Chet Baker does what he does best; SINGS AND PLAYS. He was gracious enough to occasionally put down the trumpet to croon, his vocal ability as skillful as his trumpeting. Baker's effortless virtuosity transcended the bounds of jazz stardom, with both aficionados and mainstream audiences embracing him as the genre's coolest cat.

George Cables has proved again to be one of the most imaginative trio performers of today’s jazz scene with this his latest CD. “Listening to this absorbing recital by Mr. Cables, it seemed to me that he now epitomises the best of jazz mainstream piano. Here is a session which even the untutored lay listener can enjoy, with the familiarity of most the songs helping the process….” (Mark Gardner from the liner notes)

Bud Powell was “the foundation out of which stemmed the whole edifice of modern jazz piano" (Herbie Hancock) and “the greatest be-bop piano player in the world “ (Hampton Hawes). Though his life was short and troubled (1924 – 1966), Bud found some solace and tranquillity during the years (1959 – 1963) he lived in Europe (mostly in Paris). The recordings that make up this album are from March and August of 1962 from Danish Radio Concert Hall and Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. However battered mentally and physically the man was, here’s the clear evidence of his genius more intact than generally believed.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in tip-on jacket. Released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series celebrating 70 years of Contemporary Records, saxophonist Art Pepper's classic big band album, + Eleven, features modern jazz classics by Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and more. First released in 1960 and recorded by legendary engineers Roy DuNann and Howard Holzer, this reissue features all-analog mastering from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman.

After his active performing/recording period in the 80s and 90s Stanley Cowell has devoted his enormous talent in music education at the renowned Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. Cowell’s previous release SCCD 31704 “Prayer For Peace” in 2010 was his first album in over a decade which evoked Mike Shanley of JazzTimes to comment, “… his phrasing, chordal voicings and use of space are impeccable….a hard-swinging trio never goes out of fashion…” Here on his new album Stanley formed a new trio with his two former students from Rutgers University to reveal that he remains a master of his material and instrument.

The collaboration between Duke Jordan and SteepleChase in the 70s represents a major body of Duke Jordan’s creative output both as performing artist and as composer. Duke led his regular trio with Wilbur Little and Dannie Richmond during the extensive Scandinavian tour in the autumn of 1978. This release is from the concert at the Art Museum at Høvikodden, Norway, filled with Duke Jordan’s melodic magic.

Stanley Cowell during the last five decades has not only been active on the jazz scene but also devoted himself in the musical education of younger generation. Now his well-earned retirement from teaching at the Rutgers enables him to spend more time in performing and recording. The latest album, which is his 13th release on this label, Stanley Cowell presents himself as a supreme interpreter of jazz’s standard titles. “…it's a great pleasure to hear Stanley Cowell's It's Time: a finely crafted collection of mostly originals that is at once sophisticated, both aggressive and pensive, and simply fascinating to listen to.” (Greg Simmons – AJJ on “It’s Time” SCCD 31740)

One of the greatest American jazz pianists Stanley Cowell has been more active as a dedicated educator than a recording artist in the last 10 years. Cowell now makes his recording comeback to delight us with his finest works. “ After more than a decade away from the recording studios, that fine and highly-regarded pianist/composer Stanley Cowell returns, and at the same time unveils a shining bright talent in his 20-year-old daughter Sunny, a fresh-sounding vocalist and accomplished viola player ” (Mark Gardner – from the liner notes)

Best-known for her classic 1955 Top 10 hit "Cry Me A River", Julie London was a fine sultry-voiced jazz and pop singer, who enjoyed her greatest popularity during the "cool" era of the late '50s and early '60s - Billboard magazine named her as the most popular female vocalist of 1955, '56 and '57. Although she sang as a child with her parents' vaudeville act on radio, the first decade of her career from 1945 was as a Hollywood movie actress, becoming a popular pin-up girl of GIs, and appearing with the likes of Gary Cooper. Beginning her recording career in 1955, she scored a hit with her first release for Liberty, "Cry Me A River", and over subsequent years released around twenty singles for the label, as well as having a regular output of concept albums, showcasing her smoky and sensuous vocal style with a mixture of sophisticated pop and mainstream jazz material. This great-value 58-track 2-CD collection comprises her debut recordings on an EP recorded for the Bethlehem label (the tracks were later released as singles by Liberty), and all her A and B sides for Liberty through to 1962, some of which came from her LP releases, plus selected tracks from the seventeen albums she released during those first important years of her recording career. As well as "Cry Me A River", it includes what was one of her best-known recordings, her vocal version of the jazz cha-cha "Desafinado (Slightly Out of Tune)" from 1962. "Cry Me A River" has been revived by many high-profile artists over the years. Julie London is an artist who has not received the accolades she deserved as a sophisticated jazz/pop singer to compare with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee, and this collection will help underline her distinctive talent.

Since his retirement in 2013 from the professorship at the prestigious Rutgers University, where he led its jazz department, pianist/composer/educator Stanley Cowell has been increasingly active on the scene both in concerts and recordings. This new album with a featured program of Christmas melodies (Xmas Suite) will be introduced to the audience at New York’s Smoke Jazz & Supper Club. “…it's a great pleasure to hear Stanley Cowell's It's Time: a finely crafted collection of mostly originals that is at once sophisticated, both aggressive and pensive, and simply fascinating to listen to.” (Greg Simmons – AAJ on “It’s Time” SCCD 31740)

“Bud was a genius piano player–the best there was of all the bebop piano players.” - Miles Davis “If I had to choose one single musician for his artistic integrity, for the incomparable originality of his creation and the grandeur of his work, it would be Bud Powell. He was in a class by himself" – Bill Evans Bud Powell 1962 is something we at SteepleChase have been obsessed with for a while. The previous release SCCD 36040 “Bud Powell 1962 Copenhagen” was from the recordings made at the Danish Radio Concert Hall and Jazzhus Montmartre. What we have here is from the same year from the fabled Golden Circle where SteepleChase’s 5-volume releases At The Golden Circle come from. The Swedish part of this release were recorded two days prior to those SteepleChase releases. Bud Powell travelled on to Oslo Norway the same year to perform some memorable tracks captured here before going back to USA for the last time.