Since his first appearance on record (Randy Brecker's album, In the Idiom), pianist David Kikoski has demonstrated an infinite capacity to swing, a rare sensitivity as a ballad interpreter and genuine harmonic savvy as a composer. He delivers once again on all counts on Kayemode.

By titling his eighth Criss Cross album Over Here!, trumpeter Jim Rotondi picks up on the sentiments he signified with The Move, his seventh for the label. "It doesn't necessarily mean moving somewhere else, but rather returning home, playing tunes with a lot of straight-ahead swing and interesting chord sequences with guys I'm comfortable with, " Rotondi stated in the liner notes I wrote for that kinetic 2009 recital. The Album was recorded May 10, 2023 at the Artesuono Recording Studio in Udine (Italy). Recording engineer Mike Marciano did the editing, mixing and mastering at Systems Two in NY. Photography by Mauro Cionci

Two CDs. Sun Ra At The Showcase: Live In Chicago contains previously unissued live recordings of the legendary intergalactic composer/pianist Sun Ra captured live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase in Chicago, IL. Between 1976 and 1977. This is an official release on producer Zev Feldman's Jazz Detective record label, in partnership with Elemental Music, and in cooperation with the Sun Ra Trust. Researched and compiled by longtime Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, and transferred from the original tape reels. Liner notes by James Corbett, and interviews and statements from photographer Hal Rammel, Michael Weiss, Marhall Allen, Thurston Moore, Jack DeJohnette, David Murray, Dave Burrell, Matthew Shipp, Amina Claudine Myers, and Reggie Workman.

Limited two CD set includes an extensive booklet with rare photos, liner notes and an archival interview with Sonny Stitt. Boppin' In Baltimore: Live at the Left Bank is a previously unreleased recording of saxophone master Sonny Stitt captured live at the famous ballroom in Baltimore on November 11, 1973. Recorded by Left Bank founder Vernon Welsh, it features an all-star rhythm section of pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes.

Released on the Impulse! Records label in early 1966, the songs are a mix of new compositions and re-workings of tunes John Lee Hooker had previously recorded, and includes a cover of Barrett Strong's 1959 Motown hit "Money (That's What I Want)." With Panama Francis on drums, Milt Hinton on bass, and Barry Galbraith on second guitar, the result is some of the best John Lee Hooker material with a band that you're likely to come across

The classic 1967 Chess album Muddy, Brass & The Blues, adds horns and prominent organ to Muddy Waters' basic band format. Waters' earlier work had been built around his returning to sounds and influences from his past. Here, the label tried to give him a new sound. Stripped of his guitar, Waters proves what a great R&B singer he was. Featuring Otis Spann on piano, and Sammy Lawhorn and Pee Wee Madison on guitar. This is the first official American LP re-issue in more than 30 years.

COLLEGE TOUR 1: COMPLETE NOTHING IS

\'Released in the early \'90s, Concert for the Comet Kohoutek captures a typically inspired night by Sun Ra & the Intergalactic Space Research Arkestra. Recorded in late 1973, on this date the Arkestra is guided by a musical theme composed around the idea of the Comet Kohoutek, which was passing close to Earth at the time. Typically, the release vaults between cosmic vocal songs that speak of Truth and other such brashly capitalized affairs (such as \'Astro Black\'), almost straight-ahead big-band jazz arrangements (\'Variations of Kohoutek Themes\'), and frighteningly evil free explorations (\'Journey Through the Outer Darkness\').\'-Jesse Jarnow, AMG Digitally remastered by Joe Phillips with brief liner notes by ESP label founder Bernard Stollman.\' Recorded live at Town Hall, NYC, on December 22, 1973.

This never before released session from 1972 (produced by John Bentley) features the Deep South guitarist Big Joe Williams in a solo setting with only his mighty voice & his 9-string guitar, performing songs like "Highway 99," "Cadillac Blues," "Church Bells Ringin'," "Pea Vine Whistle" & others.

Recorded on July 9th, 1986, this 12 track album features the solo piano of Art Hodes and features the songs Glad to Be Here - Squeeze Me - 42nd Street - the Pearls - Summertime - How Long Blues - Beale Street Blues - Grandpa's Spells - St. James Infirmary - Sweet Georgia Brown - Tennessee Waltz.

Never released in the US, FUNKIFINO, pronounced funk-if-i-know, is Bernard Allison's ground- breaking album the takes the tradition of black music he grew up with and melting it with the blues from Koko Taylor and Luther Allison to Johnny Winter. A must for any fan of the blues.

Bernard's next release will be a tribute to Luther Allison... All Luthers songs re-done by Bernard

There's nothing like the sound of a world-class bluesman getting back to business. Last October, when Bernard Allison returned to his old haunt of Bessie Blue Studios, Tennessee, to be greeted by fabled producer and career-long collaborator Jim Gaines, it felt like coming home. And when Allison fired up the amps, counted in the band and embarked upon his latest studio album,�Highs And Lows, everything felt right with the world. "Just to be able to create music again after the pandemic," he says of that long-awaited rebirth, "was incredible." For 56 years, music has been Bernard Allison's essence. As the youngest son of the much-missed Chicago bandleader Luther Allison, he was a bluesman from birth, naturally drawn to this ancient music that seemed to heal deep wounds, and held spellbound by early encounters with heavyweights like Muddy Waters, Albert King and Hound Dog Taylor.

Vinyl LP pressing. Live album from the iconic blues guitarist and vocalist.

Bernard's next release will be a tribute to Luther... all Luther's hits re-recorded by Bernard

2022 release. There's nothing like the sound of a world-class bluesman getting back to business. Last October, when son of the late blues legend Luther Allison, Bernard Allison, returned to his old haunt of Bessie Blue Studios, Tennessee, to be greeted by fabled producer and career-long collaborator Jim Gaines, it felt like coming home. And when Allison fired up the amps, counted in the band and embarked upon his latest studio album, Highs And Lows, everything felt right with the world. "Just to be able to create music again after the pandemic," he says of that long-awaited rebirth, "was incredible."

The great Chicago bluesman Luther Allison lived by a simple philosophy that he was happy to share ("Leave your ego, play the music, love the people"). Now, twenty-three years after Luther's passing, the great man would surely be thrilled to hear Bernard Allison's Songs From The Road, and proud to find that his ferociously talented son is sworn to the same mission, bringing soul-soaked, all-guns-blazing blues to audiences who need it more than ever. Released in February 2020 as a CD/DVD set on Ruf Records, Songs From The Road is a live snapshot so raw and real that hearing it feels like hanging off the security barrier of Dortmund's Musiktheater Piano club when Bernard and his crack-squad band hit town last October 23rd. With an A-list crew on-hand - and a dynamic mix from industry legend Jim Gaines - this immersive recording catches every last flash of virtuosity, bead of sweat and drop of atmosphere. "I actually prefer live performances," says Bernard, "because you can communicate and interact with the audience. I basically feed off of that energy, combined with my group's talent and personalities."

2018 release. Starting the blues calendar with a bang in 2018, Let It Go feels like a homecoming. After all, this studio album sees Bernard return to Ruf Records: the iconic German label that was created in 1994 to serve as a home for his father, the much-missed Chicago heavyweight, Luther Allison. Just as significant, Let It Go also found Bernard recording in the birthplace of the blues - Tennessee - and returns his sound to it's raw fundamentals, on 12 songs that hold up without embellishment. Let It Go was recorded at Bessie Blue Studio, Stantonville, Tennessee, with legendary music producer Jim Gaines, recalls Bernard. "We made the decision to not flood the CD with keyboards or horns, to go back to the true basic rhythm section sound - and to show more mature songwriting."

Blues legend Luther Allison is considered to be one of the greats, with a career that lasted nearly 40 years, but didn't make him famous until the last few years of his life. UNDERGROUND is a lost recording from his early session years, recorded in 1957 under the guidance of Bobby Rush, this album features 8 never before heard tracks of Luther in his early years. A must for fans of Luther Allison.

Dangerous" - that's the word Luther Allison came up with to describe his son's guitar playing. At the age of 32, Bernard Allison combines the fiery influences of his father and others of that generation (like Freddy King and Albert Collins) with blues rockers like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, while capturing an aggressive, no-holds-barred sound all his own. 1st singles: "I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind" and "The Way Love Was Meant To Be.

Reissue of 1997 album. The title is program. Born in 1965 in Chicago Bernard Allison was introduced into the roots of black music and playing electric guitar by his father, the living blues legend luther allison. At the age of 20 he played with the Queen of Blues Koko Taylor for two years and took part in countless sessions with musicians like Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Healey. He joined the tour band of Luther Allison in 1989 after a furious collaboration of "Father & Son" at the '89 Chicago Blues Festival. A recording of this formation is to be heard on the Luther Allison album Let's Try It again. Bernard released his first solo album in 1990 with the significant title The Next Generation. Bernard was not only influenced by the old masters or musicians like Jimmy Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan but also grew up with the music of George Clinton and Johnny Guitar Watson. Born With The Blues was recorded in Chicago and mixed in Memphis - together with the band of blues legend Buddy Guy (with Ray Killer Allison/drums). Bernard's co-producer is the Rounder Bullseye producer Ron Levy who also plays the keyboards.

Though the term "visionary" is rather overused, it certainly applies to tenor saxophonist and composer JD Allen. A musical sponge of sorts, Allen is a remarkable amalgam of a wide variety of musical styles and influences, blurring the boundaries of contemporary jazz by creating a dynamic fusion of tradition and modernity. There is a decidedly "third stream" quality to Allen's compositions, combining as they do advanced classical compositional techniques, the incorporation of electronic sounds and the distillation of historic jazz genres such as call and response, field hollers and, of course, the blues. This type of music relies on the total dedication of all the performers and Allen's latest recording features three of his regular colleagues, the acoustic and electric basses of Gregg August and Ian Kenselaar and the remarkably expressive drummer, Nic Cacioppo. These men have worked with Allen on his previous Savant recordings, perhaps most notably on the unofficial trilogy of "Americana," "Americana Vol. 2" and "Barracoon," and can be considered kindred spirits with their leader. Together, they delve into themes of culture and history, offering moving narratives through their sophisticated approach and profound improvisational skills.

With his alto sound soaring over a sax trio format on For All We Know, Jim Snidero demonstrates why he is a critical link in the alto saxophone lineage. Snidero pares down the soundscape to it's essence, utilizing a selection of standards to illuminate a rare combination of virtuosity, musicality and depth along with jazz masters Peter Washington-bass and Joe Fransworth-drums. With a tone quality that's second to none-Stereophile cited his sound as "one of the richest and purest on the planet"-Jim Snidero has showcased an enviable resonance in myriad contexts over the better part of the past four decades and 25 previous releases. Now, placing himself in the most exposed setting he's ever inhabited, Snidero reaches the apex on the alto saxophone.

Boston doesn't get enough credit as a jazz town. From the days of the Storyville club and Cambridge-based Transition label to the star factory that is Berklee College of Music, the city stands tall against more celebrated places like Chicago and Detroit. One big part of that high level of creative output is Jerry Bergonzi who, for this date, leads his most Bostonian band in recent memory, reuniting with trumpeter pal Phil Grenadier and drummer Luther Gray. Bassist Harvie S came up from New York for the gig and it was he who suggested guitarist Sheryl Bailey for the album. She completes the Boston connection with her position as the Assistant Chair of Berklee's legendary Guitar Department. "To work with Jerry and study and perform his music is the definition of a dream come true," says Bailey who has played with artists ranging from Ken Peplowski to Shingo Okudaira. Here, Bergonzi has convened a fine band for a compelling album, another feather in Boston's tricorn hat.

Time was when the use of any electronically-generated effects in an artist's work, would immediately brand you as a member of the avant-garde. Eventually, however, jazz embraced the modernism of electronics as people like Rashaan Roland Kirk, John Zorn and classical composers like Edgard Var�se took electronics down a less self-destructive and more communicative road. On THIS, tenor saxophonist and composer JD Allen explores the possibilities of electronics+jazz with a set of new compositions for himself, drummer Gwilym Jones and electronics effects wizard Alex Bonney. These works exhibit an astonishingly wide spectrum where you may find modal, blues-infused melodies juxtaposed against startling and provocative electronic effects. There can be a slim line in jazz between being a traditionalist troglodyte and being a radical visionary. On his latest recording, JD Allen has demonstrated that there is a musically satisfying and emotionally fulfilling middle ground.

FAR FAR AWAY is a sonic powerhouse, leveraging every aspect of this magnificent, all-star quintet. Kurt Rosenwinkel's searing, innovative playing is on full display, Jim Snidero demonstrates a broadsword of a sound, and the rhythm section of Orrin Evans, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth groove and interact at the highest levels of artistry. Building on the 5-star success (Down beat Magazine) of LIVE AT THE DEER HEAD INN, which included Evans, Washington and Farnsworth, Snidero adds fuel to the fire with the addition of Rosenwinkel's highly influential guitar style. The result is an inspired performance bursting at the seams with musicality and drive. Jim Snidero's six originals create the perfect mix of current trends and tradition. Swing, Latin, and Euro grooves are all represented, yet the album is surprisingly cohesive, flowing from one tune to the next. The classics "It Might as Well be Spring" and McCoy Tyner's deeply relevant "Search for Peace" round out this amazing release.

After receiving four Grammy nominations for his highly successful series of recordings that "latinize" the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver, Conrad Herwig turns his attention to the legendary Charles Mingus. An imposing figure in jazz, Mingus was known for being complicated, volatile and a touched-by-genius innovator. As an homage to this influential artist, Conrad Herwig provides a fiery excursion into the world of Afro-Caribbean rhythms skillfully applied to Mingus' wildly imaginative compositions. Joining Herwig is special guest trumpeter Randy Brecker together with long-time "Latin Side" band colleagues pianist Bill O'Connell, reedman Craig Handy and the trumpet/flugelhorn of Alex Sipiagin with the rhythm section of Luques Curtis, Robby Ameen and Camilo Molina. Collectively they bring a vibrant spirit and authority to this repertoire which is unique among today's salsa ensembles. Featured tunes run the gamut from the thoughtful and intimate "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" to the unbridled joy of "Boogie Stop Shuffle" with the somewhat lop-sided introduction to the opening track, "Gunslinging Bird," being the perfect harbinger of things to come. This latest installment in Conrad Herwig's "Latin Side" series pays tribute to the work of Charles Mingus with progressive arrangements, propulsive rhythms, exciting solos and the consummate musicianship of the leader and his bandmates.

Together with Americana: Musings on Jazz and Blues, and Barracoon, two of JD Allen's previous Savant releases, Americana, Vol. 2 forms a trilogy of sorts, exploring and encapsulating a universal spirit based in roots and reflection. But despite the profound political, racial, financial and historic issues examined by Allen and company, at the central musical core of all three recordings is the underestimated but crucial role the blues has played in the history of jazz and how it continues to evolve and influence the art form today. On Americana, Vol. 2 Allen continues this investigation with his long-time colleagues Gregg August and Rudy Royston, but is now joined by guitarist Charlie Hunter, who shares not only Allen's interest in the blues and it's legacy, but they also share many similar life experiences. As Allen himself says, "(Charlie's) music brings light to me as a listener. When we met, we found out that we grew up in different areas of the country, but our experiences happen to be very similar. That's Americana right there. I wanted that on this record." Here the blues not only provides a welcome outlet for tension and gentle melodicism but it also gives us an unflinching look into deep-seated and long-lived injustices, particularly via the almost expressionistic utterances of three trio-only tracks. Once again JD Allen shows himself to be a player and composer as remarkable for his directness of communication as he is for the sometimes unforgiving sternness of his message.

In JD Allen's liner notes for Queen City, it becomes clear that he spent a great deal of time thinking about how the pandemic has impacted his relationship with music and specifically his saxophone.� In the notes Allen writes, "Performing music for and with people is what I do and I've come to the realization that an audience of listeners of any size is a part of the music; it's also a shared experience. Covid-19 changed that and forced me to try to remember why I started playing in the first place, the years before I started performing and recording."� The tenor saxophonist's response to his period of introspection is this current recording, a solo saxophone program.� It is a recording full of stark, uncompromising power, affording some rare insight into the psyche of the performer.� This is not a Coleman Hawkins' "Picasso"-toned, I-love-my-horn-and-my-horn-loves-me type of symbiosis.� There is a real sense of confrontation between Allen and his horn and, by extension, the audience which makes for a unique listening experience.� This is not to imply that Queen City is some severe piece of avant garde abrasiveness.� Rather, it encompasses an extraordinarily wide-range of musical languages which communicates an equally broad spectrum of emotions.� Melodies�� of ravishing beauty alternate with angular, aggressive phrases to express frustration, anger, resolve, hope, love and acceptance in what may become one of the most personal and revealing recordings to come out of the trying time of Covid-19.

DOG STAR