Dave McMurray – Grateful Deadication

Dave McMurray made his Blue Note debut in 2018 with Music Is Life, an album that focused largely on his own assertive original tunes. Now, the saxophonist returns with Grateful […]

Cautious Clay – Karpeh

On Cautious Clay’s deeply personal Blue Note debut KARPEH, the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer takes an artistic leap forward with an ambitious yet introspective [...]

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 [...]

John Coltrane – Blue Train

Although never formally signed, an oral agreement between John Coltrane and Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion was indeed honored on Blue Train — Coltrane’s only collection of [...]

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 – Olé Coltrane

The complicated rhythm patterns and diverse sonic textures on Olé Coltrane are evidence that John Coltrane was once again charting his own course. His sheer ability as a maverick — […]

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 […]

The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Brubeck Plays Bernstein

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 […]

Lou Bennett – Dansez Et Rêvez

This release contains Bennett’s second LP as a leader in its entirety: Dansez et Rêvez avec le trio Lou Bennett (RCA Victor 430.051). Presented here for the first time ever […]

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

Jackie McLean – Let Freedom Ring

Jackie McLean had always been a highly emotional soloist, so it makes sense that he was one of the first hard bop veterans to find a new voice in the […]

The Mahavishnu Orchestra* With John McLaughlin – The Inner Mounting Flame

This is the album that made John McLaughlin a semi-household name, a furious, high-energy, yet rigorously conceived meeting of virtuosos that, for all intents and purposes, defined the fusion of [...]

Miles Davis – Filles De Kilimanjaro

Since it’s billed as “Directions in Music by Miles Davis,” it should come as little surprise that Filles de Kilimanjaro is the beginning of a new phase for Miles, the […]

Thelonious Monk – Solo Monk

The mystery and haunting angular beauty of Thelonious Monk’s unadorned keyboard sides are the focus of Solo Monk. As if holding the history of jazz in his hands, Monk’s solo […]

Miles Davis – E.S.P.

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet — saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams [...]

L.A. 4* – Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte

*Japanese Import CD* An interesting fusion of Brazilian styled jazz and bop, features an arrangement of Ravel’s Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte.

Wayne Shorter – The Soothsayer

*Japanese Import CD* “Part of an explosion of solo albums Wayne Shorter recorded just after he joined Miles Davis’ band, The Soothsayer wasn’t released until the late [...]

Lou Donaldson Quintet – Wailing With Lou

*Japanese Import CD* “Wailing With Lou is an appropriate title for this enjoyable set of straight-ahead bop. Whether he’s riding the propulsive rhythms of “Caravan” or [...]

Stanley Turrentine – Mr. Natural

*Japanese Import CD* “Stanley Turrentine’s supporting cast is a strong one, including Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Bob Cranshaw, Elvin Jones, and Ray Barretto. The leader’s [...]

Horace Silver – Horace Silver Trio

*Japanese Import CD* A collaboration album between The Horace Silver Trio and the conga player Sabu. Absolutely top tier rhythms.

Toquinho & Vinicius – Vinicius & Toquinho

*Japanese Import CD* The Bossa Nova songwriting duo deliver smooth samba on this album, featuring tracks such as Samba Da Volta and Sem Medo.

Stan Getz And The Oscar Peterson Trio – Stan Getz And The Oscar Peterson Trio

*Japanese Import CD* “In that quintessential breakthrough year of modern jazz — 1957 — Norman Granz was fond of pairing the legendary drummerless trio of Oscar Peterson with [...]

Donald Byrd – The Creeper

*Japanese Import CD* “This LP was trumpeter Donald Byrd’s final album in the hard bop idiom and it went unissued until 1981. For the last time, Byrd was heard in […]

Bud Powell – Bud Powell’s Moods

*Japanese Import CD* Bud Powell plays a variety of standards and original tunes in his delightfully idiosyncratic style.

Jun Fukamachi – The Sea Of Dirac

*Japanese Import CD* The follow-up to Spiral Steps, and just as groovin’ and hard-hitting.

Sylvia Telles – Silvia

*Japanese Import CD* A reissue of one of the best early albums of Bossa Nova, featuring tracks such as Cala Meu Amor and Amargura

Chet Baker – Pretty / Groovy

*Japanese Import CD* A compilation compiling previously unreleased tracks by Baker with tracks from Chet Baker Quartet Featuring Russ Freeman.

John Coltrane – Interstellar Space

*Japanese Import CD* A duo set between Coltrane & Rashied Ali. “Coltrane alternates quiet moments with sections of great intensity, showing off his phenominal technique and ability to [...]