Paul Bley

Controversial, misunderstood, and underappreciated, Jimmy Giuffre was an unlikely candidate to break as much ground as he did in the art of free improvisation. A swing orchestra veteran, Giuffre made his name as part of the West Coast school of cool jazz, but his restless creative spirit drove him to push the boundaries of texture, dynamic shading, counterpoint, and improvisational freedom in surprisingly avant-garde ways, despite maintaining a cool, cerebral exterior…

Charles Mingus - The Complete Candid Recordings of Charles Mingus (1960) {3CD Set Mosaic MD3-111 rel 1989}
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© 1960, 1989 Candid / Mosaic Records | MD3-111
Jazz / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz

A complete collection Charles Mingus' classic recordings for the Candid label – far and away some of the best recordings he ever made, and some of the few studio sessions that really let him stretch out and do his thing! Players here are a firey lineup of young modernists that includes Eric Dolphy, Ted Curson, Charles McPherson, Booker Ervin, Paul Bley, Roy Eldridge, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Knepper, Jo Jones and Dannie Richmond – all working here with Mingus on really long tracks that burst out with raw emotion, intense energy, and some really searing solo work!

Various Artists - From Modern Jazz To New Thing (1957-1959) - La Grande Histoire Du Jazz Vol. 4 (2010) {Box 25CD - 100 of 100}
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© 1957-59б 2010 Le Chant du Monde | 574 1975.99
Jazz / Hard Bop / Modal Music / Third Stream

An epic 100 CD chronological documentation of the history of jazz music from 1898 to 1959, housed in four boxed sets. Each box contains 25 slipcase CDs, a booklet (up to 186 pages) and an index. The booklets contain extensive notes (Eng/Fr) with recording dates and line-ups. 31 hours of music in each box, totalling 1677 tracks Each track has been restored and mastered from original sources.

Marion Brown - Geechee Recollections & Sweet Earth Flying (2011) {Impulse! 2-on-1 Remasters Series rec 1973-1974}
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© 1973-74, 2011 Impulse! / Verve / Universal | 06025 2780943
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Modern Creative / Electric Jazz / Modal Music / Saxophone

This single-disc volume brings together the first two chapters in saxophonist and composer Marion Brown's stellar Impulse! trilogy. Geechee Recollections (1973) and Sweet Earth Flying (1974) are, along with their final chapter, Vista (1975), arguably the finest moments in his catalog. Thematically, these two titles and Vista examine and celebrate the legacy of poet Jean Toomer and also revisit Brown's childhood in Atlanta and around the Georgia countryside. They are grounded in Southern folk themes and blues with just a kiss of funk. The musicians on Geechee Recollections are vocalist Bill Hasson (who actually does a long-form accompanied sung/spoken recitation of Toomer's poem "Karintha"), percussionist Jumma Santos, trumpeter (pre-Wadada) Leo Smith, drummer Steve McCall, and bassist James Jefferson as well as others on percussion.

Sonny Rollins - All The Things You Are (1963-64) {Bluebird–BMG 2179-2-RB rel 1990}
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© 1963-64, 1990 RCA / Bluebird / BMG | 2179-2-RB
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Half of this LP contains the famous session on which Sonny Rollins teamed up with his idol, the great tenor Coleman Hawkins. Actually, the competitive Rollins did everything he could during these performances to throw Hawk off with plenty of sound explorations and free playing, but Hawkins keeps from getting lost and battles Rollins for a tie; pianist Paul Bley plays well too. The remainder of this LP (three selections apiece from the former LPs Now's the Time and The Standard Sonny Rollins) is more conventional but has its moments of interest. The young Herbie Hancock is on piano for all of these tracks and guitarist Jim Hall helps on "Trav'lin Light." Rollins's RCA recordings of the '60s are all worth picking up.

George Russell - Jazz In The Space Age (1960) {Decca–GRP GRD-826 rel 1998} (featuring Bill Evans)
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© 1960, 1998 Decca / GRP / Universal | GRD-826
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Jazz

George Russell's third release as a leader combines two adventurous sessions. The first features two pianists, Bill Evans and Paul Bley, and a large ensemble including Ernie Royal, Dave Baker, Walt Levinsky, Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton, and Don Lamond, among others. The three-part suite "Chromatic Universe" is an ambitious work which mixes free improvisation with written passages that have not only stood the test of time but still sound very fresh. "The Lydiot" focuses on the soloists, while incorporating elements from "Chromatic Universe" and other Russell compositions.

Avid Jazz continues with its Four Classic album series with a re-mastered 2CD release by Dave Pike, complete with original artwork and liner notes. “It’s Time For Dave Pike”; “Pike’s Peak”; “Bossa Nova Carnival” and “Limbo Carnival”.
Perhaps not the first name that springs to mind when we think of jazz vibes players, nonetheless our latest (unsung) jazz hero, Dave Pike had an amazing career starting with his debut performance in 1958 with the Paul Bley Quartet. Our first two releases find Dave in a more traditional vibes mode, but take a look at the pianist on Pike’s Peak and it will indicate how well he was thought of back then, none other than the legendary Bill Evans joins Dave at his “steamtable” for a fine set of almost “jamming session” intensity…