Charles Lloyd New Quartet – Passin’ Thru

Though the Charles Lloyd New Quartet has been together for a decade, they haven’t recorded as a group since 2011’s Athens Concert, when the saxophonist was still signed to ECM. […]

Eberhard Weber – The Following Morning

“In some ways this is a more contemplative work, lingering longer upon the tones of the individual instruments. The title track opens with backwards piano and slides into a pensive […]

Roland Kirk – Introducing Roland Kirk

This title is part of GRP’s new Chessmates series, which culls from Chess, Argo, Cadet, Coral, Dot, Decca and associated label analog source materials from the ’50s and ’60s. [...]

Charles Mingus – The Clown

The Clown was Charles Mingus’ second masterpiece in a row, upping the already intense emotional commitment of Pithecanthropus Erectus and burning with righteous anger and frustration. With [...]

Jean-Luc Ponty – Civilized Evil

All of the titles here make some kind of reference to cosmic issues of good and evil on the planet Earth, but the suggestive wordplay doesn’t make this music much […]

Keith Jarrett – Facing You

Facing You is one of the most important recordings in contemporary jazz for several reasons, aside from being beautifully conceived and executed by pianist Keith Jarrett. It is a hallmark […]

Nduduzo Makhathini – Modes Of Communication: Letters From The Underworlds

After collaborations with Wynton Marsalis and Shabaka Hutchings, the visionary South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini is set to release his Blue Note debut Modes of Communication: [...]

Johnathan Blake – Passage

Passage captures the arc of personal and collective evolution: the passing from one moment to the next, from one phase into another. Johnathan Blake – “Passage” / Johnathan [...]

John Coltrane & Don Cherry – The Avant-Garde

This album is rightfully co-credited to Don Cherry (trumpet), who ably trades blows with John Coltrane (tenor/soprano sax) throughout. The Avant-Garde also boasts the debut studio recording of [...]

Steve Kuhn Trio – Live At Birdland

Steve Kuhn has been recording professionally for close to five decades, most of which time he’s operated stealthily, rarely achieving the level of recognition he so richly deserves for [...]

Charles Mingus – Changes Two

Along with its companion volume Changes One, this is one of the great sessions from one of the best working bands of the 1970s. Starting with the spirited “Free Cell […]

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

One of the most important records ever made, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme was his pinnacle studio outing, that at once compiled all of the innovations from his past, spoke […]

The Blackbyrds – Night Grooves

Despite the fact that 1989’s Greatest Hits rendered this earlier Fantasy compilation obsolete — Greatest Hits contains all seven songs found here, plus four others — Fantasy [...]

John Coltrane – Giant Steps

History will undoubtedly enshrine this disc as a watershed the likes of which may never truly be appreciated. Giant Steps bore the double-edged sword of furthering the cause of the […]

Steve Tibbetts – Northern Song

With percussionist Anderson, Tibbetts explores urban landscape, especially on “Nine Doors/Breathing Space.” Tibbetts is reminiscent of Ralph Towner. Northern Song Review by Michael G. [...]

Thelonious Monk – Thelonious Monk Trio

Any Thelonious Monk album that kicks off with a seven-minute version of “Blue Monk” is worth listening to. Backed alternately by bassists Percy Heath and Gary Mapp and drummers Art [...]

Larry Coryell & The Eleventh House – At Montreux

The Eleventh House, lead by Larry Coryell, were arguably the best Jazz-rock-fusion band of the time when they appeared on July 4th, 1974 at Montreux. The band effectively existed only […]

Miles Davis – Sorcerer

Sorcerer, the third album by the second Miles Davis Quintet, is in a sense a transitional album, a quiet, subdued affair that rarely blows hot, choosing to explore cerebral tonal […]

Monk – Straight, No Chaser

This is the sixth studio album cut by Thelonious Monk under the production/direction of Teo Macero for Columbia and as such should not be confused with the original motion picture […]

Charlie Parker / Benny Carter / Johnny Hodges – Norman Granz’ Jam Session