Cornetist and composer Nat Adderley (b. Nov. 25, 1931 in Tampa, FL) recorded this first album with his new band just one year after the untimely death of his brother Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, three years his senior. The Adderley brothers had worked side by side in the highly successful, one of the funkiest jazz bands in USA for more than 15 years. “ The septet here, whose members are mostly young, New York -based musicians, is more interesting by far than the celebrated Cannonball Adderley Quintet ever was. ..” (Stereo Review) “...This is some of the best straight-ahead jazz to have come out in the last few months....” (Musician Magazine)

American trumpeter Red Rodney (1927-1994) came into the spotlight with his legendary firecracker pace and pitch late 40s and was hired by Charlie Parker to replace Miles Davis in his quintet (1949-1951). In spite of his turbulent life during the 60s and 70s Rodney made a comeback to the world scene in the 80s. For the interesting details, do read Chris Sheridan’s liner notes included in this release. This 1988 studio recording took place in Copenhagen, Denmark where he lived a couple of years. “...this excellent and restrained session will bring more accolades to this little giant of jazz, Red Rodney.” (Jazznews) “Here is one of the most listenable Red Rodney records to come along in years .... It is Rodney’s superbly lyrical work that makes this an essential record.” (Jazz Journal)

Bassist Mike Richmond billed as the leader of this trio LP recorded in Hamburg, Germany in the early summer of 1988 was a guest performer at the NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk) radio big band together with the two American colleagues, Larry Schneider (saxophone) and Adam Nussbaum (drums). When they were not rehearsing or playing with the big band, they formed a trio and started developing a program for the recording for SteepleChase. So here’s the youthful Schneider/Richmond/Nussbaum coalition to present an engaging trio jazz. “The leader … (with) steadfast mainstream- modern reputation pilots the trio with great enthusiasm.” (The Penguin Guide to Jazz - on SCS 1237)

This recording, the fifth release by trumpeter/composer/educator John McNeil on SteepleChase took place during the summer of 1983 in Denmark at jazz club Montmartre as a part of the graduation concert of the famed Jamey Aebersold Jazz School. John toured Europe as a member of the staff of the Jamey Aebersold Jazz School and led this exciting group consist of the fellow “all-star teachers”: Dave Liebman, Jim McNeely, Ron McClure and Ed Soph. McNeil made this concert as a field study of “how-to-make-a-live-recording” for the students in the audience.

Guitarist and bandleader Larry Coryell was one of the first musicians to combine jazz with rock and received wide recognition as the key member of Gary Burton Quartet. Coryell besides leading his own group formed duo with the Polish-born fusion violinist Urbaniak. This studio recording took place during their European tour.

Teddy Edwards (April 26, 1924 – April 20, 2003) was born in Jackson, MS. He started to play alto sax as a child and later changed to tenor when he was invited to join Howard McGhee’s group in the late 1940s. Since 1945 he has been living in Los Angeles, where he has played and recorded with the bands led by Benny Carter and Gerald Wilson. Edwards is also known for his scores for TV and radio. Edwards toured in Europe frequently in the 70’s and 80’s. This recording was made late 1980 for SteepleChase. Although the pianist Kenny Drew and Edwards have long known each other, this is the only recording the two friends made together. “Edwards is a wonderful and distinctive tenor player, with a smooth tone in the middle and lower register, a bit brassier in the upper, and a great sense of swing. His work is replete with melodic ideas, a gestural sense of variation in dynamics, and a lot of freedom with the beat — here relaxed and behind, there right on top of it or a little ahead.” (Larry Koenigsberg – AAJ) “His sole SteepleChase outing found Teddy in his prime and in excellent company. The outcome was among his finest quartet sets - no hokum but simply pure jazz all the way.” (Mark Gardner)

One of the best assets of the Count Basie Big Band in the 50s, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis was a frequent guest player in Europe in the 70s. In the Spring of 76 Lockjaw went into a studio in Copenhagen with “the excellent Danish rhythm section” which “manage to coax some of the best playing from the tenor saxophonist since his days with Basie” (Gramophone). “...The mood, as always with Davis, is a happy one. With the help of the fine, supportive rhythm section it becomes contagious, and ...it is an awful lot of fun to listen to.” (Fanfare) “Thankfully, the girls haven’t come home yet, so this rhythmic set of eight tunes (11 on this CD) swings out nicely...” (Billboard)

“This is hard bop at its best, superior playing by pianist Galper and tenor saxist Mike Brecker ...good contrast between ballads and exciting up-tempo lines.” (Don Lass, Asbury Park Press) “So the Brecker Brothers can play jazz after all!...You won’t find a drop of funk on this record, just good old, straight-ahead, swinging jazz....Hal Galper must be given credit for channelling the music in the right direction...” (Carl Brauer, Cadence) “...in pianist Hal Galper’s acoustic progressive jazz combo, trumpeter Randy and saxophonist Michael Brecker play with conviction and emotion...Good stuff.” (Oakland Tribune)