Jazz | Fusion 487 Items

A cult album from 1968 that has long since become known as a groove classic across genre boundaries, now for the first time as a deluxe edition, freshly remastered, with bonus tracks and attractive packaging. Along with Alice Coltrane, Dorothy Ashby was the only world-famous jazz harpist. Thanks to deep grooves and sophisticated orchestral sounds, “Afro-Harping” is her most famous album to date, which is continually breathed new life into thanks to samples and remixes by Pete Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Dee (aka J Dilla), Madlib, Flying Lotus and others. Remastered from the original ¼-inch tapes by Alex Wharton/Abbey Road Studios and featuring eight strong, previously unreleased alternate tracks, including an explosive version of the single “Soul Vibrations”, the classic album is now available for the first time in a high-quality format appropriate to its ever-growing importance.

2-lp: gatefold sleeve, padded black inner sleeves, illustrated eight-page insert with detailed liner notes by Seán Casey/Shindig! magazine.

Sourced From The Original Master Tapes; Out of print since the 1960s

Now joining Jackpot Record's ever-expanding collection of Martin Denny re-issues is the hypnotic "visual sound" of Exotic Percussion, which has not been on vinyl since its original release in 1961.

His production on Exotic Percussion is ambitious, adventurous, and fascinatingly futuristic, especially when a tumbler with ice was still the preferred way to let loose. Xylophones and chimes swim from ear to ear; traditional jazz instrumentation collides with such musical oddities as boo bas, shamisens, Manga harp, and Burmese gongs.

As always, the choice of compositions on a Martin Denny record is a bizarre yet exciting spin around the globe, but this one is even weirder than usual. From the faster-than-light of "Cumana" to the luscious groove of "Moonlight On The Ganges" (made famous by Frank Sinatra and a track that is still being played on a loop at Disneylan's Jungle Cruise attraction), it's a whiplash of a ride. But the stand-out on the record is the combo of "Misirlou" (which would be made famous a few years later by Dick Dale and even decades later with its appearance in Pulp Fiction).

So join the conga line and head out into the street as Martin Denny once again creates a world we yearn to return to and an album we can always revisit.

Lee Morgan’s 1968 album "Taru" found the trumpeter at a crossroads exploring a variety of styles from modal jazz and post-bop to beautiful balladry and funky boogaloos. The band here is notable for the elevating presence of guitarist George Benson and the addition of tenor saxophonist Bennie Maupin.

BLUE NOTE TONE POET EDITION: Stereo, produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a Gatefold Sleeve with deluxe tip-on jacket.

Why you'll love it...
During the pagan hours of an otherwise uneventful Harlem pre-dawn in 1963, Gary Bartz glimpsed a galactic mystery that conventional aeronautics could not explain. Only a few weeks prior, the nascent alto saxophone virtuoso had acquired his first telescope to pursue a newfound passion for astronomy. The purchase was already yielding dividends.

The recent Juilliard graduate’s fascination with the heavens began with astrology, but the then 22-year-old quickly realized that those celestial sketches were just photographs of the sky as captured during a specific orbit. Why bother with the rough blueprint when you could witness the entire electromagnetic spectrum in its full glory?

Arrangements by Gary McFarland Recorded at Western Recording, Los Angeles
August 6th, 7th and 9th, 1968

Bobby Hutcherson’s cutting-edge 1969 session "Medina" found the vibraphonist with a remarkable band featuring Harold Land on tenor saxophone & flute, Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums. The set presents original compositions by Hutcherson, Cowell, and Chambers.
BLUE NOTE TONE POET EDITION: Stereo, produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a single sleeve with deluxe tip-on jacket.

Why you'll love it...
Nina was singular in both her ability and the music she made. She will always be one of the best to ever do it. "Nina Simone Sings the Blues' comes on 180 gram blue vinyl.

Guitarist Kenny Burrell debuted on Blue Note Records in 1956 and over the following seven years made a series of excellent albums for the label that culminated with his masterwork Midnight Blue. Recorded in 1963, the album waded deep into the blues, conjuring an alluring late-night vibe with a profoundly soulful cast including tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, bassist Major Holley, Jr., drummer Bill English, and Ray Barretto on congas.
Burrell originals including “Chitlins con Carne,” “Midnight Blue,” “Saturday Night Blues,” and the stunning solo guitar piece “Soul Lament” set the tone for this timeless classic adorned by one of the all-time great Reid Miles cover designs.

Sharps and Flats, led by Nobuo Hara, has been a driving force in Japan's big band jazz scene with its diverse activities and distinctive musicality. Among the many works produced throughout their long career, 'Little Giant' stands out as one of their most iconic albums. Originally released in 1970 as part of Victor's Japanese Jazz series, this album is notable for the participation of renowned composers and arrangers such as Masao Yagi, Kiyoshi Yamaya, Norio Maeda, and Masahiko Sato. In addition to their original compositions, the album features unique arrangements of pieces by Oliver Nelson, who had a close connection with Sharps and Flats.

The album's intricate and adventurous arrangements, combined with the band's high-level performance quality, are truly remarkable. You'll be captivated by the hipness of "Little Giant," the strength of "Dark Horse," the cutting-edge sound of "Orbit 8:11," and the sophistication of "Flexibility." This dynamic performance, marked by a perfect balance of tension and relaxation, showcases the full potential and allure of Sharps and Flats. This album is a masterpiece that brings out the best in the band.

Donald Byrd’s 1967 album Slow Drag was one of the last pure hard bop records the trumpeter would make before his music began evolving towards fusion. Byrd flies high on this gratifying set featuring alto saxophonist Sonny Red, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Walter Booker & drummer Billy Higgins.



BLUE NOTE TONE POET EDITION: Stereo, produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Why you'll love it...
Ray Barretto’s songs are cinematic. Artfully composed, richly orchestrated, each one feels like something deserving of big-screen wonderment. And, indeed, from Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets (''Ritmo Sabroso'') and Oliver Stone’s JFK (''El Watusi'') to Lee Daniels’ Precious (''Teacher of Love'') to Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight (''Cocinando Suave''), his music as a bandleader made it into movies of major importance across the decades. Of course, you don’t need to be a card-carrying cinephile to appreciate the moods and magnitudes expressed by his work, especially his seminal 1968 album Acid for Fania Records.

It takes more than a minute into ‘’Acid'' before Barretto begins showing off on the congas, leading into a nearly three-minute solo marked by fabulous flourishes that culminates with the full band, including pianist Cruz, showing their united might. Elsewhere on Acid, the group would have dutifully jumped headfirst into this mode, but here it is just a spectacular finish to a rhythmic story — Barretto’s story — told like the best film you’ve never seen.

Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley had already led nine dates for Blue Note Records by the time he arrived at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio on February 7, 1960 with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, but on that day the quartet laid down what would become his masterpiece: Soul Station.
The crystalline six-song set was a showcase for Mobley’s lyrical flow from the breezy opening take on Irving Berlin’s “Remember” through bluesy originals like “Dig Dis” and the title track, and the swinging up-tempo numbers “This I Dig of You” and “Split Feelin’s.” Soul Station endures as a jazz classic for the ages.

Reissue of the 5th studio album by Brazilian jazz legend Antônio Carlos Jobim. Considered one of Jobim’s best albums, this masterpiece peaked at #5 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. It features a plethora of star sidemen, such as Dom Um Romão, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter & Urbie Green, among others, as well as superb arrangements by Claus Ogerman.

Donald Byrd was off to the races after joining Blue Note in 1958 and had fully hit his hard bop stride by 1961 with his excellent album "Royal Flush". Joining the trumpeter was a state-of-the-art rhythm section featuring Herbie Hancock on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums plus Byrd’s frequent collaborator Pepper Adams on bari sax.

This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Jewels of Thought is an album by the American jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. It was recorded at Plaza Sound Studios in New York City on October 20, 1969, and was released on Impulse! Records in the same year.

Nobuo "Hara", whose real name is Nobuo Tsukahara, is a Japanese saxophonist who became known in 1951 with his big band, the Sharp & Flats. Together they recorded more than a hundred album during their career. Hozan Yamamoto is, for his part, a Shakuhachi player, a traditional Japanese flute, enjoying such recognition in his country that he was awarded a Living National Treasure in 2002. The first record bringing together the two musicians is a live recorded in 1967 during the Newport Jazz Festival. It was a year later, in 1968, that New Jazz in Japan, their first studio recording, was released. Accompanied by the ower of the Sharps & Flats, Nobuo Hara"s tenor sax and Hozan Yamamoto"s shakuhachi respond subtly to give this record, which had not been reissued since 1971, a completely unique style.

In the 1950s, the Big Four, led by George Kawaguchi, was a pioneering force in Japan's modern jazz scene, gaining immense popularity. Despite changes in its lineup, the group continued to make a significant impact on Japanese jazz. The album 'George & Sleepy' was originally released in 1969 as part of Victor's Japanese Jazz series. While the original liner notes described it as an attempt to recreate the nostalgia of the George Kawaguchi Big Four, this album is far from just a retrospective. Tracks like "Lover" and "Charade" nostalgically evoke the classic Big Four, offering pure enjoyment. Meanwhile, the album also impresses with more contemporary elements, such as the refined groove of "Tuesday Samba" and the exotic, beat-driven "Vietnam." This thrilling album masterfully showcases the timeless appeal of jazz, blending the past and present through the deep, skillful performances of these jazz veterans.

Why you'll love it...
Straight Ahead, featuring saxophonists Oliver Nelson and Eric Dolphy, is the VMP Classics Record of the Month for April 2024. It's pressed on 180g black vinyl, with lacquers cut from master tapes (AAA) by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound.

A multi-instrumentalist who reconfigured jazz many times during his long career, Yusef Lateef came to prominence in the late 1950s, after having toured with Dizzy Gillespie. Jazz Mood dates from 1957, when his Quintet had some of Detroit's finest, including Alice Coltrane's brother Ernest Farrow on bass and future Jazz Messenger Curtis Fuller on trombone. The use of an argol on 'Metaphor' and a rabat and finger cymbals on 'Morning' point to Lateef's Islamic grounding and his belief that music serves a higher purpose; this edition has bonus track 'Passion,' from the equally excellent Before Dawn. Rich, deep, and varied, this is required listening for all serious jazz heads.

It is 1960, Rock’n’Roll has just lost a couple of its protagonists during this and the previous year, the time of the great balladeers has just begun but soon will run out due to the new and exciting beat invasion. In US mainstream the tiki culture has reached a certain peak and is about to collapse but still goes strong and with it comes the so called “exotica” music, a crossover between smooth jazz and swing, Latin grooves, haunting melodies that are rooted in the folkloristic sounds from different parts of this world plus weird sound effects that often create a spooky jungle or dreamy island beach atmosphere. It can even bend your mind that far you would see palm trees growing out of your speakers and witness monkeys and parrots having fun in your room. Eden Ahbez, born in 1908, passed in 1995, a man living an even more consistent dropout and hippie lifestyle way before the movement was born in the mid 60s, a beat poet and composer who wrote the hit tune “Nature boy” that gave Nat King Cole his first big success in 1947, approaches the field of exotica music from a different point of view creating an epic concept album about an utopian society living in peace and harmony on an island far away from the modern western world as we know it. And indeed we find many trademarks of the prototypical exotica music beginning with this relaxed groove combining easy listening swing and Latin patterns, peaceful, dreamy and even transcendental vocal melodies, tinges of folk music from around the world including powerful dances and a whole color palette of mind expanding sounds giving the whole music an even greater depth and width.

The debut album by a prolific musician, ‘Grant’s First Stand’ is a significant work that set out the Blue Note musician’s highly personal manifesto.

Though Grant’s First Stand was guitarist Grant Green’s maiden release for Blue Note Records it wasn’t his debut recording session for the famous New York jazz label. The St Louis guitarist had, in fact, gone into Rudy Van Gelder’s legendary studio at Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey – where Blue Note did the majority of their recordings from 1959 onwards – on two previous occasions. For some reason, however, the music recorded on two days across October and November 1960 was shelved. It wasn’t until Saturday, 28 January 1961, that Green got to lay down the six tracks that became his debut album for the label.

Labeled “the Nureyev of the guitar” by jazz critic Leonard Feather, Gabor Szabo was at his creative peak at the end of the 60s, when he recorded his masterpiece “Bacchanal”. Szabo’s 60s quintet, featuring guitarist Jimmy Stewart, is on top
form here with another of his unique collections of both jazz and pop hits. His restrained use of feedback at just the right moments shows Szabo was willing to open up to new sounds yet he keeps a tight grip on his signature sound throughout these eight cuts.

On his second and last album for Impulse! Records, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard went all out: with a first-class orchestra conducted and arranged by Wayne Shorter, occasionally reinforced by strings, and a varied repertoire that seamlessly combined standards with originals by Hubbard.
VERVE BY REQUEST SERIES: remastered, audiophile-quality 180-gram vinyl from Third Man Pressing/Detroit, Gatefold Sleeve

"Silver’s Serenade" was the last album Horace Silver made with his celebrated Quintet with Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, Gene Taylor and Roy Brooks. These five Silver tunes epitomize his compositional style: captivating melodies, sophisticated harmonies and intricate rhythms with an unerring sense of swing.



BLUE NOTE TONE POET EDITION: Stereo, produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.

Volker Kriegel is considered the pioneering Jazz-rock and Fusion guitarist from Europe. 1968 was a crucial year for his career as he released "With A Little Help From My Friends," his first solo album, and signed with American vibraphonist Dave Pike, joining what would quickly emerge as one of the most popular and influential jazz fusion combos. This precious document reissued for the first time by Cinedelic Jazz with bonus tracks highlights all his qualities that enabled him to become one of the most acclaimed and innovative guitarists in European jazz. The original album included two recording sessions; Side A in Cologne and Side B in Frankfurt, with different performers. Side A as a trio with double bass and drums, and on the other with the addition of vibraphonist Claudio Szenkar. The covers performed are the two by Lennon-McCartney 'With A Little Help From My Friends' and 'Norwegian Wood’, and the traditional Brazilian 'Nãnã Imborô'. Added to the original album are four previously unreleased tracks of great depth recorded at the Deutsches Jazz Festival in Frankfurt in 1968: "Teaming Up" and "Vian-De" by Kriegel himself, "Spanish Soul" by Szenkar and "Nina's Dance" lasting over 9 minutes and featuring Tony Scott on Clarinet and Gustl Mayr on Tenor Sax. Over the years, Kriegel would go on to participate in over 200 albums.

One of the great line-ups of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers coalesced when saxophonist Wayne Shorter joined trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt, as heard on the 1960 album "A Night In Tunisia". Opening with a fiery version of Dizzy Gillespie’s famous piece, the rest of the set showcased new bandmember originals.

This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Why you'll love it...
Creating harmony out of unlikely combinations was integral to Charles’ genius, and that’s evident with how effortlessly he navigates multiple genres on In Person, oftentimes on the same song. It’s an album that’s a testament to him as a versatile musical pioneer: someone who was unafraid to explore different ideas and sounds throughout his career, becoming a seminal figure in American music in the process.

In 1969, Sahib Shihab and five leading members of the Clarke-Boland Big Band, including Francy Boland, Jimmy Woode, Kenny Clarke, and Fats Sadi, recorded this album for West Germany's Vogue label. The album features the exquisite Latin jazz track "Seeds," the waltz number "Peter's Waltz" dedicated to his son, and the modal piece "Mauve." Each track is highly stylish and sophisticated, showcasing a pinnacle of European jazz that could only be achieved by this exceptional lineup.

Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley had already led nine dates for Blue Note Records by the time he arrived at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio on February 7, 1960 with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, but on that day the quartet laid down what would become his masterpiece: Soul Station.

The crystalline six-song set was a showcase for Mobley’s lyrical flow from the breezy opening take on Irving Berlin’s “Remember” through bluesy originals like “Dig Dis” and the title track, and the swinging up-tempo numbers “This I Dig of You” and “Split Feelin’s.” Soul Station endures as a jazz classic for the ages..

This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

"The Blue Yusef Lateef" - Yusef Lateef (ts, fl, perc, voc); Sonny Red (as); Blue Mitchell (tp); Kenny Burrell (g); Hugh Lawson (p); Buddy Lucas (hca); Cecil McBee, Bob Cranshaw (b); Roy Brooks (dr); strings and vocal group

Yusuf Lateef was a leading representative of world music, long before world music was known as such in the jazz, pop and rock community. He integrated all kinds of oriental instruments in his jazz music, such as the koto, bamboo flute and tambura and also – as in this case – in his blues compositions. His saxophone playing is also flawless too and full of wonderful textures, hard and impulsive at one moment, cool and exotic at the next.
On this album Lateef explores, in a painterly way, the border areas of the blues, in all their various guises and addresses both eastern and western cultures. "Juba Juba" begins with a drumbeat on a slave ship, the tempo builds up slowly and agonizingly, and is only penetrated by Lateef’s plaintive flute and background voices singing »freedom, freedom, freedom«. After such a gloomy beginning the classical blues number "Like It Is" comes over like a breath of fresh air, with its superb string quartet as the foundation. The R&B contributions on the other tracks testify to Lateef’s skilled excursions into the realm of the blues, while the truly adventurous tracks such as "Back Home" and the mystic, Chinese odyssey "Moon Cup" weave a magical net of sheer pleasure. "The Blue Yusef Lateef" is in every possible way absolutely breathtaking. It is a milestone as a jazz album. As a blues album it is quite unique. But as a musical work of art it is a glorious and genial masterpiece.

This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. More information under www.pure-analogue.com.
All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid.

Recording: April 1968 in RCA Studios, New York City by Ray Hall
Production: Joel Dorn

This session is a model of the emotionally intense ballad programs featured on Prestige's Moodsville subsidiary. The great Kenny Burrell receives a major assist from saxophone patriarch Coleman Hawkins (who is in exemplary early-Sixties form), Hawkins' rhythm section of the time (made up exclusively of natives of Burrell's hometown Detroit) and conga drummer Ray Barretto. The choice of material and variety of settings are inspired, with Burrell heard solo on "No More", over just bass and drums on "Guilty", in two different settings and on three titles by the full sextet. Each soloist is fully engaged throughout, with things shifting into even higher gear when Burrell and Hawkins converse on "Montono Blues" and "I Thought About You".

One night during a one-time, two-week engagement at the Five Spot produced enough music of lasting merit for three albums. When Rudy Van Gelder took his portable equipment down to the fabled Cooper Square jazz club on July 16, 1961, he captured the interaction of an extraordinary quintet.
Eric Dolphy, Booker Little, Mal Waldron, Richard Davis and Ed Blackwell had formed a cooperative group and, if LIttle had not died in October 1961, there is no doubt that it would have been a potent force in the music of the 1960s and beyond. Dolphy himself died in June 1964, after establishing himself as one of the important contemporary reedmen. Here his alto saxophone and bass clarinet and Little’s trumpet explore three originals: "The Prophet" by Dolphy, "Bee Vamp" by Little, and "Fire Waltz" by Waldron. It’s time caught in a bottle — music for the ages.

Not macht erfinderisch! Das Album “Heavy Sounds” war eigentlich als Trio-Session mit dem Gitarristen Larry Coryell geplant gewesen. Als dieser aber kurzfristig erkrankte und nicht im Studio auftauchte, spielten Schlagzeuger Elvin Jones und Bassist Richard Davis ad hoc eine fast zwölfminütige Duo-Version von “Summertime” ein. Die restlichen Nummern nahm das Gespann einen Tag später mit Verstärkung des Saxofonisten Frank Foster und des Pianisten Billy Green auf, wobei Elvin Jones in “Elvin’s Guitar Blues” höchstpersönlich den Gitarrenpart übernahm. Es sollte seine einzige Aufnahme als Gitarrist bleiben.

Verve BY Request Serie: remastert, audiophiles 180-Gramm-Vinyl von Third Man Pressing/Detroit, Gatefold Sleeve.