Bennie Green

This mammoth 12-CD box set may not contain Charles Mingus' most significant recordings (those would take place shortly after these sessions), but there is a remarkable amount of exciting and somewhat innovative music in this reissue of all of the dates recorded for Mingus' Debut label.

Bop's greatest diva, a highly influential jazz singer with extraordinary range and perfect intonation, ranging from soft and warm to harsh and throaty. Summertime 1944-1950 contains her a memorable collaboration with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Tony Scott, Max Roach and others.

LOCKED AWAY MORE THAN 70 YEARS VANGUARD JAZZ FINALLY GETS A RETROSPECTIVE TRIBUTE
Our greatest pleasure at Mosaic comes in unearthing surprising alternate takes, forgotten sessions, and overlooked artists that may have inadvertently slipped into obscurity. Rarely do we get an even greater honor — presenting a treasure trove of recordings that have remained almost entirely unheard for many, many decades. We’ve worked years for the opportunity to re-visit the earliest jazz recordings on the Vanguard label, and we’re thrilled to finally present the first of what will be two Mosaic sets devoted to this important archive. A future set will focus on pianists in a variety of settings, but this first set showcases small groups in a 7-CD collection — “Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions.” The set includes highlights from the six-year effort — 1953-1958 — that was originally labeled the Vanguard Jazz Showcase series. This collection of 85 tracks represents Vanguard’s first forays into jazz and brings fresh life to the original LPs that were released some 70 years ago.

Tenor-saxophonist Ike Quebec recorded six albums for Blue Note during his last period before passing away in Jan. 1963. This single CD has at least one selection from each of the records (11 in all) that, when taken as a whole, gives one a good idea as to how strong Quebec was still sounding.

Rare live performances from 1950-1958 featuring Bean a.k.a. Coleman Hawkins with such sidemen as Pee Wee Russell, Charlie Shavers, J.C. Higginbotham and others. Includes some of his best-known tunes, too- Body and Soul; the Man I Love, and a seven and a half minute rendition of Avalon!

What a curious, if delightful, package Walk On is. Comprised of two CDs the first is the final Ray Brown trio date from January 2000 with Geoffrey Keezer and Karriem Riggins, and the second is two separate live shows from 1994 and 1996 respectively the players range from Keezer to Monty Alexander and Bennie Green, bassists Josh Clayton and Christian McBride, and drummers Lewis Nash and Gregory Hutchinson. Disc one is pure Brown majesty as he and the band literally walk, very sprightly, through a series of classics such as "You Are My Sunshine," "Stella by Starlight," Wes Montgomery's "Fried Pies," and "Sunday."