Mahogany Organ All Stars A Date With Moa (2017)

The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All Stars are the cream of the crop of current New Orleans musicians, paying tribute to the musician who started it all in the Crescent City. Comprised of new arrangements and recordings of music associated with Louis by a rotating cast of key New Orleans players including guest features from Wynton Marsalis, Common, and more. Features a previously unknown Louis Armstrong and the All Stars track.

The creative young voices of Jazz have been the lifeblood of Blue Note Records throughout its storied history, from Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock to Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson, all of whom made their debut albums for the legendary label. The Blue Note All-Stars continue that legacy with the September 29 release of Our Point of View, the debut recording from a supergroup of young visionaries that formed in 2014 for a series of live performances in honor of Blue Note’s 75th anniversary. Featuring trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, keyboardist Robert Glasper, bassist Derrick Hodge, guitarist Lionel Loueke, drummer Kendrick Scott, and tenor saxophonist Marcus Strickland, the album also boasts a special guest appearance by Blue Note legends Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, and is dedicated to the memory of beloved longtime Blue Note President Bruce Lundvall, who passed away in 2015.

Latin-Soul-Rock by the Fania All-Stars is a half-live, half-studio album. In addition to featuring a few of the actual Yankee Stadium recordings, such as the now-infamous Larry Harlow/Heny Alvarez–penned “Congo Bongo,” the record demonstrated how well the Fania All-Stars could play with others in the studio, namely Billy Cobham, Jan Hammer, and Jorge Santana; and at the same time, flex their Latin rock and funk muscles on tunes like the Marty Sheller–arranged “There You Go” and “Viva Tirado,” recently made a hit by El Chicano; and then there was the Bobby Valentín–arranged “Smoke,” which wouldn’t have been out of place spinning on one of Kool Herc’s turntables a few miles down the road from the “House that Ruth Built.” It was fusion, it was funk, it was salsa.

Latin-Soul-Rock by the Fania All-Stars is a half-live, half-studio album. In addition to featuring a few of the actual Yankee Stadium recordings, such as the now-infamous Larry Harlow/Heny Alvarez–penned “Congo Bongo,” the record demonstrated how well the Fania All-Stars could play with others in the studio, namely Billy Cobham, Jan Hammer, and Jorge Santana; and at the same time, flex their Latin rock and funk muscles on tunes like the Marty Sheller–arranged “There You Go” and “Viva Tirado,” recently made a hit by El Chicano; and then there was the Bobby Valentín–arranged “Smoke,” which wouldn’t have been out of place spinning on one of Kool Herc’s turntables a few miles down the road from the “House that Ruth Built.” It was fusion, it was funk, it was salsa.