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During the spring and summer of 1956, trumpeter Kenny Dorham recorded two studio albums with his Jazz Prophets, a small hard bop band involving tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and a rhythm section of pianist Dick Katz, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Arthur Edgehill. On May 31 of that year, Dorham's group performed live at the Café Bohemia with Bobby Timmons at the piano and guitarist Kenny Burrell sitting in on all but the first of four sets. Originally engineered by Rudy Van Gelder and remastered by him in 2001, Blue Note's 2002 double-disc "Complete" Dorham Café Bohemia edition combines every usable track taped during this exceptionally fine evening of live jazz…

While nominally Lawrence Marable is a leader, the star is the Texas Tenor James Clay. But this 1956 LP is a classic not only because of Clay (who here was a fresh faced 20 year old) but because of presence of the always great Sonny Clark. Rounding out band is Jimmy Bond on bass and the titular leader Lawrence Marable.

Lucky Thompson was very active in the recording studios during his 1956 visit to France; this CD in Verve's attractive Jazz in Paris reissue series features the big toned tenor saxophonist with both a quartet and a tentet. Thompson's lush sound in sensitive interpretations of "The Man I Love" and the less familiar ballad "There's No You" brings Ben Webster to mind. Thompson's original "Tight Squeeze" is an up-tempo jump blues which showcases his harder blowing, more boppish side; while the venerable standard "Gone With the Wind" is a brisk swinger. Pianist Henri Renaud leads the potent rhythm section. The tentet session is less memorable. All of the songs were written by Renaud, and while they are comparable to much of the output of so-called "cool school" of the period, they tend to be a little too conservative. Still, Thompson's playing is at a high label throughout both dates, so bop fans should invest in this enjoyable CD.

While visiting France in 1956, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson recorded over a dozen sessions within a span of just four months, with various groups put together by drummer Gerard "Dave" Pochonet. This CD reissue in Verve's Jazz in Paris series combines two different studio dates. Four tracks feature a septet with an unusual lineup that includes bass trombonist Charles Verstraete and baritone saxophonist Michel de Villers and a rhythm section anchored by pianist Martial Solal. The full group blends very well, with excellent solos by each member of the front line, though Thompson's quartet feature, "Lullaby of the Leaves," is marred somewhat by his squeaking reed. The remaining five selections are by a tentet that includes the entire septet, except Henri Renaud takes over on piano…

This 1956 recording was Bob Dorough's debut, an introduction to one of the most unusual talents in jazz. He's a gifted songwriter and a fine pianist, but most of all, he's a unique lyricist and singer, rattling off hyperkinetic vocalese in an almost chirping, high-pitched voice that somehow retains hints of an Arkansas drawl and a conversational intimacy. He's as distinctive on Hoagy Carmichael's beautiful "Baltimore Oriole" as he is on the bop fanfares like Dizzy Gillespie's "Ow!" and Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite," with his own memorable lyrics. His boppish piano playing–with all the virtues of crisp articulation and an acute sense of time–is an oddly conventional complement to the vocals, and there are good contributions by Warren Fitzgerald on trumpet and Jack Hitchcock on vibes. Devil May Care's title tune has recently received fine covers by more conventional singers like Diana Krall and Claire Martin, but it's much more distinctive here. While Dorough has influenced generations of jazz singers, from Mose Allison to Kurt Elling, there's nothing quite like the original.

The Go-Go-Goraguer sessions are a rare opportunity to discover what a potent jazz pianist Alain Goraguer was before he embarked on a new career as an arranger and a composer that would take him away from the realm of jazz. He would have been part of a great generation of French jazz pianists that includes fine stylists such as René Urtreger, Martial Solal, or Georges Arvanitas. The program is comprised of standards, songs from the French repertoire, and two originals. Classically trained, Goraguer's technique is beyond reproach, and his quite marvelous touch can be enjoyed on a wide range of material - from his tender version of "Darn That Dream" to a percussive reworking of "What Is This Thing Called Love?." Regardless of the tempo, his playing has a sparkling quality that does not fail to draw the listener in…