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Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 4 Way Street (1971) {2CD Set, Atlantic 7567-82408-2 rel 1992}
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© 1971, 1992 Atlantic / Warner | 7567-82408-2
Rock / Folk Rock / Contemporary Rock / Singer-Songwriter / Album Rock

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young had come out of Woodstock as the hottest new music act on the planet, and followed it up with Deja Vu, recorded across almost six months in the second half of 1969 and released in March of 1970, supported by a tour in the summer of that year. As it happened, despite some phenomenal music-making on-stage that summer, the tour was fraught with personal conflicts, and the quartet split up upon its completion. And as it happened, even Deja Vu was something of an illusion created by the foursome – Neil Young was only on five of the album's ten tracks – which meant that an actual, tangible legacy for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was as elusive and ephemeral to listeners as Ahab's Moby Dick.

Mal Waldron - Impressions (1959) {Prestige–New Jazz OJCCD-132-2 rel 1992}
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© 1959, 1992 Prestige-New Jazz / Fantasy | OJCCD-132-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Piano

This CD reissue brings back one of pianist Mal Waldron's lesser-known sessions from the 1950's. Teamed up in a trio with bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Al "Tootie" Heath, Waldron performs three originals from what he called his "Overseas Suite" along with a fine song by his wife ("All About Us") and three standards. Waldron's brooding Monk-influenced style is heard in its early prime on this excellent release.

Earl Hines - Another Monday Date (1956) {Prestige PRCD-24032-2 rel 1995}
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© 1955-56, 1995 Prestige Records / Fantasy | PRCD-24032-2
Jazz / Bop / Stride / Piano

Two of pianist Earl Hines's finest recordings sessions of the 1950s are included on this CD. One is a tribute to Fats Waller on which Hines (with guitarist Eddie Duran, bassist Dean Reilly and drummer Earl Watkins) explores songs associated with Waller. The other date is Hines's only solo session of the decade and features him playing his own compositions (including "Everything Depends on You," "You Can Depend on Me," "Piano Man" and "My Monday Date") along with "Am I Too Late?" During the 1950s, Hines was somewhat forgotten in jazz, reduced to playing Dixieland dates, so this two-fer is far superior to his other sessions prior to his "comeback" of 1964.

Gene Ammons - Live In Chicago (1961) {Prestige OJCCD-395-2 rel 2006}
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© 1961, 2006 Prestige Records / Fantasy / Universal | OJCCD-395 / 00025218639521
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Saxophone

The tenor-saxophonist is heard in a surprisingly sparse setting for this live set, in a trio with organist Eddie Buster and drummer Gerald Donovan, two Chicago-based musicians. Ammons performs standards, blues and ballads, sounding at his best on an emotional "Please Send Me Someone to Love" and a hard-charging "Sweet Georgia Brown." This is one of many Gene Ammons recordings from the 1961-62 period; virtually all are worth getting. The CD reissue adds two previously unreleased selections to the original program.

Gil Evans - Bud and Bird (1986) {Evidence ECD22003-2 rel 1992}
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© 1986, 1992 Evidence | ECD 22003-2
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz

Gil Evans celebrated his 75th birthday shortly before this session was issued in Japan. He was not looking back, judging from the progressive, animated quality of these numbers. They included some extensive, rollicking numbers, songs with multiple movements, and energized solos from John Clark on French horn, trumpeter Lew Soloff, bass trombonist Dave Tucker, and bassist Mark Egan. Special guest Johnny Coles chimed in on "Half Man, Half Cookie." Some critics rapped Evans' '80s orchestras for their almost chaotic sound and loose feel. But Evans wanted a sprawling sensibility, and although his bands often seemed disorganized, they always maintained discipline in the midst of what others thought sounded like musical anarchy.

Charlie Byrd - Byrd's World! (1958) {Riverside OJCCD-1054-2 rel 2000}
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© 1958, 2000 Riverside Records / Fantasy | OJCCD-1054-2 / 0025218705424
Jazz / Bop / International Jazz / Guitar

Byrd's Word! is an early Charlie Byrd recording that finds the guitarist in a variety of settings. The idea seems to be showcasing Byrd with a number of friends, including valve trombonist Bobby Felder, tenor saxophonist Buck Hill, and pianist Tee Carson. Though there are really no bad cuts on the album, the content is so diverse – acoustic trios, electric guitar with brass, and acoustic guitar with vocals – that the album doesn't flow as a whole. "Byrd's Word" opens the album, with a big brassy sound, complete with Byrd cutting loose on electric guitar.

Dudu Pukwana - Ubagile (1975) {Jazz Colours 874744-2 rel 1999}
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© 1975, 1999 Arista / Freedom / Jazz Colours | 874744-2
Jazz / African Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / African Traditions / World Fusion

CD Reissue of 1978 LP entitled Diamond Express. A follow-up to his extraordinary recording for Caroline, In the Townships, Diamond Express doesn't quite reach those heights but provides measures of enjoyment on its own. Four of the five cuts feature, in addition to Pukwana, two of the musicians from the prior date, drummer Louis Moholo and the glorious trumpeter Mongezi Feza, who was to die prematurely shortly after this session. The remainder of the band on these pieces, however, is filled out by several musicians who operated more from the electric funk end of the spectrum than the acoustic-oriented township music which was Pukwana's roots.