An atmospheric jazz album, it includes Jack DeJohnette (d), Gary Peacock (b), and Jan Garbarek (ts). ~ Paul Kohler, All Music Guide . Recorded December 1977 at Talent Studio, Oslo. Photos by Daniel Lienhard. Layout by Barbara Wojirsch.

Here Branford Marsalis takes on the special challenges of the all-ballad album: to make a CD that's distinctive and that maintains interest at slower and medium tempos. He starts by avoiding the usual repertoire, instead dividing his program between seldom-heard tunes--like "Gloomy Sunday" and "Dinner for One Please, James"--and originals.

This latest recording from the brilliant German bassist Eberhard Weber is a tremendous live album taken from two 65th birthday concerts he gave in 2005 at a packed Theaterhaus in Weber's hometown of Stuttgart. The celebration presents sparkling new arrangements of some of his best-loved tracks from an impressive back catalogue of classic albums such as The Colours of Chloë, Yellow Fields and Orchestra.

Born Martii Juhani Vesala, the percussionist changed his name early in his musical career. Vesala studied music theory and orchestral percussion at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki from 1965-7. He played with such musicians as Eero Koivistionen and Seppo Paakkunainen during the mid-to-late ‘60s. In 1972 he recorded Triptykon for ECM with saxophonist Jan Garbarek and bassist Arild Andersen. It would be the first of many albums Vesala would make for the German label. His long association with ECM would help establish Vesala's reputation as a world class free jazz percussionist.

Eric Alexander is a very consistent tenor saxophonist, one who swings hard even if the chord changes are a bit complex. His tone is appealing and, like one of his influences, Dexter Gordon, he rarely seems to run out of ideas. For this sextet date with trumpeter John Swana, guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Carl Allen, Alexander contributed three very different originals and interprets a trio of standards plus Ahmad Jamal's "Night Mist Blues" and Cecil McBee's "Song of Her." Whether it be romps or sensitive ballads, Eric Alexander is in excellent form throughout this rewarding disc. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

The ’small advantages’ of the title include material, positional and also psychological ones. The book is made up of nine chapters on such subjects as strengths and weaknesses of opposite-coloured bishops, and rook versus two minor pieces, and consists of annotated segments of games, many of which will be very familiar, up-to-date to 2000. A good read for the club player, though the price tag seems a little steep for a book of only 144 pages.

This is one of Steve Kuhn's more unusual studio sessions, which was recorded for ECM in 1977. At times, the pianist seems less like a post-bop musician and more like someone dabbling in new age music, especially in his opener, "The Rain Forest." But his formidable technique is quickly brought center stage, so the deceptively mellow setting, with Steve Slagle's birdlike flute and Michael Smith's sparse percussion, develops into something tantalizing, even though it seems unlikely that it could be played in a nightclub.

In 1961 John Coltrane's explorations of different modes and rhythms led to several powerful works that invoked other cultures, like "Olé," "India," and "Brazilia." While those pieces were all recorded with expanded versions of his quartet, "Africa" was a unique opportunity, with Eric Dolphy's arrangements for up to 13 brass and reed instruments providing a setting of volcanic energy for Coltrane's majestic, declamatory tenor and the surging drumming of Elvin Jones.

Most of Brahem's followers know him for his mastery in the oud. This time, his compositions include western instruments such as accordion and piano.
There is also a delicious jazzy sound in this album, such as the track with the same name: Khomsa.
Why the name Khomsa? It means protection. The historic origin of this word comes from the ancient Egypt, by the time the Jews were living on that land. Moses ordered to paint a hand with sheep blood outside of every jewish door to get protected from the prophetic guardians. This signal is called Khomsa.

The German maestro Claus Ogerman is no strange to jazz and jazz musicians having worked with the greatests like Bill Evans and the rapport with Brecker on this recording is most evident. The strings and woodwinds appears very subtly on the mix leaving the saxophone a needed room to explore the beautiful and dense harmonies written by Ogerman. Michael Brecker works to his full advantage every time he emerges from the background showing why he is considered the most talented post Coltrane tenorist. I would only hoped the arrangements had that little extra spark to let Michael flying a bit higher which is his trademark.

Most musicians would at least be considering the idea of retirement by the time they reach their mid-seventies, but most musicians aren't Sonny Rollins. After a five-year recording hiatus, Rollins returned from a Japanese tour and took his band into the studio to cut Sonny, Please. It's the first release on his own Doxy label, coming after a monumental 35-year stay at Milestone that produced some of the most forward-looking, trend-setting jazz ever captured on tape. It would be a stretch to say that Rollins is still the innovator he was in the '50s and '60s, but it would be a mistake to underestimate his capabilities as an elder, because Sonny, Please is a respectable, occasionally brilliant effort. It doesn't hurt that Rollins surrounds himself with such fine players as his perennial bassist Bob Cranshaw, with whom he has worked since his late '50s comeback from an extended vacation; the ubiquitous drummer Steve Jordan; trombonist Clifton Anderson (who is Rollins' nephew); guitarist Bobby Broom; and percussionist Kimati Dinizulu. As supportive as they all are, though, Rollins remains the focus, blowing his sax as assuredly as ever, if with a little less abandon than during his heyday.

El Concierto de Aranjuez es probablemente la obra más conocida de Joaquín Rodrigo, uno de los compositores españoles más famosos de la post-guerra. Escrito a principios de 1939 en París, en un ambiente tenso por las últimas etapas de la Guerra civil española y la incipiente Segunda guerra mundial, se trata de la primera obra escrita por Rodrigo para guitarra y orquesta.

Vibraphonist Gary Burton and bassist Steve Swallow had played together on a regular basis since 1967. This duet outing finds Burton switching between vibes, organ and marimba while Swallow doubles on occasional piano. As expected, the music is introverted, quiet, and occasionally swinging, but mostly floating. Burton and Swallow perform group originals (generally by Swallow), plus Carla Bley's "Vashkar" and Mike Gibbs' "Inside In." Thoughtful background music with no real surprises or excitement. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

Brian Bromberg, a highly versatile bassist who can play straight-ahead jazz, fusion, smooth, and adventurous music with equal skill, is a masterful tapper too. On this rockish fusion set, most of the selections have just Bromberg joined by drummer Joel Taylor. Bromberg utilizes an overdubbed piccolo bass like a guitar (so one would swear this was a guitar-driven power trio) in addition to his standard electric bass. Keyboardist Dan Siegel is on two numbers and drummer Tom McCauley subs for Taylor on one song, but otherwise all of the music is made by the two musicians. The results are nine rock-oriented originals played with plenty of spirit, passion, and fun in addition to the expected virtuosity. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

One of the most innovative and chance-taking jazz-fusion outfits of the late 1970s, Caldera was a Latin band that combined jazz, funk and rock with a wide variety of Latin music. 1970s fusion explorers like Return to Forever and Weather Report influenced Caldera, but its members were also influenced by everything from Earth, Wind & Fire's soul/funk to Afro-Cuban salsa, Brazilian samba and Andean/Peruvian music.