Channeling the linear rhythmic energy of Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, the reflective harmonic spirit of Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans, and the romantic spirit of Latin music, pianist Edward Simon presents a comprehensive portrait of his unique musical concept on his first trio album since 1995. Simon is accompanied by the great John Patitucci (Waynte Shorter's bassist) and drummer Eric Harland.

Terrible Animals is perhaps the most compositionally ambitious and daringly performed of Lage Lund's five albums on Criss Cross. Joined by a never-before-convened, top-of-the-pyramid rhythm section (Sullivan Fortner, piano; Larry Grenadier, bass; Tyshawn Sorey, drums) the 39-year-old presents ten far-flung originals that elicit the full measure of their creativity over the 68-minute program, spurring Lund, who makes ingenious use of effects within his flow, to some of his most dynamic and varied playing on record.

Trumpet/flugelhorn player's quintet w. Garrett on alto saxophone, Barron on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Ralph Peterson on drums, recorded Dec. 22, 1985.

Kurt, who has recorded w. Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band, Gary Burton, Chris Potter & on a few Criss Cross releases - he makes his debut here w. Michael Kanan, Joe Martin & Tim Pleasant.

The quartet w. Jimmy Raney-guitar, Doug Raney-guitar, Jesper Lundgaard-bass, Eric Ineke-drums.

Guitarist's trio w. pianist and bassist, recorded December 30, 1985, and December 5, 1990.

Cedar Walton-piano, David Williams-bass & Billy Higgins-drums.

Alto saxophonist's quintet w. Brian Lynch, Benny Green, Peter Washington, Marvin "Smitty" Smith. (Previously deleted 1/1/07. Original release date: Pre-2000)

Impressive young guitarist playing w. swing, logic, feeling and taste w. drummer Jimmy Cobb.

Recorded December 5, 1990, guitarist's trio with G Mraz on bass and Lewis Nash on drums.

Saxophonist's quintet w. John Swana, Kevin Hays, Christian McBride and Lewis Nash, recorded Dec. 29, 1992.

Pianist Bernstein leads burning quartet, w. Brad Mehldau (Joshua Redman)-piano, Christian McBride-bass, Gregory Hutchinson (Roy Hargrove)-drums.

Pianist's quartet w. Ralph Moore on tenor saxophone, David Williams on bass and Lewis Nash on drums, recorded Dec. 20, 1990.

Quartet w. J. Lundgaard on bass and Eddie Gladden on drums, recorded Feb. 16, 1983.

Tim Warfield's peers consider he 33-year old a singular voice on the tenor sax. On this, his third Criss Cross release, he is accompanied by trumpeters Nicholas Payton & Terell Stafford, as well as the top-shelf rhythm section of Cyrus Chestnut, Tarus Mateen and Clarence Penn. Warfield displays his full range of vocal inflection, a drummer's sense of time, and the ability to build solos full of tension and drama.

Part of a new breed of jazz artists expanding the mainstream language in fresh and stimulating ways, trumpeter Ryan Kisor's "Awakening" returns to the organ combo as heard on his debut Criss Cross set "Battle Cry" (CRC #1145). This time around however, Kisor leaves the standards behind and opts for his own originals, which cover a good deal of ground - from the ballad tempo of "Halem Moon" to the bop-inflected "Effing Blues." in addition to Kisor's own bristling solo work, organist Sam Yahel, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart are heavily featured throughout this fervent showcase. On drums is the great Willie Jones III.

This new trio, featuring pianist David Kikoski with the great Russian bassist Boris Kozlov and the legendary drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, presents a program of all Kikoski originals executed in the solo, duet, and trio format. It's a beautiful album showing US the different sides of a great jazz pianist.

Ralph Peterson is one of the great drummers of our time. He possesses the power of Art Blakey and the creativity and swing of the late Tony Williams. This burning album has Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Jimmy Greene on tenor saxophone, the great Orrin Evans on piano, and Eric Revis on bass. This is Ralph's second outing as a leader on Criss Cross.

A 2004 Grammy nominee for his solo work on Maria Schneider's Concert 'In the Garden,' Donny McCaslin performs more often as a sideman extraordinaire (Steps Ahead, Danilo Perez, Brian Blade, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Mingus Orchestra) than as a leader. Criss Cross. 2006.

An increasingly visible force on the New York scene in recent years, guitarist Mike Moreno makes his Criss Cross debut on a program mixing choice selections from the jazz songbook (Shorter, Henderson, Strayhorn) and his own evocative originals. Propelled by Moreno's fellow Houstonian, drummer Kendrick Scott, and young veterans pianist Kevin Hays and bassist Doug Weiss, Moreno plays throughout with characteristic melodic elegance, rhythmic drive, and harmonic nuance.

Brace yourselves for the Art of Organizing, the very first appearance onCriss Cross by organ master Dr. Lonnie Smith. Guitarist Peter Bernstein and Billy Drummond, one of the more prolific and sensitive drummers of our time, completes the lineup. From his early days with George Benson and Lou Donaldson to the present day, Dr. Lonnie Smith has always been a driving force in jazz. The Art of Organizing, featuring Smith and trio on standards and a batch of strong new originals, is another contribution that will remain timeless.

Guitarist Lage Lund made his first Criss Cross leader debut in 2008 with the brilliant Early Songs (CRC 1307). Paring down from a quintet to quartet, he returns with Unlikely Stories, a vibrant set of mainly original tunes with a superb supporting cast: pianist Edward Simon, bassist Ben Street and drummer Bill Stewart. The first-ever electric guitarist to attend Juilliard, Lund possesses a staggering harmonic sophistication and a singularly fluid voice as a soloist qualities that leap out on Unlikely Stories and, no doubt, on many more releases to come.

A member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Septet for more than a decade, Victor Goines - who also runs the Jazz Department at the New York's Juilliard School of Music. Criss Cross. 2006.

BONES TONES

A leading bassist of his generation, Matt Brewer has distinguished himself in groups led by Greg Osby, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Vijay Iyer, John Escreet and many others. His Criss Cross appearances on Mike Moreno's First In Mind and David Binney's Anacapa have also left a lasting impression. On Mythology, his debut as a leader, the Oklahoma City-born, Albuquerque, New Mexico-raised Brewer leads a sextet with some of the fiercest individualists on the jazz scene today: alto saxist Steve Lehman and tenorist Mark Turner in the frontline; guitarist Lage Lund and pianist David Virelles as ensemble voices and featured soloists as well; drummer Marcus Gilmore bringing a flexible, swinging, highly structured rhythmic vocabulary to the table.With his mostly original pieces Brewer reveals an adventurous, lyrical bent as a composer. The band's uptempo reading of Ornette Coleman's "Free" truly catches fire as well.