Coleman+hawkins

Coleman Hawkins was the first important tenor saxophonist and he remains one of the greatest of all time. A consistently modern improviser whose knowledge of chords and harmonies was encyclopedic, Hawkins had a 40-year prime (1925-1965) during which he could hold his own with any competitor…

Tenor saxophonist Coleman "The Hawk" Hawkins (1904- 1969) was one of the most important instrumental soloists in jazz. The "father of the saxophone" conquered this previously unpopular instrument for jazz and influenced generations after him. He also possessed a strong personality, enormous presence and a pronounced musical adventurousness, so that he always remained stylistically on the cutting edge until the sixties…

One of the most exciting trumpeters to emerge during the swing era, Roy Eldridge's combative approach, chance-taking style and strong musicianship were an inspiration (and an influence) to the next musical generation, most notably Dizzy Gillespie. Although he sometimes pushed himself farther than he could go, Eldridge never played a dull solo…

With his odd rhythmic spacing, discordant resolves and his circular yet angular compositional style, Thelonious Monk remains one of the most singular figures in all of jazz, and virtually every one of his recordings is as enigmatic as the pianist himself was. This set combines his five albums for Columbia Records, 1962's Criss Cross and Monk's Dream, 1964's Solo Monk, 1966's Straight, No Chaser, and 1967's Underground, in a single package, and anyone thinking Monk wasn't as vital during those years really needs to hear this stuff. It's classic Monk, and this collection is a great way to get it in a single swoop.

The classic 1962 album Duke Ellington & John Coltrane showcased the rising jazz saxophone innovator performing alongside the long-established piano institution…

Together for the first time, ESP-Disk’ is proud to present all three volumes of “The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra” in a gorgeous digipack fold out box set. Originally released as two volumes in 1966, and with a third volume uncovered in 2005, the landmark sessions recorded by Richard Alderson on April 20th and November 16, 1965, have been hailed as a “…masterpiece of free jazz”. To further delve into the Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra and his Orkestra, each enhanced disc in the set contains archival photos, critical writings and historical videos including the 18 minute documentary Sun Ra “Spaceways”.