Craig Taborn's recorded debut as a leader showcases the talented pianist in a variety of settings ranging from post-bop and hard bop to free jazz and avant-garde jazz, with bassist Jaribu Shahid and drummer Tani Tabbal providing strong support throughout the sessions. Taborn's furious opener is "David the Goliath," a turbulent number that blends a driving post-bop attack with an occasionally exotic Middle Eastern flavor. The pianist's "Uproot" is reminiscent of the flights of Cecil Taylor. He also delves into less familiar works by jazz giants, including Ornette Coleman's quirky "Compassion," Horace Silver's relaxing "Shirl," and a jaunty interpretation of John Coltrane's "Bass Blues," the latter showcasing Shahid.

Ain't No Sunshine is a previously unissued concert recordings from one of the greasiest and funkiest Hammond B3 organists of all-time, Brother Jack McDuff. The album features his then working band saxphonists Leo Johnson and Dave Young, guitarist Vinnie Corrao and drummer Ron Davis.

Hampton Hawes, “For Real!” was recorded in 1958 but not released on the Contemporary Records label until 1961. Featuring Hawes (piano) alongside Harold Land (tenor sax), Scott LaFaro (bass) and Frank Butler (drums) the album incudes a mixture of both jazz standards and originals. This new edition features remastered hi-res audio from the original tapes.

After dropping the synthesizers and reformatting his group Horizon in 1990, alto saxophonist Bobby Watson recorded one of the most memorable CDs of his career. His opener "The Punjab of Java Po'" is a powerful hard bop number with elements of East Indian and Brazilian influences, while its catchy bass vamp supports strong solos by pianist Edward Simon, trumpeter Melton Mustafa, and the leader. Drummer Victor Lewis proves to be as gifted a composer as Watson. He wrote two vehicles for Watson's soprano sax: "Big Girls" and the tense, uptempo "7th Avenue." The arrangement of standards such as "Falling in Love with Love" and "In a Sentimental Mood" are also worth noting.

This fill-in-the-gaps compilation of early-'60s sessions includes six tracks (two of them alternate takes) that were previously only available on the box set The Complete Riverside Recordings, and three previously unissued alternate takes from the performance that yielded the 1961 live album The Montgomery Brothers in Canada. Even with just nine tracks, Montgomery is heard in a variety of contexts: the ballad "If I Should Lose You" performed by the Montgomery Brothers (an alternate take), the 1962 live version of "S.O.S." with Johnny Griffin and Miles Davis' 1959-62 rhythm section (another alternate take), four 1963 songs with organist Melvin Rhyne, and the three unreleased 1961 Montgomery Brothers cuts (two of which are different versions of "Stella By Starlight") with vibraphonist Buddy Montgomery…

Alto Giant is an exciting live album that captured the Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Milan in 1969, two years after the group recorded 74 Miles Away. Cannonball's music in this period is marked by his enthusiastic embrace of funk and jazz rock. In addition to his brother Nat Adderley on trumpet, the quintet included Joe Zawinul on piano, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. In addition to the leader's hot and exciting alto playing, what stand out are Hayes's aggressive and effective drumming and Zawinul's contributions in terms of two original compositions (the odd-meter, free jazz-oriented "Scavenger" and the funky "Walk Tall") and his solo performance of "Ballads Medley." The generosity of the leader extended to Gaskin as well, who was prominently featured on "Manha De Carnaval"…

On Nov. 27, “Black Friday,” independent jazz label Resonance Records will continue its ongoing tradition of releasing previously unissued archival recordings as limited-edition Record Store Day exclusives with a stellar new three-LP collection of historic Sonny Rollins performances, Rollins in Holland: The 1967 Studio & Live Recordings.

Blue Note Records has announced an April 26 release of Sonny Rollins A Night at the Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters, a special Tone Poet Vinyl Edition of the legendary saxophonist’s tour-de-force live trio album. The expanded 3-LP set, which can be ordered now on the Blue Note Store, marks the first time Rollins’ complete recorded performances at the Village Vanguard on November 3, 1957 will be made available in a single vinyl package. The collection is also available as a 2-CD set and on all digital formats.

Miles Davis' concert of February 12, 1964, was divided into two LPs, with all of the ballads put on My Funny Valentine. These five lengthy tracks (specifically, "All of You," "Stella by Starlight," "All Blues," "I Thought About You," and the title cut) put the emphasis on the lyricism of Davis, along with some strong statements from tenor saxophonist George Coleman and freer moments from the young rhythm section of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams. This hour-long LP complements the up-tempo romps of Four & More.

Given that 'Round About Midnight was Miles Davis' debut Columbia recording, it was both a beginning and an ending. Certainly the beginning of his recording career with the label that issued most if not all of his important recordings; and the recording debut of an exciting new band that had within its ranks Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, pianist Red Garland, and an all but unknown tenor player named John Coltrane. The title track was chosen because of its unique rendition with a muted trumpet, and debuted at the Newport Jazz Festival the summer before to a thunderous reception. The date was also an ending of sorts because by the time of the album's release, Davis had already broken up the band, which re-formed with Cannonball Adderley a year later as a sextet, but it was a tense year…

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 – gels, establishing what would become their signature adventurous hard bop. Miles had been moving toward this direction in the two years preceding the release of ESP and he had recorded with everyone outside of Shorter prior to this record, but his addition galvanizes the group, pushing them toward music that was recognizably bop but as adventurous as jazz's avant-garde. Outwardly, this music doesn't take as many risks as Coltrane or Ornette Coleman's recordings of the mid-'60s, but by borrowing some of the same theories – a de-emphasis of composition in favor of sheer improvisation, elastic definitions of tonality – they created a unique sound that came to define the very sound of modern jazz. Certainly, many musicians have returned to this group for inspiration, but their recordings remain fresh, because they exist at this fine dividing line between standard bop and avant.

A truly sensational find, Atlantis Lullaby presents a never-before-heard performance recorded in Avignon, France. Featuring Yusef Lateef in a quartet set with fellow stars Kenny Barron, Bob Cunningham and Albert “Tootie” Heath. Among the highlights are a fantastic flute/piano duet by Lateef and Barron playing the pianist’s beautiful ballad, “A Flower,” as well as extended readings of the classic, “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You,” Lateef’s “Yusef’s Mood,” and Barron’s “The Untitled.” This project was produced by the renowned Zev Feldman and released in collaboration with the Yusef Lateef Estate. The audio has been transferred and newly remastered from the original concert tapes licensed from the archives of the Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA).

This incredibly light, fun, and surprisingly hip three-CD collection featured by Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Django Reinhardt, Chet Baker, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Lee Morgan and many more.