Paul Lingle began playing ragtime and jazz in his teens and was to continue until his death, Oct. 30, 1962. His piano training made him capable of playing classical music, but he preferred the music of Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton and others of the ragtime-jazz persuasion. Lingle was an original member of the Yerba Buena Jazz Band and by the end of the '30s had become something of a legend on the West Coast. In 1953, Lingle recorded for Good Time Jazz who issued eight sides. Euphonic Records later issued three LPs of Lingle made up mostly from live recordings at the Jug Club in Oakland. Those rare LPs are long out of print, but here is the first CD featuring Paul Lingle, Live at the Jug Club.

Playing swooping & soaring harmonica in the style of his mentor Little Walter, Wheeler presents a groovy traditional blues session w. his brother James-gtr, Allen Batts-pno, Bob Stroger-bss + others.

This Robert Johnson disciple recorded a ton as a sideman but didn't make an album 'til he was 55. Here's that 1970 LP; his voice and guitar take you from Arkansas to Chicago and back as you hear Steady Rollin' Man; Mean Red Spider; Take a Walk with Me; Ramblin' on My Mind, and more blues mastery!

Sonny Stitt was well-known for the ability to play saxophone fast, with authority over the most difficult of chord progressions. Sonny recorded his first session as leader in 1946 for Savoy with Kenny Dorham, Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke. In 1950, he made the first of many recordings with Gene Ammons, an association that would last through three decades and produce what is probably his best known records, including "Boss Tenors" from 1961. "It's Magic," from 1969, is a wonderful reminder that Sonny Stitt could burn bebop (check out the marvelous rendition of "Four") and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up when he played a moving ballad (as on "Body And Soul"). with Don Patterson, organ and Billie James, drums.

4 trumpets, 4 trombones, bass & drums, feat. Lester Bowie and Malachi Thompson-tpt & arrangements.

As a young man in England, Norrie Cox led his own outfit, the San Jacinto Jazz Band, during the trad boom of the late '50s and early '60s. Cox moved to the U.S. in '66 but it wasn't until '89 that he, along with cornetist Charlie DeVore, put together their dream band, the New Orleans Stompers. With two Delmark CDs out already ("Dance Hall Days" (DMK #236) and "Move the Body Over" (DMK #231), the band is back for a live album with special guest Butch Thompson, master of ragtime, stride and classic jazz piano. Butch is also well-known for his 12-year stint as pianist and band leader on public radio's "A Prairie Home Companion".

This third installment of "United Doo Wops" features lots of uinissued songs and rare audition tapes with The Five C's, the Palms, the Earls, the Drakes, the Danderliers and others. The Five C's, of Gary, IN, had two 78s issued in 1954: "Tell Me"/"Whoo Wee Baby"(United 172) and "Goody Goody"/"My Heart's Got the Blues" (United 180). The remainder of this CD is seeing it's first official domestic release, all from the original master tapes. Also available: "Chop Chop Boom" (DMK 703) and "Bang Goes My Heart" (DMK 761).

Della Reese's first recordings, from June 30, 1953, were never issued by United. Jimmy Hamilton Orchestra (mostly from Duke Ellington's Orchestra) accompanies Della on "Yes Indeed, " "Blue And Orange Birds And Silver Bells" (both on a rare out-of-print LP), the unissued "There Will Never Be Another You, " plus an unissued alternate of the title track. Also featured are jazz vocals by Bixie Crawford, Terri Timmons, Betty Mays (with J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding), Helen Fox, Jewel Belle (with Chris Woods), Vanita Smythe, Rena Collins, Debbie Andrews and Helen Thompson. Contains many previously unissed performances.

With Richard Abrams, Fred Anderson.

Jazz trumpeter was only 24 years old when he recorded Shock of the New in 1988. He was two years into an eleven year stint of Wednesday nights at Chicago's Green Mill Lounge. The CD features a wide variety of styles (bop to funk to ballad with 14 member string section) and some of Chicago's best musicians including Lin Halliday, Jodie Christian, Ed Petersen, Fareed Haque, Paul Wertico and others. Eight songs include "tribute to Clifford and Sonny", "Old Folks", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Stew's Blues" and more. (Previously deleted:7/1/07. Original release date:6/1/88)"Presumably the shock in question is not Goode's choice of material but the warmth and surprising command of dynamics the trumpeter possesses". - Jazz Times.

W. Paul Chambers & Jimmy Cobb.

Exciting C. Adderly-influenced altoist w. Ron Friedman, Jodie Christian+ 1990.

This is Abrams' third album for Delmark & his most varied, with seven compositions, all set with different instrumentation; this 1972 session features Art Brown, Steve McCall, Rufus Reid & others.

Vibraphonist Duane Thamm has appeared on two Delmark albums as sideman - Barrett Deems Big Band's "How D'You Like It So Far?" (DMK #472) and Chuck Hedges' "Swingtet Live at Andy's" (DMK #465). This is Thamm's debut as leader though he has been a professional musician for many years working with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Henry Mancini, Tony Bennett, Bill Russo and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Buddy DeFranco, Butch Miles and many others. Tribute to Hamp was recorded in Nov., 2002 at Chicago's Harold Washington Library with accompaniment by Chuck Hedges Swingtet - Chuck Hedges, clarinet; Frank Dawson, guitar; John Bany, bass; Charlie Braugham, drums.

Trombonist Curtis Fuller was born and raised in Detroit, a hotbed of new jazz talent in the '50s. In '57, Fuller went to New York to make his recorded debut as part of the Yusef Lateef Quintet. He was 22 at the time and possessed a unique style and sound. After only eight months in New York he had made six albums as leader and fifteen as sideman including John Coltrane's Blue Train. He also recorded with Jimmy Smith, Bud Powell, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter and many more. "Up Jumped Spring" was recorded in August, 2003 while Curtis was in Chicago for the Chicago Jazz Festival. With Brad Goode, trumpet; Karl Montzka, piano; Larry Gray and Stewart Miller, bass; and Tim Davis, drums.

Live in Detroit with Yusef Lateef, Barry Harris, Ber 1955.

Tenor saxophonist Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre recorded as sideman on the legendary first AACM recording, Roscoe Mitchell's "Sound" (DMK #408). He went on to record "Humility in the Light of Creator" (DMK #419) and "Forces And Feelings" (DMK #425). Though he was continually active on the New York avant-garde scene, Kalaparush didn't return to the Delmark roster for 27 years until 1997's "Return of the Lost Tribe" (DMK #507) by the group Bright Moments. Here Kalaparush leads his own trio with Jesse Dulman on tuba and Ravish Momin on drums. "Morning Song" is an amazing document presenting Kalaparush's musical beauty, simplicity, power and spirituality.

Compilation gathers the 1950s sides that were issued on United's label, States Sings; featuring the Dandeliers, Hornets, Five Chances, Palms, Strollers, Drakes and more. (Previously deleted:12/1/05. Original release date:12/10/98)

12 tracks from Delta bluesman on vocals & guitar w. guest vocalists Karen Carroll, Willie Kent & Melvina Allen.

Chicago jazz pianist plays a diverse program, from solo reflective pieces to burning bop to free jazz, feat. Roscoe Mitchell & one of the last sessions of the late Art Porter.

Banjo player/vocalist live in 1964 at the Plugged Nickel in Chicago, backed-up by the Original Salty Dogs feat. Lew Green, Jim Dapogny, Jim Snyder, Kim Cusack, Johnny Cooper + never before released alternate takes.

Blues pianist/vocalist is strongly influenced by Roosevelt Sykes & did many Chicago gigs in the 50's w. Muddy Waters & other greats; band features James Wheeler-gtr, Willie Black-bss +.

Chicago blues may be most famous for Muddy, Buddy and a host of other legendary bluesmen, but these 11 tracks shine the light on the ladies that made the scene. The Thrill Is Gone Big Time Sarah; I'm Shakin' Lynne Jordan; It Hurts Me Too Shirley Johnson; Walking Blues Bonnie Lee, and more!

11 tracks total w. Sunnyland Slim, inc. 3 tracks w. Lee Jackson, from Ralph Bass series 1977.

Harp player, singer and songwriter, first album as leader, w. Robert Ward & Alex Schultz-gtr, contemporary blues, trad. Blues, soul ballad and soul rock.