price: £16.99


	Ahmad Jamal: Four Classic Albums (CD: AVID, 2 CDs) AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD second set release from Ahmad Jamal, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details. “Chamber Music Of The New Jazz”; “Ahmad Jamal Trio”; “Count ‘Em 88” and “Listen To The Ahmad Jamal Quintet” (AVID Entertainment) Price: £8.99


Sonny Stitt: Boppin' In Baltimore - Live At The Left Bank (CD: Jazz Detective, 2 CDs) ‘Boppin’ In Baltimore: Live At The Left Bank’ is a previously unissued recording of saxophone master Sonny Stitt captured live at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, MD on November 11, 1973, for the Left Bank Jazz Society. Recorded by Left Bank founder Vernon Welsh, Boppin’ In Baltimore is an official release in cooperation with the Sonny Stitt Estate and features Stitt with an all-star rhythm section consisting of pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes. The deluxe 2-CD edition includes an extensive booklet with rare photos by Christian Rose, Raymond Ross, Tom Copi, Burt Goldblatt and others; liner notes by acclaimed jazz critic Bob Blumenthal; and interviews with Kenny Barron, Louis Hayes and saxophone icon Charles McPherson, Muse Records founder and producer Don Schlitten, and an archival interview with Sonny Stitt himself from the early 1970s conducted by Marc Vasey in Canada. (PIAS/Integral) Price: £23.99


	Dave Brubeck Quartet: Bossa Nova U.S.A. (CD: State Of Art) With the popularisation of bossa nova in the early '60s, practically every recording artist had to have at least one bossa nova album; this effort by the Dave Brubeck Quartet is better than most due to the high quality of the compositions, of which the title cut is best-known. The date's two standards ("This Can't Be Love" and "Trolley Song") also fare well on this upbeat session. Since 1955, Brubeck had composed and performed pieces originating from influences outside of the European musical tradition, in which this album, released during the bossa nova craze in the United States of the late 1950s and early 1960s, can be best categorized as "impressionistic" of "the cool wave from Brazil. Recorded through most of 1962, and released early in 1963, the album was designed to be effective on the pop charts. (Proper Music) Price: £11.99


Sonny Stitt: Personal Appearance (CD: Poll Winners) Sonny Stitt's complete original 1957 quartet album Personal Appearance (Verve MGV8324). The great saxophonist is accompanied by pianist Bobby Timmons in their only existing collaboration ever. As a bonus, Poll Winners have included two quintet tracks (also with Sonny Stitt as the only horn) recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival the following year. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


	Art Tatum, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich Trio (CD: Poll Winners) This release presents the complete original LP 'Tatum/Hampton/Rich' (Clef MG C-709), which received unanimous critical acclaim, including a five-star review from Downbeat. Produced by Norman Granz, who in light of Tatum's declining health, decided to record him prolifically, and the extraordinary music on this CD was made shortly before the pianist's death, which took place on November 5th, 1955, at the age of just 47. For this special edition, a further six tracks from the same session are also included as a bonus. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


Julie London: Around Midnight (Vinyl LP: Jazz Wax) One of the most sensual singers in the history of jazz and popular music, Julie London was known both for her sultry and husky vocals and for her risque album covers. Presented here is one of her best thematic LPs, Around Midnight, a magnificent collection of songs evoking night-time. An original song by Bobby Troup, "Lonely in Paris," is included among well-known standards like Thelonious Monk's celebrated "'Round Midnight," Erroll Garner's "Misty," George & Ira Gershwin's "But Not for Me," and Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life." Limited edition 180g vinyl audiophile pressing, the complete album + bonus track. (Proper Music) Price: £22.99


	Jamie Cullum: Pointless Nostalgic (CD: Candid) Jamie Cullum quickly became a household name with this, his award winning 2002 debut album. With a mischievous and lighthearted approach that has become his calling card, it endeared him to jazzophiles and pop fans alike. And with it's infectious blend of jazz standards, American songbook classics, original compositions, and hip contemporary covers, 'Pointless Nostalgic' went straight to the top of the charts and demanded attention. Thie album has been remastered by legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


Stacey Kent: The Boy Next Door (CD: Candid) Stacey Kent is a jazz singer in the mold of the greats, with a legion of fans worldwide, a host of honors and awards including a Grammy nomination, album sales in excess of Millions, Gold and Platinum-selling albums that have reached a series of Number 1 chart positions during the span of her career. 'The Boy Next Door' became Kent's breakthrough and her biggest hit to date when it was released in 2003, establishing her as a household name in France and the UK.Remastered By Bernie Grundman. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


	Joanne Brackeen: Snooze (CD: Candid) American pianist and composer Joanne Brackeen has been called the "Picasso of jazz piano", for her unique style and complex improvisations. Her work is at the forefront of what avant-garde jazz can be and she has long been one of the giants of modal, post-pop piano. Here Candid Records is proud to present the album as it was originally released, with original album title, original track running order and original album artwork. The recording has been remastered by legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


Kenny Barron Trio: Lemuria Seascape (CD: Candid) The great American pianist and composer Kenny Barron has appeared on hundreds of recordings as a leader and a sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Recorded at the famed Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey in 1991 by Rudy Van Gelder, and remastered in 2022 by legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


	Kenny Wheeler: Gnu High (Vinyl LP: ECM) A vinyl reissue, in ECM's new audiophile Luminessence series, for Kenny Wheeler’s sensational ECM leader debut. Recorded in New York in 1975, and produced by Manfred Eicher, Gnu High brought Canadian trumpeter Wheeler to a new level of international acclaim, for both his impassioned playing and his profoundly lyrical writing. (ECM Records) Price: £36.99


Art Blakey: Big Band (Vinyl LP: Bethlehem) Blakey leads a 15-piece orchestra and a quintet featuring John Coltrane, Donald Byrd & Jimmy Cleveland. Recorded in New York City, December 1957. 180g vinyl pressing. Price: £26.99


	Johnny Coles: Little Johnny C (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Trumpeter Johnny Coles was performing with the Gil Evans Orchestra at Birdland in 1959 when he unknowingly made a fan who would open an important door for him a few years later. That fan was pianist Duke Pearson, who was enthralled by the trumpeter’s solo spotlight that night, and after hearing him again the next year as a featured soloist in James Moody’s band, Pearson and Coles formed their own musical relationship and began performing together frequently. Alfred Lion came to hear Pearson at one such gig a couple of years later and loved what he heard, in particular a tune of Pearson’s called “Little Johnny C.” Lion gave Pearson the greenlight to assemble a Blue Note recording date with Coles as the leader, and so Pearson selected a program including five of his own original compositions that showcased Coles’ unique abilities such as the hard-charging “Heavy Legs,” the lilting waltz “My Secret Passion,” and the tender ballad “So Sweet My Little Girl.” The dynamic sextet Pearson put together for the date included himself on piano, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Leo Wright on alto saxophone and flute, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and splitting drum duties were Walter Perkins (Side 1) and Pete La Roca (Side 2). Little Johnny C, recorded in 1963, would be the only album Coles would cut for Blue Note, but it remains a little-known treasure of the catalog. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


Dizzy Reece: Star Bright (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the trumpeter Dizzy Reece moved to London at age 17 and began working across Europe, frequently in Paris, where he played with the likes of Don Byas and Kenny Clarke. Reece also made fans of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins who spread the word about a hot new trumpeter on the European scene. So when Donald Byrd and Art Taylor came through Paris on tour in 1958 they sought out Reece and even found their way into the recording studio together for what would become Reece’s Blue Note debut Blues In Trinity. Encouraged by Alfred Lion, Reece would move to New York City the next year where Lion quickly put him back in the studio with a first-rate hard bop band including Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Taylor once again on drums. The resulting album Star Bright is a hidden gem of the Blue Note catalog with Reece shining brightly on a 6-song set that included several of his own bluesy originals like “The Rake,” “Groovesville,” “The Rebound,” and the Thelonious Monk inspired “A Variation On Monk.” Two standards round out the offering with swinging takes on “I’ll Close My Eyes” and “I Wished On The Moon,” both of which showcase Reece’s sublime delivery of a melody. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


	Cannonball Adderley: Somethin' Else (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) “Is that what you wanted, Alfred?” we hear in Miles Davis’ unmistakable rasp at the end of “One for Daddy-O,” making it clear that the legendary (and assertive) trumpeter was not just playing the role of sideman on Somethin’ Else, the sole Blue Note album by Cannonball Adderley. The alto saxophonist was a member of Davis’ band at the time and the depth of their musical camaraderie lifts this session up to rarefied heights throughout, from the breathtaking performance of “Autumn Leaves” that opens the album to the thrilling call-and-response theme of the title track. Pianist Hank Jones, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey round out the quintet on this timeless classic. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


Miles Davis: Volume 1 (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) The legendary trumpeter Miles Davis was still near the beginning of his storied career when he cut the three sessions that comprise his Blue Note recordings in 1952, 1953, and 1954. In the late 1940s, Miles had been a member of Charlie Parker’s quintet and Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, as well as cutting select sides as a leader including the influential Birth of the Cool sessions for Capitol Records. Miles’ star was still rising at the time he hooked up with Alfred Lion and Blue Note, but he was clearly on his path towards becoming one of the greatest bandleaders in jazz. Initially released across three 10” LPs—Young Man With A Horn, Vol. 2, and Vol. 3—the music captured on these Blue Note sides contains all the hallmarks of his early style from blazing bebop to beautiful ballads. When Blue Note transitioned to the 12” LP in 1955, Lion compiled Miles’ recordings onto two volumes as the inaugural releases of the 1500 series. Volume 1 (Blue Note 1501) presents tracks from the 1952 and 1953 sextet sessions featuring two stellar line-ups with included trombonist J.J. Johnson, saxophonists Jackie McLean and Jimmy Heath, pianist Gi Coggins, bassists Oscar Pettiford and Percy Heath, and drummers Kenny Clarke and Art Blakey. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is mono, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original masters, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


	Fats Navarro: The Fabulous, Vol.1 (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) The prodigiously talented trumpeter Theodore “Fats” Navarro was a bebop innovator whose career was cut tragically short when he died in 1950 at the age of 26. Navarro played with Charlie Parker and forged a distinctive style on his horn that would influence many greats that followed him including Clifford Brown. The year after his death Blue Note compiled the 10” LP Fats Navarro Memorial Album as a tribute to the late trumpeter with selections from various dates Fats had featured on between 1947-49 with the Tadd Dameron Sextet, the Bud Powell Quintet, and the McGhee-Navarro Boptet which Fats co-led with trumpeter Howard McGhee. In 1957, the label expanded the release into two 12” LPs titled The Fabulous Fats Navarro as part of the 1500 series including additional tracks from the sessions as well as alternate takes of several pieces in order to showcase the sheer creativity and originality of Navarro’s improvisations. Altogether the collection is a bebop masterclass that featured various distinguished casts of bebop luminaries. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is mono, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original masters, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


Gabor Szabo: The Sorcerer (Vinyl LP: Impulse) This 1967 set, recorded live at Boston's Jazz Workshop, showcases virtuoso guitarist Szabó-a veteran of Chico Hamilton's and Charles Lloyd's bands-at the top of his game on a diverse program featuring standards ("What Is This Thing Called Love") and pop hits ("The Beat Goes On") as well as the original and psychedelic-tinged jam, "Space." This Verve By Request title is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Third Man in Detroit. (Universal Music) Price: £29.99


	Dorothy Ashby: The Rubaiyat Of Dorothy Ashby (Vinyl LP: Cadet) The Rubaiyat Of Dorothy Ashby, released on Cadet Records in 1970, is a wonderous mix of spiritual and funky jazz with unique instrumentation that defies categorization. Harpist Ashby adds the koto, a 13-string Japanese instrument, to her arsenal and her longtime arranger Richard Evans blends flutes, vibraphone, oboe, kalimba and Ashby's own vocals into a singular, soul-affirming set. This Verve By Request LP features transfers from analog tapes and remastered on 180-gram vinyl, pressed at Third Man in Detroit. (Universal Music) Price: £29.99


Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio: Smokin' At The Half Note (Vinyl LP: Verve) Acoustic Sounds edition of Smokin' At The Half Note -essential listening for anyone who wants to hear why Wes' live shows were considered the pinnacle of his brilliant and incredibly influential guitar playing. He never played with more drive and confidence than he does here, supported every step of the way by a genuinely smokin' Wynton Kelly. Verve's Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging. (Universal Music) Price: £39.99


	Donald Byrd: At The Half Note Cafe, Vol.1 (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Trumpeter Donald Byrd was just 2 years into his 2 decade long Blue Note recording career when he brought his quintet in to Manhattan’s Half Note Café in November 1960 to record this soulful, swinging, and highly enjoyable live set of hard bop featuring Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Duke Pearson on piano, Laymon Jackson on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. Byrd had already established himself as a leading trumpeter on the scene and was riding high on a creative hot streak that produced the studio albums Off To The Races, Byrd In Hand, Fuego, and Byrd In Flight. After an introduction by WOV disc jockey Ruth Mason (who would later become Ruth Lion, wife of Blue Note founder Alfred Lion), the band hits the ground running on Pearson’s up-tempo “My Girl Shirl” before downshifting into Byrd’s blues “Soulful Kiddy.” Side 2 opens with a beautiful ballad performance of “A Portrait of Jennie” before stretching out on another original blues by Byrd titled “Cecile” and concluding Volume 1 with the band’s theme “Pure D. Funk.” This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket. (Blue Note Records) view larger image Price: £39.99


Oscar Peterson Trio: Night Train (Vinyl LP: Verve) This release presents the complete original album Night Train (Verve V6-538), one of the many masterpieces recorded by the classic Oscar Peterson Trio with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen. Particularly focused on Duke Ellington compositions, this LP also features the earliest version of Peterson's own "Hymn to Freedom." Acoustic Sounds Series mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes & manufactured at Quality Record Pressings (QRP) on 180 gram vinyl. Tip on gatefold sleeve. (Universal Music) Price: £39.99


	Brad Mehldau: Your Mother Should Know - Plays The Beatles (CD: Nonesuch) This live solo album features the pianist and composer's interpretations of nine songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and one by George Harrison. Although other Beatles songs have long been staples of Mehldau's solo and trio shows, he had not previously recorded any of the tunes on Your Mother Should Know. The album ends with a David Bowie classic that draws a connection between The Beatles and pop songwriters who followed. Your Mother Should Know was recorded in September 2020 at Philharmonie de Paris. (Warner Music) Price: £13.99


Brad Mehldau: Your Mother Should Know - Plays The Beatles (Vinyl LP: Nonesuch) Heavyweight 140-gram high-performance vinyl. Price: £29.99


	Sebastian Rochford: A Short Diary (CD: ECM) This “short diary (of loss)” as drummer Sebastian Rochford calls it is offered as “a sonic memory, created with love, out of need for comfort.” The album is dedicated to Rochford’s father, Aberdeen poet Gerard Rochford (1932-2019) and to his family. Seb, one of ten siblings, wrote most of the music for this album shortly after Gerard’s death and delivers it here, in performances of deep feeling and hymn-like clarity, together with pianist Kit Downes. The final wistful piece, “Even Now I Think Of Her” was composed by Gerard Rochford. Sebastian explains: “It’s a tune my dad had sung into his phone and sent me. I forwarded this to Kit’s phone. He listened, and then we started.” The poignancy of A Short Diary will touch many listeners. (ECM Records) Price: £14.99


Mette Henriette: Drifting (CD: ECM) After Mette Henriette’s critically acclaimed, self-titled first recording comes Drifting – and album pervaded by trio conversations of idiosyncratic and original expression. With Johan Lindvall returning on piano, new addition Judith Hamann on cello and herself on saxophone, Mette’s chamber musical elaborations prove of a concentrated and exploratory quality, marked by subtle yet intense interaction. Motifs and recurring patterns crystallize and reveal a concise, intricate narrative. The saxophonist-composer explains how “this album is in movement. It’s on its way somewhere and has its own pace – its creative agency is fundamentally different from what I’ve done previously.” Recorded in Oslo, completed in Studios La Buissonne and produced by Manfred Eicher, Drifting presents the trio’s deep investigations into hushed textures and rich tones with precision and clarity. (ECM Records) Price: £14.99


	Ralph Alessi Quartet: It's Always Now (CD: ECM) Ralph Alessi’s fourth appearance as a leader for the label follows a singular album run that’s been met with nothing but praise from The New York Times to The Guardian. The latter lauded Ralph’s previous recording Imaginary Friends (2019) for its “elegant balance of poignant, playful original compositions and gracefully probing improv” and declared it “his best album yet”. It’s Always Now however brims with arguments that there is a new contender for that title. On his new album, Alessi’s unique tone is as limber, piercing and present as ever, enveloped by a fresh quartet line-up – pianist Florian Weber, Bänz Oester on bass and drummer Gerry Hemingway – that navigates through the trumpeter’s idiosyncratically swinging compositions with a sixth sense. The album is not only a continuation of the leader’s work but also records Florian’s evolution on the label, this being his fourth album with ECM to date. His distinctive harmonic approach on keys is as evident in leader settings as in the role of a sideman, and his deep sensibility for Alessi’s pulse enhances this session, which was produced by Manfred Eicher. (ECM Records) Price: £14.99


Ralph Towner: At First Light (CD: ECM) An ECM artist for his entire musical career, US guitarist Ralph Towner has built up a unique body of work in his recordings for the label. Central to his oeuvre are his solo albums, the first of which, Diary, was issued 50 years ago. At First Light extends this great tradition, drawing inspiration from a broad palette of music. “My solo recordings have always included my own compositions in which there are trace elements of the many composers and musicians that have attracted me,” writes Towner in a liner note, citing the influence of, among others, George Gershwin, John Coltrane, John Dowland and Bill Evans: “I feel that At First Light is a good example of shaping this expanse of influences into my personal music.” In addition to his own pieces, Towner also plays Hoagy Carmichael’s “Little Old Lady”, Jule Styne’s “Make Someone Happy” and the traditional tune “Danny Boy.” Recorded at Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, Lugano, in February 2022, At First Light was produced by Manfred Eicher. (ECM Records) Price: £14.99


	Bobo Stenson Trio: Sphere (CD: ECM) The Bobo Stenson Trio’s ability of covering far-reaching idioms and wide-ranging repertoire within the scope of their personal diction has become both hallmark and custom, inspiring the New York Times to say the pianist “makes sublime piano-trio records without over-playing. It’s pulsating, with long improvised phrases; it’s alive.” Charting an equally subtle and idiosyncratic path through originals and melodies derived from various Scandinavian composers, the distinguished group proves of a particularly supple alchemy on Sphere. Here, a variety of musical tenets coexist in the unique blend, which the Swedish pianist has wrought, developed and refined over decades of collaboration with ECM and Manfred Eicher, who, as Bobo says “brings out the musicians’ best qualities” and produced the record. The pianist’s cohorts, Anders Jormin on bass and drummer Jon Fält, together accompanying the leader since Cantando in 2008, are more than ideal musical partners to Bobo’s soft touch and infinite appetite for interplay. Bobo: “We don’t have a way of playing ‘ready-made’. Things crystallise in the moment and we adjust to that. And that’s the quintessence. That’s the joy of playing together, to never do the same thing twice and to be determined about that.” The album was recorded at the Auditorio Stelio Molo in Lugano, in April 2022. (ECM Records) Price: £14.99


Enrico Pieranunzi Trio & Orchestra: Blues & Bach - The Music Of John Lewis (CD: Challenge) Enrico Pieranunzi is joined by Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana, conducted by Michele Corcella, on his new album which centres on the music of John Lewis. (Proper Music) Price: £14.99


	Phil Woods: Bird With Strings...And More! (CD: Storyville, 2 CDs) Price: £21.99


Julian Lage: The Layers (CD: Blue Note) The Layers is a stunning companion piece to guitarist Julian Lage’s acclaimed 2022 album View With A Room. The collection features six original pieces recorded during the same sessions which found Lage discovering new orchestrational possibilities by augmenting his deeply attuned trio of bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King with the addition of guitar icon Bill Frisell. Intimate and gorgeous, exploratory and embracing, imbued with vibrant colors and exquisite interplay, The Layers is a welcome additional offering from this meeting of two of modern jazz’s most distinctive voices with one of the music’s most skilled and inventive rhythm sections. (Blue Note Records) Price: £13.99


	Tim Garland & Jason Rebello: Life To Life (CD: Whirlwind) 'Life to Life' documents the culmination of three decades worth of respectful colleagueship between two of the UK's most revered jazz musicians - keyboardist Jason Rebello and multi-reedist Tim Garland. Rebello and Garland are both lauded musicians who between with them have worked with luminaries such as Sting, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter and Jeff Beck. Garland and Rebello assuredly demonstrate their shared instinctive and visceral musicianship on this 10-track duo record, which serves as an authentic output of the story so far of a strong and long-lasting friendship between two highly accomplished musicians. (Proper Music) Price: £13.99


Kenny Barron: The Source (CD: Artwork) An intimate face-to-face encounter between the pianist and his instrument, and a look back on his discography with a raw modernity. Recorded at the Théâtre d'Athénée, Paris in July 2022 to inaugurate the Artwork Records label. Price: £14.99


	Joe Chambers: Dance Kobina (CD: Blue Note) Drummer, percussionist, vibraphonist, composer, and Blue Note legend Joe Chambers returns with Dance Kobina, his 3rd album as a leader for Blue Note which explores the deep musical connection between Jazz, Latin, Brazilian, Argentinian, and African music. The follow-up to his 2021 album Samba de Maracatu was co-produced by pianist Andrés Vial and recorded in both New York and Montreal. The album presents compelling Chambers originals including “Gazelle Suite,” “Ruth,” and “Caravanserai,” as well as vibrant interpretations of pieces by Vial, Kurt Weill, Joe Henderson, and Karl Ratzer. (Blue Note Records) Price: £13.99


Sonny Rollins: Go West! The Contemporary Records Albums (CD: Craft Recordings, 3 CDs) Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums combines legendary Jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins' two studio albums for Lester Koenig's Contemporary Records, Way Out West and And The Contemporary Leaders, with a third disc, Contemporary Alternate Takes. Featuring remastered audio by Bernie Grundman, the set includes an expanded booklet with new notes and interview by Grammy award-winning music historian Ashley Kahn. (Universal Music) Price: £42.99


	Oliver Nelson: The Blues And The Abstract Truth (Vinyl LP: Wax Time) The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961) remains Oliver Nelson's most acclaimed album and features a line-up of top-class musicians: Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Roy Haynes, and George Barrow. The album is often noted for its unique ensemble arrangements and is frequently identified as a progenitor of Nelson's move towards arranging later in his career. It includes the iconic version of Nelson's all-time classic "Stolen Moments". Reviewer Michael G. Nastos gave it the maximum rating of 5 stars in AllMusic, stating the album is "a must buy for all jazz fans, and a Top Ten or Top Fifty favourite for many." This special edition includes, as a bonus, Nelson's original version of "Stolen Moments", recorded the previous year as "The Stolen Moment." (Proper Music) Price: £22.99


Herbie Hancock: Empyrean Isles (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Herbie Hancock debuted on Blue Note in 1962 and quickly established himself as both a remarkable pianist and a brilliant composer with three excellent albums—Takin’ Off, My Point Of View, and Inventions & Dimensions—before making what is widely considered to be his first masterpiece: Empyrean Isles. Recorded in 1964, the album seemed to distill the full breadth of Hancock’s artistry into a sweeping 35-minute musical journey. Joining Hancock on the voyage were three of his closest collaborators: trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and Hancock’s Miles Davis Quintet bandmates Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums. Each of the four distinctive original pieces Hancock composed for the date occupies its own unique space. The quartet launches into the album opener “One Finger Snap” which consists of a single opening line that leads directly into blistering improvisations by Hubbard and Hancock. The first side concludes with the beguiling “Oliloquy Valley” which conjures a mysterious and mystical vibe. The flipside leads off with one of Hancock’s most enduring themes, “Cantaloupe Island,” with its undulating groove and unforgettable melody, before moving into a more exploratory realm with “The Egg,” an expansive 14-minute epic that flirts with the avant-garde and gives ample space for the musicians to let their imaginations run wild. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


	Sam Rivers: Fuchsia Swing Song (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) A saxophonist of striking originality, Sam Rivers was born in Oklahoma and exposed to music from an early age by his pianist mother and gospel singer father. Rivers moved to Boston to study at the Boston Conservatory and eventually met, and began performing with, the drummer Tony Williams who was barely a teenager at the time. Williams would open several doors for Rivers including recommending him for what would be a short stint in the Miles Davis Quintet, but also bringing Rivers to the attention of Blue Note’s Alfred Lion. Williams featured Rivers on his Blue Note debut Life Time in 1964, which led to Rivers’ appearance on organist Larry Young’s album Into Somethin’ before the saxophonist was offered his own recording deal with Blue Note. A month later Rivers was in Rudy Van Gelder’s studio recording his astonishing debut album Fuchsia Swing Song with an extraordinary quartet featuring Williams, bassist Ron Carter, and pianist Jaki Byard. Although a strong avant-garde undercurrent flowed through his music, Rivers kept a foot planted firmly in post-bop and the blues on this impressive set of his originals including the fleet-footed title track, the hard-charging “Downstairs Blues Upstairs,” and the stunning ballad “Beatrice” which remains Rivers’ most beloved composition. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


Jackie McLean: Bluesnik (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was already a veteran of the NYC jazz scene by the time he began recording as a leader for Blue Note in 1959. In his first few years with the label McLean recorded frequently, churning out hard bop classics in quick succession. The culmination of this period is undoubtedly Bluesnik, a vibrant 1961 session that brims with immediacy. McLean had the blues on his mind when he entered Rudy Van Gelder’s studio that January with a formidable quintet featuring Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Pete La Roca on drums. Over the course of six original blues pieces the band goes from strength to strength, blazing out of the gate on McLean’s title tune and moving through every hue of blue from the leader’s shuffling “Goin’ Way Blues” to the pianist’s bright theme “Drew’s Blues” and Hubbard’s no-nonsense “Blues Function.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


	Horace Parlan Quintet: Speakin' My Piece (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Pianist Horace Parlan is perhaps best known for his work with Charles Mingus on the bassist’s seminal 1959 albums Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots. That same year Parlan made his first Blue Note appearance with Lou Donaldson and in 1960 he began leading his own sessions for the label with the trio albums Movin’ & Groovin’ and Us Three. For his third Blue Note date Speakin’ My Piece, also recorded in 1960, Parlan expanded his trio with bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood into a quintet with the addition of a frontline horn section featuring Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone and his brother Tommy Turrentine on trumpet. The result is a quintessential Blue Note hard bop album, adorned with a playful Reid Miles album cover design, and featuring Parlan originals like the bluesy “Wadin’” and tuneful “Up In Cynthia’s Room” along with pieces by each of the Turrentine brothers and a show-stopping performance on the ballad “Oh So Blue.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


Bobby Hutcherson: San Francisco (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) The musical partnership between vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson— a Blue Note stalwart since his arrival on the New York jazz scene in 1963—and tenor saxophonist Harold Land fully blossomed on the 1970 album San Francisco, though the musicians had already been exploring the far reaches of post-bop going back to 1968 on albums including Total Eclipse, Spiral, and Medina. On San Francisco they joined forces with pianist Joe Sample, bassist John Williams, and drummer Mickey Roker to form a band with a muscular sound that set a foot firmly in fusion on relentlessly grooving tunes like “Goin’ Down South” and “Ummh,” while indulging a wide range of other influences which gave the group its distinctive flavor, from the Latin-tinged numbers “Jazz” and “A Night In Barcelona” to exploratory pieces like the mesmerizing “Prints Tie” and transcendent “Procession.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


	Grant Green: Green Is Beautiful (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Guitarist Grant Green was prolific on Blue Note through the early-60s recording more than 20 hard bop and soul jazz sessions as a leader forthe label between1961-1965. By the time Green returned to the label in 1969 his musical style had evolved to wholly embrace jazz-funk as first heard on his album Carryin’ On. As the decade turned to 1970, Green was in back in Van Gelder Studio that January to record his vibrant album Green Is Beautiful, which remains one of the highlights of the era with the guitarist joined by Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Claude Bartee on tenor saxophone, Emmanuel Riggins and Neal Creque on organ, Jimmy Lewis on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums, Candido Camero on congas, and Richie Landrum on bongos. Throughout Green’s distinctive tone shines on this grooving 5-song set that opens with a 10-minute funk workout on James Brown’s “Ain’t It Funky Now” and includes covers of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” and Burt Bacharach’s “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” as well as two memorable originals by Creque: “The Windjammer” and “Dracula.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


Thelonious Monk: Genius of Modern Music, Vol.1 (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Thelonious Monk was a little-known figure on the New York City bebop scene when Blue Note founder Alfred Lion discovered and fell in love with the pianist’s utterly unique music and offered Monk his first opportunity to record as a leader. Over four sessions recorded in 1947 and 1948, Blue Note documented Monk in trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet settings performing his singular compositions including “’Round Midnight,” “Ruby My Dear,” “Epistrophy,” “Well You Needn’t,” and “Thelonious,” and released the 10” LP Genius of Modern Music. In 1956, Blue Note transitioned to the 12” LP and began the fabled 1500 Series which included the expanded Genius of Modern Music, Volume One(BLP 1510) featuring one of Reid Miles’ earliest cover designs for the label. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is mono, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


	J.J. Johnson: The Eminent, Vol.1 (Vinyl LP: Blue Note) Trombonist J. J. Johnson took the language of bebop and adapted it to his instrument winning the admiration of Fats Navarro, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Parker. After appearing on Miles Davis’ first Blue Note session in 1952, Johnson was given the chance to lead his own dates in 1953 and 1954. The first featured a sextet with Johnson joined by the brilliant trumpeter Clifford Brown, saxophonist Jimmy Heath, pianist John Lewis, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke who perform a varied program with up-tempo burners like “Turnpike” and beautiful ballads like “Lover Man.” For his next session Johnson went back into Van Gelder Studio to cut memorable takes of “Old Devil Moon,” the percolating original “Coffee Pot,” and more with a quintet featuring Wynton Kelly on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, Clarke once again on drums, and the conguero Sabu Martinez. The two sessions were later combined for the 12” release The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Volume 1 (BLP 1505). This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is mono, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original masters, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. (Blue Note Records) Price: £25.99


Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969 (CD: Mercury) Ella Fitzgerald "Live At Montreux 1969" features The First Lady of Song backed by the Tommy Flanagan Trio performing a set combining contemporary tracks, such as "Sunshine Of Your Love" and "Hey Jude" alongside classics "I Won't Dance", "That Old Black Magic" along with a host of others. (Universal Music) Price: £14.99


	Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Shirley Scott: Cookin' With Jaws And The Queen (CD: Prestige / Craft Recordings, 4 CDs) Released to celebrate tenor jazz saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis' Centennial, "Cookin' with Jaws and the Queen" showcases the influential soul-jazz partnership of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Organist Shirley Scott. Bringing together the Prestige albums "Cookbook, Vol. 1-3," "& "Smokin'". This 4-CD set is packaged in individual sleeves in a Clamb-shell package included with a book. (Universal Music) Price: £42.99


Quincy Jones & His Orchestra: Early Years - Six Complete Albums 1957-1961 (CD: Acrobat, 3 CDs) Winner of a Grammy Legend Award in 1992, Quincy Jones is still active within the music industry after a 70-year career. Jones has become one of the most prominent personalities in popular music as a trumpeter and pianist who became an arranger, composer, bandleader, record producer and film & TV producer. Jones came to prominence in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor. This 56-track set comprises jazz and big band recordings from his early career leading his own band, and includes all the titles from his original LPs This Is How I Feel About Jazz and Go West, Man! for ABC-Paramount, and The Birth Of A Band, The Great Wide World Of Quincy Jones, I Dig Dancers and Around The World for Mercury. It’s a revealing insight into his skills as a composer and arranger and a feast of highly contemporary and sophisticated top-class big band music. (Trapeze Music) Price: £16.99


	Duke Ellington: Presents (Vinyl LP: Bethlehem) Duke Ellington's class big band classic on Bethlehem. Recorded in Chicago, February 1956. 180g vinyl pressing. Price: £26.99


Charles Mingus: East Coasting (Vinyl LP: Bethlehem) A lesser-known gem in the Mingus catalog with Bill Evans on piano. Recorded in New York City, August 1957. Featuring Clarence Shaw, Jimmy Knepper, Shafi Hadi, Bill Evans and Dannie Richmond. Remastered 96 kHz/24 bit audio. 180g vinyl pressing. Price: £26.99


	Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: Hard Drive (Vinyl LP: Bethlehem) A classic album from the hard bop era. Recorded in New York City, October 1957. Featuring Bill Hardman, Johnny Griffin, Junior Mance, Sam Dockery and Spanky DeBrest. 180g vinyl pressing. Price: £26.99


John Coltrane: In The Winners Circle (Vinyl LP: Bethlehem) All-star jazz session recorded in New York, September & October 1957. Featuring the musicians who came first or second in Down Beat's critics' poll of 1957: Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, Art Farmer, Philly Joe Jones, Oscar Pettiford and more. 180g vinyl pressing. Price: £26.99


	Archie Shepp: Kwanza (Vinyl LP: Impulse) These 1969 recordings (released 5 years later) combine Shepp's free jazz bonafides and a blend of blues and funk through an African lens, all in a big band setting. The all-star brass section, featuring James Spaulding and Charles Davis on sax along with trombonist Graham Moncur III lead the way on stand outs including "New Africa" and "Spoo Pee Doo". This Verve By Request LP features transfers from analog tapes and remastered on 180-gram vinyl, pressed at Third Man in Detroit. (Universal Music) Price: £29.99


Ahmad Jamal: The Awakening (Vinyl LP: Impulse) By 1970, pianist Ahmad Jamal's style had changed a bit since the 1950s, becoming denser and more adventurous while still retaining his musical identity and signature elegance. Jamal's trio - bassist Jamil Nasser (whose double-timing lines are sometimes furious) and drummer Frank Gant, deliver intriguing performances, showing that Jamal was continuing to evolve. This Verve By Request Series features a remastered transfer on 180-gram vinyl, pressed at Third Man in Detroit. (Universal Music) Price: £29.99


	Charlie Parker: Live In Sweden 1950 (CD: Dragon, 2 CDs) Charlie Parker only visited Europe twice, in May 1949 he played in Paris, and for just over a week in November 1950 he was mainly in Sweden - Some of the recordings were made at concerts with a buzzing audience and people dancing - hence the live feeling! The musicians are relaxed and the atmosphere informal. Their joy of playing on stage with Parker is truly palpable to the listener. This double CD set contains 2 shows and a late night jam. Some of these recordings have been previously released, but at the wrong speed - but now we get the full sets in the way it sounded 1950. (Proper Music) Price: £27.99


Lester Young & Teddy Wilson Quartet: Pres And Teddy (CD: Essential Jazz Classics) This edition presents the complete original 1956 album 'Pres & Teddy' (Verve MG V-8205), reuniting Lester with his old musical companions Teddy Wilson, Gene Ramey and Jo Jones. Produced by Norman Granz, this was one of the last albums by Lester in his "swinging" prime. Includes 12 bonus tracks from two other quartet sessions by Lester. Recorded in 1951, they also feature Ramey and Jones, with John Lewis replacing Wilson on piano. The 12-page booklet features rare photos, memorabilia and updates, as well as the original liner notes. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


	Lester Young & Harry Edison: Going For Myself (CD: Essential Jazz Classics) This release presents the complete original LP 'Going for Myself' (Verve MGV-8298), recorded in 1957-58 and reuniting Lester Young and Harry "Sweets" Edison. This was one of Pres' last studio albums ever. Backing Pres and Sweets are superb musicians like Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones and Herb Ellis. 5 bonus tracks have been added to the contents of the original album, including three alternate takes and two tunes not included on the originally issued set. Includes an 8-page booklet with rare photos, memorabilia and updates, as well as the original liner notes. (Proper Music) Price: £12.99


Thelonious Monk Quartet featuring Johnny Griffin: Complete Live At The Five Spot 1958 (CD: Essential Jazz Classics, 2 CDs) Just after John Coltrane left Thelonious Monk and before the arrival of Charlie Rouse, Thelonious Monk formed a quartet with tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, which played at the Five Spot in New York during 1958. Half of this music was issued on two albums: 'In Action' (Riverside RLP-1190) and 'Misterioso'(Riverside RLP-1133). This special 2CD edition contains all known music from that gig plus a rare bonus track, 'Coming On The Hudson', also featuring Johnny Griffin. (Proper Music) Price: £17.99


	Various Artists: Jazz Vocalists Sing George Gershwin (CD: Jackpot, 2 CDs) When George Gershwin died suddenly from a brain tumour in 1937 at the age of 38, he was a widely renowned musician with a long career as a composer of concert pieces and songs for Hollywood movies and the Broadway stage. However, he hardly could have imagined that his works would remain influential so long after his passing, or that they would become jazz standards performed and recorded by countless artists over the decades. This outstanding 2-CD set presents a wide selection of Gershwin classics (in most cases with lyrics by his brother Ira) sung by some of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time including Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Fred Astaire, Louis Armstrong and many others. 48 tracks celebrating the 125th anniversary of the birth of one of the most important composers of the 20th century, 2CD set with extensive 16-page booklet. (Proper Music) Price: £17.99

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