Cal Tjader's The Prophet (recorded in 1968 in New York & Los Angeles and released the same year on Verve) captures the vibraphonist at a moment of artistic expansion, blending his signature Latin jazz with a more orchestrated, textural approach. Arranged/conducted by Don Sebesky and produced by Esmond Edwards, the album features an ensemble including Joao Donato (organ), Red Mitchell (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums), and Hubert Laws (flute). Drawing on a broad palette of jazz, Latin, and blues influences, The Prophet reflects Tjader's growing interest in composition and arrangement, balancing melodic elegance with rhythmic sophistication. Several of the album's compositions were written by Brazilian pianist Joao Donato, adding a harmonic warmth and subtle bossa nova influence to the overall character. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Released on Impulse! Records in 1966, Ascension stands as one of Coltrane's most radical and influential works. Subtitled "Edition I & II" to reflect the two complete takes recorded at the session, the piece is a nearly 40-minute large-ensemble performance marking his embrace of the avant-garde. Recorded on June 28, 1965 at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio and produced by Bob Thiele, the session assembled an expanded ensemble of 11 musicians. Alongside Coltrane's tenor sax are trumpeters Freddie Hubbard & Dewey Johnson; saxophonists Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown, John Tchicai, & Archie Shepp; pianist McCoy Tyner; bassists Art Davis & Jimmy Garrison; and drummer Elvin Jones. Initially controversial for it's intensity, Ascension is now recognized as a landmark of modern jazz and a defining statement of the emerging free-jazz movement. Presented together on 2-LP for the first time, the Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
You've got grail! Monty Python's Spamalot, lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, makes it's long-awaited vinyl debut. Winner of the Tony Awardr for Best Musical and the GRAMMYr Award for Best Musical Show Album, the original cast recording features songs by Eric Idle (music & lyrics) and John Du Prez (music), including "The Song That Goes Like This," "Find Your Grail," and the unforgettable anthem "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" - plus the never-before-released track "The Cow Song." With iconic performances from Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria, and Sara Ramirez, this special 20th Anniversary Edition is pressed on commemorative "Holy Grail Gold" double vinyl, housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket and contains a 20-page booklet filled with essays, rare photos, full lyrics, and general nonsense. Limited Edition.
LET'S PLAY CHESS: A CHESS RECORDS ANTHOLOGY / The story of Chess Records is the story of American popular music in the second half of the twentieth century. Best-known for capturing the sound of acoustic blues, originating from the Mississippi Delta and filtered through Chicago's South Side, going electric and for releasing some of the earliest rock n' roll singles, Chess also has a deep catalog of jazz, R&B and soul recordings. The legacy of Chess Records endures more than 75 years later. Curated by Grammy-winning producer, Chess Records scholar and current Rolling Stones drummer Steve Jordan, Let's Play Chess: A Chess Records Anthology presents 25 of the label's best, some of the most important and thrilling recordings to be found on any label.
Santa, take the freeway down! 'The Chess Records Christmas Album' gathers holiday classics and hidden gems from the legendary Chicago label. Highlights include Chuck Berry's yuletide staples "Run Rudolph Run" and "Merry Christmas Baby," the joyful harmonies of The Moonglows' "Hey Santa Claus," the jazz brilliance of Ramsey Lewis and Kenny Burrell, plus rarities from The Soul Stirrers, The Salem Travelers, Lenox Avenue, and more. From gospel to soul to electric blues, 'The Chess Records Christmas Album' is a celebration of the label's 75-year legacy and a welcome alternative to the usual jingled bells and decked halls.
Limited blue colored vinyl LP pressing. Santa, take the freeway down! 'The Chess Records Christmas Album' gathers holiday classics and hidden gems from the legendary Chicago label. Highlights include Chuck Berry's yuletide staples "Run Rudolph Run" and "Merry Christmas Baby," the joyful harmonies of The Moonglows' "Hey Santa Claus," the jazz brilliance of Ramsey Lewis and Kenny Burrell, plus rarities from The Soul Stirrers, The Salem Travelers, Lenox Avenue, and more. From gospel to soul to electric blues, 'The Chess Records Christmas Album' is a celebration of the label's 75-year legacy and a welcome alternative to the usual jingled bells and decked halls.
Recorded and released in 1958, just over a year before his death, Laughin' to Keep from Cryin' captures saxophonist Lester Young in one of his final studio sessions. Though his tone had softened, Young's phrasing remains fluid and expressive, favoring subtlety over force. Produced by Norman Granz, the date brings together Roy Eldridge and Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, whose contrasting styles (fiery drive and relaxed, bluesy restraint) create a compelling musical contrast. Backed by Hank Jones (piano), Herb Ellis (guitar), George Duvivier (bass), and Mickey Sheen (drums), the session blends small-group swing with a polished studio feel. Highlights include "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "Salute to Benny," a tribute to Benny Goodman, who gave Young his first clarinet. Verve's Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes remastered on 180g vinyl.
Recorded in 1962 and released the following year, Listen to Art Farmer and the Orchestra stands as one of his most ambitious statements as a leader. The album places Farmer at the forefront of a large ensemble arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson. The personnel bridges New York's hard-bop scene with leading studio and jazz musicians, with Farmer featured as the principal solo voice against Nelson's full complement of brass, reeds, and rhythm. Guitarists Jim Hall & Barry Galbraith, bassist George Duvivier, drummer Charlie Persip, and pianist Tommy Flanagan support Farmer alongside an expanded orchestra. Nelson's orchestrations give him space to showcase his lyricism and poised tone, balancing tightly arranged ensemble passages with luminous solo statements. This program draws on beloved standards, including "Street of Dreams" and "Naima." The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Marcos Valle - "Samba '68 (Verve Vault Series)" [180g Heavy Vinyl LP] Samba '68, released on Verve, introduced Brazilian singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marcos Valle to a wider international audience. Already established in Brazil through songs such as "Samba de Verao" ("Summer Samba"), Valle worked here with producer Creed Taylor on a recording that pairs Brazilian rhythmic forms with contemporary American studio orchestration. The sessions include vocals by Anamaria Valle and arrangements by Eumir Deodato. The repertoire features English-language versions of compositions co-written by Valle, including "So Nice (Summer Samba)," "Chup Chup, I Got Away," and "Safely In Your Arms," alongside additional material that reflects his economical writing and feather-light rhythmic approach. The album documents a meeting point between Brazilian popular music and international pop-jazz studio practice at the end of the 1960s. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal. Verve Label Group; Verve; Jazz; Catalog.
Blossom Dearie - Give Him The Ooh-La La, released in 1958 on Verve Records, captures pianist and vocalist Blossom Dearie's signature blend of cool understatement, crisp diction, and harmonic finesse. Produced by Norman Granz, the session features Dearie on piano and vocals, leading a quartet with guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Jo Jones. The program includes songs by Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and Noel Coward, along with two Dearie co-writes - "Try Your Wings" and "Bang Goes the Drum (And You're in Love)" - which showcase her wit and compositional touch. From the sly charm of the title track to the graceful melancholy of "Plus je t'embrasse," Dearie's performances balance elegance with rhythmic ease. The intimate arrangements leave space for subtle interplay between her voice and piano, supported by a rhythm section steeped in the language of swing and bop. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Released on Polydor in 1972, He's Coming captures vibraphonist Roy Ayers at a creative apex, as Ubiquity's sound settled into the blend of jazz improvisation, funk rhythm, soul harmony, and spiritual import that would define his work throughout the decade. The album reflects Ayers's deepening move toward a groove-centered musical language rooted in soul-jazz and early jazz-funk. Ayers is supported by a core ensemble that includes Harry Whitaker on electric piano, organ, and vocals; John Williams on bass, with Ron Carter featured on "We Live in Brooklyn, Baby"; David Lee Jr. And Billy Cobham on drums and percussion; guitarists Sam Brown and Bob Fusco; saxophonist Sonny Fortune; and percussionist Juma Santos. Tracks like "He's a Superstar," "Sweet Butterfly of Love," and "Fire Weaver," embody the record's mix of urban narrative, spiritual reflection, and deep rhythmic. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Released in 1964 on Verve, The Individualism of Gil Evans stands as one of arranger-composer Gil Evans' most compelling works, showcasing some of the finest music of his career. The album blends Evans' originals and Miles Davis collaborations with inspired interpretations, all rendered through his distinctive big band lens. A core group of musicians, including Johnny Coles, Steve Lacy, Jimmy Cleveland, Tony Studd, Bill Barber, Elvin Jones, and Paul Chambers, lend a remarkable consistency of texture and mood. Evans himself plays piano throughout, his touch especially poignant on "The Barbara Song," where a sense of deep pathos is underscored by Shorter's expressive tenor. From the brooding atmosphere of "Time of the Barracudas" to the one-chord intensity of "El Toreador," the album highlights Evans' mastery of tone, space, and orchestral nuance. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Jon Batiste - "BIG MONEY". 7x Grammy-winner Jon Batiste returns with a new album, BIG MONEY. An exploration of the real currency of life as we know it today, Batiste melds classic and modern styles of R&B, Americana, soul, roots, jazz, gospel and more to create sounds of jubilee and diasporic expression. The soundtrack of a movement. Social music.
This is Diana Krall's first studio recording since 2001's THE LOOK OF LOVE. THE GIRL IN THE OTHER ROOM is a set of intimate reflections on the resilence of the human spirit. This album also features 6 original songs co-written with Elvis Costello, and brilliant interpretations of tunes Mose Allison, Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, and Tom Waits.
Diana Krall's 2017 album, Turn Up the Quiet, celebrates jazz and the Great American Songbook, reuniting Diana with Grammy Award-winning producer, Tommy LiPuma. Diana Krall is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. Her albums have garnered five Grammy Awards, eight Juno Awards and have also earned nine gold, three platinum and seven multi-platinum albums. Krall's unique artistry has made her one of the most acclaimed artists of our time. Diana chose the songs, created the arrangements and assembled the musicians (three different bands featuring Russell Malone, Christian McBride, Marc Ribot and more) for this album. Her voice and piano playing are as dazzling as ever and she's in full command as bandleader on "Night and Day," "Isn't It Romantic," "Moonglow," "Blue Skies," "Sway," "Dream," "No Moon at All" and more.
Vinyl LP pressing. Described by Mingus himself as "ethnic folk-dance music," The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady is a single song cycle rather than a traditional jazz album of separate tracks. The intricate arrangements and raw emotional swings of the piece make it a highlight of Mingus' career, and one of the most compelling listens in jazz.
