"Zawinul", released just prior to the first Weather Report LP, gives us a chance to observe this music as originally envisioned by its composer, while still remaining firmly in the early psychedelic fusion sound that characterized both the Miles release and the first Weather Report release.

This is an excellent three-CD set, organized as "Trio," "Duo," and "Solo." On the "Trio" album we find Michel working with his brother, Louis, on bass, and drummer Lenny White in a set recorded live in Japan in 1999. Petrucciani opens at a hell-bent pace with the original composition "Manhattan," playing with the unusual rhythmic fluency that was such an integral part of his style.

A valuable reissue for Mingus fans, Tonight at Noon compiles five tunes originally recorded for two of the great bassist's most important album's, 1957's The Clown and 1961's Oh Yeah. Though the two sessions cover somewhat different stylistic ground, they blend together seamlessly and amount to much more than a haphazard assemblage of dusty outtakes.

The music of jazz trombone player Albert Mangelsdorf is timeless. This re-issue of his album “Tension” proves this for once and for all. With this release Mangelsdorff got excellent critics in the American jazz-scène.

The members of Oddjob have clearly done their homework. Drummer Janne Robertson opens the album with a New Orleans Second Line-style solo, "Kingston," before the group enters for the breezy.......

Whether you're an Ennio Morricone fan or not, this is just plain excellent music. The pianist, Enrico Pieranunzi, who played on many of the original Morricone recordings, is the arranger and band leader on this album.

Magician with sounds ! Here is the term which perfectly suits Ahmad Jamal. Miles Davis was already dreaming thanks to him but as he could not hire him, he asked his pianist to draw his insipration from Ahmad Jamal. With a consolidated rhythmic base, the pianist-composer has more freedom at his disposal to discover new sounds. Pushing his limits away, this is the permanent Credo of this eternal young man. An attitude which shows the fullness of this creative and generous artist. With « A Quiet Time», Ahmad Jamal, devotee of Maurice Ravel s music, writes one of the most beautiful chapters of what he calls, with pride, « the american classical music ».(amazon)

Charlie Shoemake may not have the name recognition of Gary Burton, Lionel Hampton, or Milt Jackson, but the vibraphonist recorded a number of memorable sessions during the 1980s, such as this LP for Discovery.

The Charles Lloyd quartet was the first jazz group to play at the Fillmore in San Francisco. This album is from that venue, early in 1967

A surprising album from Bley, long considered an outside player with little, if any, affinity for straight bop. He shatters that myth on this set, going through a dozen songs, including such anthems as "Ornithology" and "The Theme," with vigor, harmonic distinction, and rhythmic edge. He's brilliantly backed by bassist Bob Cranshaw, providing some of his best, least detached playing in quite a while, and drummer Keith Copeland, navigating the tricky changes with grace.

Stanko remains idolized in his native Poland, and he makes no bones about his debt to Komeda. Throughout his forty-year career there have been but two constants: an intensity in which every note is important, and an immediately identifiable trumpet sound, which, while starting from Miles Davis and Chet Baker, is distinctly his own and Northern European, if not Polish.

Blending power, elegance, and thoughtfulness, Swiss drummer Daniel Humair has worked with the best American and European jazz musicians. He quickly became a staple among European drummers, first in a bop style, then adopting the sophistication of West Coast drummers such as Shelly Manne and later absorbing Elvin Jones' influence.

A Live recording from this intense free jazz unit with Mats Gustafsson, Peter Ole Jorgensen, Peter Friis Nielsen & Per-Ake Homlander. This band plays with wild energy in driving compositions that take unusual twists into textural material to return to the cry and determination of serious improvisation. Highly recommended!