John Coltrane - Simply...Coltrane [3 CD, 2021/FLAC]

 

2021 Jube Legends remastered compilation

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk [10 CD, 1991/FLAC]

 

Rahsaan Roland Kirk's nearly one-dozen long-players on the Mercury Records family of labels -- including the Smash and Limelight subsidiaries -- are gathered on this massive ten-disc compilation. Actually, it is 11 discs if you count the surprise bonus CD. Additionally, Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk lives up to its name by augmenting those albums with more than two-dozen previously unissued sides. Kirk's thoroughly innovative multi-instrumental reed work caught the attention of legendary producer Quincy Jones, then the vice-president of Mercury Records, who signed Kirk and would later arrange and conduct orchestrations for several of his memorable sessions. Perhaps the most recognizable among them is "Soul Bossa Nova" which is heavily featured in the Austin Powers franchise. Kirk's ability to perform several reed instruments -- including the tenor, flute, clarinet, manzello, and stritch -- simultaneously allowed him a musical autonomy few instrumentalists are afforded. His youthful embrace of the R&B, soul, pop, and eventually rock genres produced swinging interpretations of "And I Love Her" and "Walk on By," among others. Regardless of the genre, however, Kirk's ability to Swing -- with a capitol "S" -- is imprinted upon every piece he performed. Although Kirk continued his prolific output on Atlantic records in the late '60s and '70s, arguably his most profound sides are included here. We Free Kings, Domino, Reeds and Deeds, Gifts and Messages, I Talk with the Spirits and Rip, Rig & Panic are offered in their entirety. Undoubtedly the centerpiece of Kirk's work for the label is the live Kirk in Copenhagen, which features some wicked harp blowing from blues legend "Sonny Boy" Williamson, aka Big Skol. It is only fitting that this album benefits so greatly from inclusion on this set. The original six sides have been supplemented with an additional ten to present the entire October '63 performance, now complete at an hour and 45 minutes. Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings if Roland Kirk is complimented visually with a 56-page information packed booklet that includes: complete discographical and recording session logs, as well individual essays for each disc. Although not for the light of funds, this is truly the best way to become immersed in these early works of Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

Hank Mobley - Complete Blue Note Fifties Sessions (6 CD, 1998) [FLAC]

 

This is a typically remarkable box set from Mosaic. The six-CD limited-edition package has all of tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley's recordings as a leader for Blue Note from a three-year period, all of the music originally included in the albums titled The Hank Mobley Quartet, Hank Mobley Sextet, Hank Mobley & His All-Stars, Hank Mobley Quintet, Hank, Hank Mobley, Curtain Call, Poppin', and Peckin' Time; not a lot of imagination went into these records' original titles. There is only one previously unissued selection (the alternate take of "Barrel of Funk"), but two of the albums were only out previously in Japan, and most of the others had not been previously available on CD. Mobley, an underrated player with a distinctive sound (influenced at times by Sonny Rollins), would continue to grow as an improviser and composer throughout the 1960s, but even on his earliest date here, he is a strong (if unsung) soloist. Featured along with the leader is a who's who of 1950s hard bop, including trumpeters Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Bill Hardman, Kenny Dorham, and Art Farmer, pianists Horace Silver, Bobby Timmons, Sonny Clark, and Wynton Kelly, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassists Doug Watkins, Paul Chambers, Wilbur Ware, and Jimmy Rowser, and drummers Art Blakey, Charlie Persip, Philly Joe Jones, and Art Taylor. A must for Hank Mobley and 1950s Blue Note fans, but this deluxe box (released in 1998) promises to go out of print quickly.

Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood (4 CD, 2009) [FLAC]

 

Ella Fitzgerald's Twelve Nights In Hollywood is 4-CD box set of 73 completely unreleased live recordings from Ella in her relaxed, absolute prime. For Twelve Nights In Hollywood Verve Select dug into the vault to collect the best of her performances across her extended 10-night 1961 engagement at Los Angeles' Crescendo Club - which originally resulted in the hit LP Ella In Hollywood - and her two-night return engagement the following year, presenting an unforgettable experience that puts you right in the front seat at the club, without repeating any performances from the original album. It includes several tracks never before heard by Ella live, tracks she had just recorded or had yet to record in the studio, and old chestnuts she revisited in a fresh way. Standouts among many across the four discs include "But Not For Me," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "Perdido," "How High the Moon" and "When Your Lover Has Gone."

The Vandermark 5 - Alchemia [12 CD, 2005] (FLAC + 320)

 People always asked why Grateful Dead fans used to tour with the band; the answer was that they never played the same show twice. This box-set recording of the Vandermark 5's five-night stand at the Alchemia Club in Krakow, Poland last March does not quite live up to that high standard, but it does offer a rare glimpse at a working band, well, working.

These 12 full-length CDs document the Vandermark 5 playing at Alchemia, a major nightclub in Kraków, Poland, for a period of five evenings in March 2005. Over the course of well more than 12 hours of music, the quintet solidifies its reputation as one of the most innovative and exciting jazz groups of its time, as magic fills the air every night. It is difficult to imagine a more compelling set of modern jazz.

Sidney Bechet - Complete Edition Vol. 1-13 [13 CD, 1991/FLAC]

Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in jazz, and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist.

Forceful delivery, well-constructed improvisations, and a distinctive, wide vibrato characterized Bechet's playing. Bechet's erratic temperament hampered his career, however, and not until the late 1940s did he earn wide acclaim.

Milt Jackson - La Ronde Suite (4 CD, 2005/FLAC)

 

Milt Jackson (born January 1, 1923, Detroit, Michigan, USA - died October 9, 1999, New York City, New York, USA) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, composer and bandleader.

He played with numerous artists, including Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Woody Herman, John Coltrane, The Modern Jazz Quartet and many others as well as in his own bands. 

Mahalia Jackson - In Memoriam (5 LP, 1974/FLAC)

 General critical consensus holds Mahalia Jackson as the greatest gospel singer ever to live; a major crossover success whose popularity extended across racial divides, she was gospel's first superstar, and even decades after her death remains, for many listeners, a defining symbol of the music's transcendent power. With her singularly expressive contralto, Jackson continues to inspire the generations of vocalists who follow in her wake; among the first spiritual performers to introduce elements of blues into her music, she infused gospel with a sensuality and freedom it had never before experienced, and her artistry rewrote the rules forever. Born in one of the poorest sections of New Orleans on October 26, 1911, Jackson made her debut in the children's choir of the Plymouth Rock Baptist Church at the age of four, and within a few years was a prominent member of the Mt. Moriah Baptist's junior choir. Raised next door to a sanctified church, she was heavily influenced by their brand of gospel, with its reliance on drums and percussion over piano; another major inspiration was the blues of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. 

4 albums on 5 LP

• Mahalia Jackson Sings America's Favourite Hymns (LP 1-2)
• Mahalia Jackson In Concert Easter Sunday, 1967 (LP 3)
• Mahalia Jackson Sings The Gospel Right Out Of The Church (LP 4)
• What The World Needs Now (LP 5)

Fats Waller - Early, Middle & Last Years (1934-1943) (15 CD) [FLAC]

 

Not only was Fats Waller one of the greatest pianists jazz has ever known, he was also one of its most exuberantly funny entertainers -- and as so often happens, one facet tends to obscure the other. His extraordinarily light and flexible touch belied his ample physical girth; he could swing as hard as any pianist alive or dead in his classic James P. Johnson-derived stride manner, with a powerful left hand delivering the octaves and tenths in a tireless, rapid, seamless stream. Waller also pioneered the use of the pipe organ and Hammond organ in jazz -- he called the pipe organ the "God box" -- adapting his irresistible sense of swing to the pedals and a staccato right hand while making imaginative changes of the registration. As a composer and improviser, his melodic invention rarely flagged, and he contributed fistfuls of joyous yet paradoxically winsome songs like "Honeysuckle Rose," "Ain't Misbehavin,'" "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now," "Blue Turning Grey Over You" and the extraordinary "Jitterbug Waltz" to the jazz repertoire.

Peter Herbolzheimer - Big Band Man (The MPS & Polydor Studio Recordings) (FLAC, 4 CD/2008)

 

Peter Alexandru Herbolzheimer (31 December 1935 – 27 March 2010) was a Romanian-German jazz trombonist and bandleader.

This box contains albums 

• Soul Condor (70), 
• Time Travellers Galaxis (74), 
• Waitaminute (73), 
• Wide Open (73), 
• Hip Walk (76), 
• Touchdown (77), 
• I Hear Voices (78)

The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings 1956-64 [7 CD, 2011] [FLAC]

Even now, nearly sixty years later, it seems improbable that a group which came together as the rhythm section for one of the hottest players in bebop's genesis era, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, could morph into a standalone group that was the epitome of grace, elegance and cool dignity. But that's exactly what happened when Gillespie recruited pianist John Lewis (1920-2001), vibraphonist Milt Jackson (1923-1999), bassist Ray Brown (1926-2002) and drummer Kenny Clarke (1914-1985), giving the quartet an opportunity to shine as a discrete unit when it came time, during his sextet's exhausting sets, to give the horns a break, calling, "OK, band off!"

Roy Eldridge - The Complete Verve Roy Eldridge Studio Sessions [7 CD, 2003/FLAC]

 

7-disc CD box set from legendary trumpeter Roy Eldridge and the Verve Label. Includes his complete recordings 24-bit digitally remastered and booklet with rare photos.


Born in Pittsburgh in 1911, he began playing professionally in carnival bands and such before making a name for himself in a few Midwest regional bands. He arrived in New York in 1931, where Elmer Snowden, McKinney’s Cotton Pickers and Teddy Hill all employed him. He also backed Billie Holiday and featured with Fletcher Henderson. In the late 1930s, he was leading his own octet in Chicago with brother Joe on alto saxophone..

Roy was a trailblazer socially as well as musically; in the 1940s, he joined Gene Krupa’s band, making him the first black musician to tour with Krupa. His classic version of “Rockin’ Chair” and the always enjoyable feature “Let Me Off Uptown” with Anita O’Day are from this period. He continued to perform and record as a leader, and worked for a stint with Artie Shaw (1944-45). Later in the 1940s, he hooked up with Benny Goodman, and also with Norman Granz for a tour in Europe with Jazz at the Philharmonic. But fearing that the modernists in jazz were getting all the attention Stateside, he stayed in Europe, believing his career in America was over.

What happened next is why these Verve recordings exist.

Ralph Towner, Jan Garbarek, Eberhard Weber, Jon Christensen - Solstice (1975/2017/FLAC-HD)

 

Considered one of Ralph Towner's greatest albums, this 1975 release features the guitarist leading a quartet consisting of Jan Garbarek on saxophones and flute, Eberhard Weber on bass and cello and drummer Jon Christensen. Towner composed all the songs except for one contribution from Weber.

When Ralph Towner burst onto the contemporary jazz scene in the mid-70s, listeners were well aware of his awesome talent as a member of Oregon. But when Solstice was issued on the ECM label, it took the brilliant guitarist's caché to a much higher level, especially as a composer. With the otherworldly curved soprano sax and flute playing of Jan Garbarek, the precise drumming of Jon Christensen, and unique bass sounds of Eberhard Weber, the music on this album lifted the ECM/Euro-styled jazz and improvised music to a new realm of pure expressionism. Simply put – this music is stunningly beautiful. Of the many excellent recordings he has offered, Solstice is Towner's crowning achievement as a leader fronting this definitive grouping of ECM stablemates who absolutely define the label's sound for the time frame, and for all time.

 

 

Billie Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues (10 CD, 2009/FLAC)

 This 10-CD set covers many of Billie's studio and live performances

CD1 - I Cried for You

CD2 - Strange Fruit

CD3 - Do Your Duty

CD4 - Blue Turning Grey Over You

CD5 - If the Moon Turns Green

CD6 - God Bless the Child

CD7 - Willow Weep for Me

CD8 - I Get a Kick Out of You

CD9 - No Good Man

CD10 - A Foggy Day

VA - The Passion Of Charlie Parker (2017/FLAC-HD)

 Impulse!/Verve present “The Passion of Charlie Parker”, an album of iconic Parker songs transformed through the addition of lyrics to create a musical play that narrates Bird’s life. Produced by Larry Klein with lyrics by David Baerwald, the album features actor Jeffrey Wright in the role of Parker as narrator, with vocals provided by Wright, Gregory Porter, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Barbara Hannigan, Luciana Souza, Kurt Elling and Camille Bertault.

This ambitious project reimagines the music of Charlie Parker with lyrics that tell the story of Parker's life. Produced by Grammy winner Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock) with lyrics by David Baerwald, the album features actor Jeffrey Wright portraying Parker as narrator, while Gregory Porter, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Barbara Hannigan, Luciana Souza, Kurt Elling and Camille Bertault lend their voices. The singers are backed by a superb band consisting of pianist Craig Taborn, saxophonist Donny McCaslin, guitarist Ben Monder, bassists Larry Grenadier and Scott Colley and drummers Mark Giuliana and Eric Harland.

 

VA - Membran Music's Jazz Ballads Series Vol. 1-5 (10 CD, 2004) [FLAC+320]

 A CD sets with the most beautiful ballads in the history of jazz.

Lyrical, imaginative, sensuous and melodic jewels from the art of music.

Precisely for those people who have maintained their taste for lasting musical values.

Jazz in its most gentle form.

Irrestible...

Jazz Ballads 1: Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan
Jazz Ballads 2: Ben Webster
Jazz Ballads 3: Lester Young
Jazz Ballads 4: Clifford Brown & Sonny Rollins
Jazz Ballads 5: Don Byas

Miles Davis- In Stockholm 1960 [4 CD, 1992] [FLAC]

 

This remarkable four-CD set features John Coltrane with the Miles Davis Quintet just a short time before 'Trane went out on his own. Davis sounds inspired by his star tenor and although Coltrane was reportedly bored with the repertoire ("On Green Dolphin Street," "All Blues," "Fran-Dance," "Walkin'" and two versions of "So What"), he is at his most explorative throughout this often-stunning music. In addition, the rhythm section (pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb) had been together for two years and is really tight. Although currently out of print, it is well worth any foot work that may be needed in order to acquire it. This highly recommended set also includes a brief interview with Coltrane from this period.

Dexter Gordon - Swiss Nights Vol. 1-3 [FLAC]

The first of three volumes taken from the 1975 Zurich Jazz Festival features tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon (with his reliable sidemen pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Alex Riel) stretching out on "Tenor Madness," "Wave," "You've Changed" and "Days of Wine and Roses." All of the performances are at least ten minutes long and there are some rambling moments, but in general, the music is quite rewarding. This was one of Dexter Gordon's prime periods.

Jaco Pastorius - JazzPoint Collection [6 CD, 1998] [FLAC]

Jazzpoint Records - German jazz, swing & fusion label founded in 1974 by Jan Jankeje and his wife Gertraud Jankejová.

It operates also as a record shop/mailorder specialised on releases in the fields of jazz, gypsy and world music.

 

 

Henry Threadgill - Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (8 CD, 2010/FLAC)

   

Only three jazz artists have won a Pulitzer Prize. In spring 2016, Henry Threadgill joined Ornette Coleman and Wynton Marsalis as Pulitzer laureates, when he was honored for In For A Penny, In For A Pound (Pi, 2015), the latest album by Zooid, his unconventional quintet (reeds, acoustic guitar, cello, tuba, drums).

“Unconventional” describes not just Henry Threadgill’s music, but his life.