Pianist Junior Mance originally released these albums in 1966 on the Atlantic label; they were then combined in 2000 for the first time on CD by the Collectables label. Harlem Lullaby is a haphazard recording with a revolving-door rhythm section that is marred by Mance's insistence to occasionally utilize a harpsichord instead of piano. By contrast, I Believe to My Soul is a horn-laden affair with Mance sticking to piano; appearances from David "Fathead" Newman, Frank Wess, and Joe Newman also help make this the better date of the two. Neither album is essential, but they will be of interest to collectors of mid-'60s mainstream soul jazz. ~ Al Campbell Personnel: Junior Mance (piano, harpsichord); Sylvia Shemwell (vocals); Hubert Laws (flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone); David "Fathead" Newman , Frank Wess (tenor saxophone); Bobby Capers, Haywood Henry (baritone saxophone); Jimmy Owens, Joe Newman , Mel Lastie (trumpet); James Tyrell (bass guitar); Alan Dawson , Ray Lucas (drums); Ray Barretto (congas).

One of the grooviest albums ever from Jimmy McGriff -- a hard-wailing session that's filled with plenty of cooking lines on the organ, and a few especially funky tracks! The groove here is tight, short, and very sharp -- strongly in the mode of other post-Sue sessions by McGriff -- like The Worm or other Groove Merchant sides -- with a style that's often much more focused than Jimmy's earlier years, and strongly turned towards the rhythms of the tunes! A few numbers are more familiar soul jazz, but these are nicely offset by the harder funk numbers of the record -- like the romping, stomping break classic "The Main Squeeze", the totally groovy "The Worm Turns", and the fast-vamping "GMI". The group features Jimmy Ponder on guitar and Connie Lester on alto sax -- and other titles include "The Sermon", "Stella By Starlight", and "The Blues Train To Georgia".

YESTERDAY'S LOVE SONGS, TODAY'S BLUES is a key Nancy Wilson album in which she thoroughly examines her blues roots ("Sufferin' With the Blues," "Send Me Yesterday") and middle-class present with a keen, cool eye and magnificently buffed voice. Arranger Gerald Wilson is also able to inhabit both worlds as he and Wilson invest a tune like "Satin Doll" with a pungency it rarely possesses in other hands, least of all Duke Ellington's. Likewise, the luxurious orchestral trappings the arranger drapes around Nancy Wilson's shoulders as she tackles material like "The Very Thought Of You" and "Never Let Me Go" allow this intense singer to tastefully wrench as much emotion as she can from these classic beauties.Personnel: Nancy Wilson (vocals). The Gerald Wilson Orchestra: Al Porcino, Carmell Jones, Jules Chaikin, Freddie Hill (trumpet); Bob Edmondson, John Ewing, Lester Robertson, Kenny Shroyer (trombone); Paul horn, Joe Maini, Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Don Ruffell (reeds); Jack Wilson (piano); Joe Pass (guitar); Jimmy Bond (bass); Kenny Dennis (drums).

Some of the most exciting piano jazz ever recorded -- and one of the rare few albums released by the legendary Herbie Nichols. Nichols' heavy handed style is amazing throughout, and the record explodes with energy unheard of on other trio sessions from the time. Part of the credit probably goes to Max Roach, who does a fantastic job backing Herbie up -- but Nichols' overall conception is without compare, and the whole darn thing's pretty fantastic! Titles include "Chit Chatting", "The Gig", "Terpsichore", "Spinning Song", and "Query". 50's bop modernism at its best!

A fantastic reissue of this early Herbie Nichols album for Blue Note, and one that even reproduces the original modernist cover art -- which is a perfect complement to Herbie's modernist playing! The tracks are some of the best avant piano jazz ever recorded, and feature Nichols in a trio with Art Blakey -- who shows an incredibly inventive approach on most of the album. The whole thing's so great, we're tempted to use the word "startling" in place of "prophetic" -- but don't take our word for it, check out tracks like "Shuffle Montgomery", "Brass Rings", "Crisp Day", and "Amoeba's Dance"

Killer piano jazz, and some of the greatest modernist work ever recorded by Blue Note! Herbie Nichols deserves every bit of the rare fame he ever got -- and it's only the paucity of his recordings that has kept him from achieving the status of Monk or Cecil Taylor as an avant garde forefather. This killer Japanese reissue lets you hear and have some of Nichols' greatest recordings in exactly the format they were originally issued -- a cool little record with an abstract art image on the front, and a concentrated dose of heavy modernist jazz on the record inside! Tracks include "Third World", "Step Tempest", "Dance Line", and "Blue Chopsticks"