Recorded in 1960 at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, Far Cry captures Eric Dolphy at a creative crossroads, moving beyond bebop and foreshadowing his avant-garde explorations. Featuring his first recorded collaboration with trumpet prodigy Booker Little, the album pairs bold originals with striking interpretations, all played by a quintet of future legends. This edition includes the complete original LP along with two bonus tracks from the same period, offering a fuller picture of Dolphy's visionary artistry during this formative moment.
Little Girl Blue, released in 1957, was Nina Simone's first studio recording ever. It was originally issued on the Bethlehem label and features the singer and pianist backed by bassist Jimmy Bond and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath. Many of the tracks from this LP would become true classics, among them her perennial version of "My Baby Just Cares For Me". This album introduced Nina not only as a brilliant singer, but also as a unique jazz pianist. She was a solid improviser and her reworking of such well-known standards as Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" and Tadd Dameron's "Good Bait", besides being highly inventive, reveal her extensive classical music training. THE COMPLETE ALBUM + 3 BONUS TRACKS- 180-GRAM CRYSTAL CLEAR VINYL - LIMITED EDITION
The recordings included on the classic album Lady Sings the Blues come from two different studio dates, a complete session recorded in 1956, and four tunes from a 1954 date. An additional track from the latter session has also been added here as a bonus. The emphasis on both sessions is placed on Billie's singing. Although important musicians are present on both dates (Charlie Shavers, Tony Scott, Paul Quinichette and Wynton Kelly, on the 1956 session, and Harry "Sweets" Edison, Willie Smith and Barney Kessel, on the 1954 date), little room is left for any instrumental improvisation. THE COMPLETE ALBUM + 1 BONUS TRACK- 180-GRAM CRYSTAL CLEAR VINYL - LIMITED EDITION
The complete album + 2 bonus tracks - limited edition 180g vinyl audiophile pressing. Coming of age at the dawn of the bebop era, Art Farmer rejected the mechanical playing that much of bebop seemed to encourage. Instead, Farmer became known for his warm, fluid tone, and his ability to make the trumpet sing like a tender yet stately baritone voice. On Modern Art (his last small group collaboration with Bill Evans, with whom he had first recorded in 1956), Art Farmer emphasises style over technique. The group swings with both authority and subtlety on all eight tracks, making this album one of the best records of this period.
Blues in Space is a jazz composition by the legendary multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef. Recorded in 1957, it is considered a noteworthy track from his early career, showcasing his unique approach to fusing traditional jazz with Eastern and world music influences.
This 1958 jazz masterpiece features Cannonball Adderley alongside Miles Davis in a rare, high-caliber collaboration that defines the hard bop era. Known for it's sophisticated atmosphere and the iconic rendition of "Autumn Leaves," the album is widely considered one of the greatest jazz recordings of all time.
John Coltrane's 1961 masterpiece "My Favorite Things" famously reimagines the cheerful Broadway standard into a hypnotic, modal journey that served as a bridge between traditional jazz and his later avant-garde explorations. It stands as a landmark recording for being the first to showcase Coltrane on the soprano saxophone and for introducing the initial lineup of his legendary "Classic Quartet".
Portrait in Jazz was Bill Evans' third album as a leader, following New Jazz Conceptions (1956) and Everybody Digs Bill Evans (1958). It was also Evans' first album as a leader with the talented bassist Scott LaFaro. Their superb interaction is evident from the very first track, and Evans was certainly aware of this. The collaboration between Evans and LaFaro would reach it's peak with their recordings made in June 1961 at the Village Vanguard in New York City. LaFaro died shortly afterward in a car accident (July 6, 1961), at the age of 25.
Originally recorded in 1954, Brown and Roach Incorporated is a foundational hard bop album featuring the virtuosic collaboration between trumpeter Clifford Brown and drummer Max Roach. This 180-gram vinyl edition includes the original quintet's dynamic performances along with bonus tracks.
Released by Columbia Records in 1957, The Sounds of India serves as a seminal educational document designed to introduce Western audiences to the complexities of Hindustani classical music. The album features Ravi Shankar's virtuosic sitar performances alongside his own spoken explanations of traditional ragas, talas, and instruments.
Released in 1962, Jazz Samba is a landmark collaboration between saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Charlie Byrd that effectively launched the bossa nova craze in the United States. The album features a smooth blend of cool jazz and Brazilian rhythms, highlighted by the classic hit "Desafinado," which won a Grammy for Best Jazz Performance.
At the Village Gate followed the enormous success of Nina Simone's first "live" LP, which she had recorded at Town Hall, in New York, on September 12, 1959. That same year, she had signed a contract with the New York-based label Colpix Records. She recorded her second album for them, The Amazing Nina Simone, which contained the original studio version of "Children Go Where I Send You, " also performed at the Village Gate. The two bonus performances that follow the eight on the original album are thought to be from the same Village Gate gig. They consist of the Israeli song "Vaynikehu" and "Sinnerman." She would record the latter again for the Philips label in 1964. THE COMPLETE ALBUM + 2 BONUS TRACKS- 180-GRAM CRYSTAL CLEAR VINYL - LIMITED EDITION
