Sonny's Crib - 1998 BONUS TRACKS
Artist: Sonny Clark

Recorded in 1957, Sonny's Crib features a front line of Curtis Fuller, Donald Byrd, and John Coltrane with Clark on piano, Art Taylor on drums, and Paul Chambers on bass. Truly still a bebop recording, done a full year before the landmark Cool Struttin' session, nonetheless the set produced some awesome readings of classic tunes, like the... Read More

Taylor's Tenors
Artist: Art Taylor

Legendary drummer Art Taylor played on a multitude of classic jazz sessions, but only managed to release a few dates as a leader before he passed away in 1995. His second, Taylor's Tenors, from mid-1959, features two straight-ahead tenor saxophonists, Charlie Rouse and Frank Foster, engaging in an insightful yet swinging hard bop conversation.... Read More

Introducing Jimmy Cleveland and His All Stars
Artist: Jimmy Cleveland

The first of five albums headed by trombonist Jimmy Cleveland during 1955-1959 (he has not led any since), this out of print LP (which was reissued by Trip in the 1970s) features Cleveland in medium-size groups with trumpeter Ernie Royal; either Lucky Thompson or Jerome Richardson on tenor; baritonist Cecil Payne; Hank Jones, John Williams, or... Read More

New Faces-New Sounds, Vol. 2
Artist: Lou Donaldson
The Young Bloods
Artist: Phil Woods

For this early hard bop date, altoist Phil Woods and trumpeter Donald Byrd were co-leaders. In fact, the music had at one point earlier on been released with Byrd getting first billing. Since the spirited altoist contributed four of the six tunes (including "House of Chan" and "In Walked George") and consistently takes solo honors, it is only... Read More

Phil & Quill with Prestige
Artist: Phil Woods

Altoists Phil Woods and Gene Quill always made for a mutually inspiring team. Both of the similar-sounding musicians were competitive, influenced by (but not imitative of) Charlie Parker, and really knew bebop. This CD reissue (which adds two selections from the same session that were originally part of the sampler Bird Feathers) features the... Read More

Pairing Off
Artist: Phil Woods Septet

The title of this excellent CD reissue comes from the fact that the featured septet consists of two altos (Phil Woods and Gene Quill) and two trumpets (Donald Byrd and Kenny Dorham) in addition to a rhythm section (pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Philly Joe Jones). Of the pairings, Woods and Dorham were more distinctive... Read More

Bird's Night: A Celebration of the Music of Charlie Parker
Artist: Phil Woods

Two years after Charlie Parker's death, alto saxophonist Phil Woods convened a sextet consisting of himself, fellow altoist Frank Sokolow, baritone sax player Cecil Payne, pianist Duke Jordan (an alumnus of Parker's band), bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Art Taylor for a set to be broadcast live from New York's famous Five Spot nightclub.... Read More

Bird Calls, Vol. 1
Artist: Phil Woods

This enjoyable straight-ahead LP has two separate Savoy sessions featuring altoist Phil Woods. The first four titles (which also have pianist Hall Overton, bassist Teddy Kotick and drummer Nick Stabulas) was from a "Music Minus One" date. Woods takes boppish and consistently inventive solos on four standards (including "Pennies From Heaven" and... Read More

Altology
Artist: Phil Woods

This two-LP set has all of the music from the two Phil Woods albums Pairing Off and Phil and Quill, plus two songs from the latter date originally released on Bird Feathers. On all of the tracks, Woods is matched with fellow altoist Gene Quill. and they complement and constantly inspire each other. Pairing Off also features trumpeters Donald... Read More

Taylor's Wailers
Artist: Art Taylor

Five of the six selections on this CD reissue feature drummer Art Taylor in an all-star sextet of mostly young players comprised of trumpeter Donald Byrd, altoist Jackie McLean, Charlie Rouse on tenor, pianist Ray Bryant, and bassist Wendell Marshall. Among the highpoints of the 1957 hard bop date are the original version of Bryant's popular... Read More

Way Out West - JVC
Artist: Sonny Rollins

The timeless Way out West established Sonny Rollins as jazz's top tenor saxophonist (at least until John Coltrane surpassed him the following year). Joined by bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne, Rollins is heard at one of his peaks on such pieces as "I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)," his own "Way out West," "There Is No Greater... Read More

Farmer's Market
Artist: Art Farmer

This double album consists of material taken from seven different dates led by trumpeter Art Farmer in the 1950s. These Prestige sessions give one a cross-section of Farmer's early years with such sidemen as tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist Horace Silver, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, altoist Gigi Gryce and tenor-saxophonist Hank Mobley... Read More

Young Woods
Artist: Phil Woods