Earl Hines moved to Chicago in 1926 at the age of 21 and began his association with Louis Armstrong, with whom he recorded. Hines is recognized as a major innovator in the development of jazz piano, and he was also a major band leader performing at, and broadcasting from, the Grand Terrace Ballroom in Chicago from 1928-43. He moved to the S.F. Bay Area in 1956 & lived there until he passed in 1983. This live sextet performance was recorded May 13, 1970 in San Francisco.

Described as being "soulful, swinging and yet utterly modern", New York based alto saxophonist Jim Snidero's music seems to encapsulate what is both unique and compelling about jazz. Snidero exercises his composing chops on INTERFACE as well, penning all the tunes on the set list and drawing an astonishing array of color from the sax-guitar-bass-drums quartet combination.

Jim Snidero has developed a truly unique voice on the alto sax building on the foundation of the past while pointing the way to the future. With compositions that exploit the full potential of the alto saxophone's expressive range, Snidero has gathered side artists who all seem to be joined at the hip, with each providing sensitive support for the other, shadowing or provoking every move. This is challenging, thoughtful jazz which draws you in rather than alienates and which reveals no weaknesses in an unforgiving, nowhere-to-hide lineup.

Not only did Ahmad Jamal call Eric Reed "one of my very favorite pianists," not only has he worked with such talents as Wynton Marsalis, Jessye Norman, Patti Labelle, Quincy Jones and others but he has composed film scores for Eddie Murphy and Tim Story and serves as musical director for the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Somehow he still finds time to teach, perform and cut his latest disc, THE DANCING MONK. Here the genius of Monk is refracted through the prism of Eric's own.

Pianist Eric Reed has claimed that Monk's music makes it possible "to travel way out there, if you're willing to go where it can take you." on the Baddest Monk, Reed and his colleagues prove more than willing. The Monk classics recorded here illustrate the breadth of Reed's thought on one of the most idiosyncratic of jazz composers. Reed and his ensemble are able to penetrate to the very core the Monk's writing, dismantle it's component parts and reassemble them so that they contain not only the essence of Monk, but that of the players themselves.

The release of a Mark Murphy recording renders hyperbole superfluous. Other people have said it all: Murphy is "a hipster's hipster," writes the New York Post. Featuring his latest effort Links, Mark performs classic tunes and original lyricst and otehr adventurous choices make this mark's finest record to date.

Ever since his arrival in New York back in 1984, Don Braden has been one of the most impressive tenor saxophonists of his generation. He has uplifted the bands of the Harper Bros., Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Tony Williams & others along the way, yet it is his work as a leader that is most significant. From start to finish, this CD is one of his finest recordings & it shows why he is rated as one of the top sax men of the early 21st Century. Together with his quartet, his chosen medium now, Braden offers a program of jazz classics, as well as a sprinkling of original tunes, including an innovative tenor sax/drum duet.

Few can claim the title of living legend. Kenny Burrell is just such a person. In fact he's more he's living history, past, present and future. His credentials are voluminous and accomplishments staggering, and he hasn't stopped. Today, he is active recording and performing, a respected educator, and an elder statesman of the music. His legacy is pervasive. His soulful sound and approach have influenced virtually everyone claiming a jazz pedigree but extends to many outside the genre, a la Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Steve Howe, Andy Summers, and Freddie King. Here Burrell is backed by some of his favorite West Cost colleagues in a varied program of standards and few originals by the leader himself, including one brand new composition. Also on hand is the exuberant voice of Barbara Morrison who brings her tremendous talent and personality to three tracks.

Album highlights jazz guitarist's uncanny ability to revisit jazz standards & imbue them with new life & ideas; this session was recorded at the famed Van Gelder Studios & features Ronnie Matthews, Mark Sherman, Yoron Israel & others.

As a leader and a sideman, George Cables defines mainstream jazz piano. In addition to composing and arranging for his own albums, George Cables has contributed to recordings by Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson and many others. George Cables spent a great deal of time in San Francisco and this live performance was recorded at the famed Keystone Korner in 1980.

Kenny Burrell has appeared on so many essential Jazz recordings that Jazz history and his biography seem irretrievably intertwined. Billie Holiday's valedictory rumination Lady Sings the Blues, Jimmy Smith's epochal funk throwdown Back at the Chicken Shack, Tony Bennett's Carnegie Hall debut - Kenny Burrell played guitar for them all. Even Jimi Hendrix once remarked, "Kenny Burrell - that's the sound I'm looking for." Here is Burrell captured live at the West Coast Jazz mecca, Catalina's, in an easy-going program of some of his most-requested tunes along with a few of his personal favorites thrown in. Jazz tunes by Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard, the Duke and others, standards and even Kenny's classic original 'Chitlins Con Carne' are here, all given the ever-tasteful Burrell treatment.

Jazz legend George Cables celebrates his 80th birthday with a stunning new recording, showcasing the timeless artistry that has defined his illustrious career. Known for his flawless technique and unparalleled musicianship, he has established himself as a towering figure in the jazz world. With icons like Art Pepper, Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard he solidified his reputation as one of the most versatile and sought-after pianists of his generation. This album does not just honor his storied past but, with tunes both old and new, it captures the essence of a musician who has not only shaped jazz history but continues to influence it's evolution. The recording features jazz standards by legends like Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, and Horace Silver, as well as a tribute to the next generation of jazz talent with a piece by Arcoiris Sandoval, an exciting female pianist making waves in the jazz scene today. Throughout, Cables bridges the past and future of jazz, crafting an album that is a must-listen for any jazz aficionado. Join in celebrating this milestone and the remarkable contributions of a true jazz giant.

When Mark Murphy died in October 2015, the obituaries claimed that he had been almost the last of his kind. Murphy, it was said, was a man who embodied the spirit of postwar bohemia, the 'On The Road' Kerouac generation who fought against the straight life of prosperity and numb consumerism they saw all around them. With a catalogue of more than 40 albums under his own name as well as numerous collaborations, Mark Murphy resisted orthodoxy. He could very likely have enjoyed a successful mainstream career had he remained a crooner in the vein of Mel Torme or Jack Jones, but he had greater ambition to carry the jazz vocal flame. He was a consummate improviser, who never sang a song the same way twice. It is that Mark Murphy we encounter here in a historic engagement at the Keystone Korner which was his only performance in the club. Familiar Murphy favorites are here along with a few surprises with Mark's voice alternately thundering and whispering through the inspired setlist.

Kenny Burrell has appeared on so many essential jazz K recordings that jazz history and his biography seem irretrievably intertwined. He has recorded 97 albums under his own name and several hundred with other artists including Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Tony Bennett, Billy Holiday, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith, Art Blakey, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, and Louis Armstrong. On Unlimited 1 Burrell is captured live at the West-Coast jazz mecca, Catalina's, with a well-oiled big band, The Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited, which is made up of some of the West Coast's greatest jazz men and studio players. Burrell leads the group, solos and sings through a set list of original tunes, standards and, of course, what would a Kenny Burrell record be without some some Duke Ellington?

In the studio again for HighNote, George Cables takes a lifetime of experience and distills it into an unhackneyed program of originals, standards and not-so-standards that pays tribute to those artists whose talent, personality and in some cases genius have left their indelible marks on George Cables the man and the musician.

Larry Coryell, along with colleague John McLaughlin, nearly single-handedly redefined the technique and sound of jazz guitar. A true eclectic, armed with a brilliant technique, Larry is comfortable in nearly every style, covering almost every base from the most decibel-heavy, distortion-laden electric work to the most delicate, soothing, intricate lines on acoustic guitar. On this best-of anthology, Coryell's crackling up-tempo bursts and rough-hewn energy give this music a vividness and infectious enthusiasm that should appeal to a wide spectrum of the guitarist's jazz and fusion fans.