Art Pepper - The Complete Surf Ride Plus (1951-1954) {2CD Set Savoy Jazz Japan COCB-53010~11 rel 2002}
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© 1951-54, 2002 Savoy Jazz / Nippon Columbia Japan | COCB-53010~11
Jazz / Bop / West Coast Jazz / Saxophone

An expanded version of SV-115 Art Pepper - Surf Ride. The first date finds the alto saxophonist in fine form, leading a quartet consisting of pianist Hampton Hawes, bassist Joe Mondragon, and drummer Larry Bunker. Pepper primarily sticks to originals, though he offers a warm rendition of the standard "These Foolish Things" as well. Pepper sounds a little more adventurous on the second date, accompanied by pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Bob Whitlock, and drummer Bobby White. Two takes of "Chili Pepper" (a Latin-flavored reworking of the venerable "Tea for Two"), two versions of the rapid-fire "Suzy the Poodle" (based upon "[Back Home Again In] Indiana"), a lush arrangement of the ballad "Everything Happens to Me," and a swinging performance of Lester Young's "Tickle Toe" (which incorporates cornetist Bix Beiderbecke's tag from the recording of Paul Whiteman's "When") make up this session.

In the liner notes of Quiet Kenny, former Downbeat magazine publisher Jack Maher states that trumpeter Kenny Dorham's music is not necessarily the demure, balladic, rapturous jazz one might associate as romantic or tranquil. Cool and understated might be better watchwords for what the ultra-melodic Dorham achieves on this undeniably well crafted set of standards and originals that is close to containing his best work overall during a far too brief career. Surrounded by an excellent rhythm team of the equally sensitive pianist Tommy Flanagan, emerging bassist Paul Chambers, and the always-beneficial drummer Art Taylor, Dorham and his mates are not prone to missteps or overt exaggerations…

Wes Montgomery - The Complete Riverside Recordings (1992) {12CD Box Set, Riverside Japan VICJ-40060~71 rec 1959-1963}
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© 1959-63, 1992 Riverside / Victor Japan | VICJ-40060~71
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Guitar

Wes Montgomery recorded exclusively for the Riverside label during the four years covered by this massive 12-CD box set and, although his later albums for Verve and particularly the pop/jazz A&M dates sold many more copies, it is from his Riverside dates that his legacy was primarily formed. Virtually unknown at the time of his debut on Riverside, Montgomery soon became a major influence whose style is still copied decades later.

The Adderley Brothers - The Summer Of '55 (1999) {2CD Set Savoy Jazz 92860-2}
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© 1955, 1999 Savoy Jazz / Atlantic | 92860-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Saxophone

Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and Nat Adderley are both legendary names in jazz now, but when the material on these two discs was recorded in 1955, they were newcomers on the New York jazz scene. These 21 tracks were originally released on three separate LPs: the first as Bohemia After Dark (with drummer Kenny Clarke billed as leader), the second under Cannonball's name as Spontaneous Combustion, and the third titled That's Nat. This reissue leaves the tracks in the same order as that found on the original LPs (with the addition of several alternate takes).

Rosa Ponselle - The 1939 Victor and 1954 'Villa Pace' Recordings (1996) {3CD Set Romophone 81022-2}
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© 1939, 1954, 1996 Victor / Romophone | 81022-2
Classical / Vocal / Historical

Legendary soprano Rosa Ponselle recalled these sessions taped by RCA in her Baltimore home as the only time she enjoyed making records. Fourteen years after her abrupt retirement from opera, her voluptuous instrument (ruby red in the '39 Victors and now tinged with purple) soars to better advantage in the amplitude of her spacious music room than within the cramped confines of the recording studio. Whether in Beethoven, Schubert, Debussy, Mozart, or Tosti songs, or chestnuts like "Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes," the vocalism is always informed by Ponselle's musical intelligence and sense of style. Romophone brings together all the material from these home sessions, including 75 minutes of music not issued by RCA, plus a promotional interview that reveals a warm, down-to-earth persona quite different from your typical diva stereotype. Ponselle fans need no encouragement to acquire this set.

Billie Holiday - At Monterey 1958 (1986) {Black Hawk Japan, 32XB-100, Early Press}
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© 1958, 1986 Black Hawk Records Japan | 32XB-10
Jazz / Torch Songs / Vocal Jazz / Standards

This year Black-Hawk Records, Inc. is very excited to announce the inaugural CD release of Billie Holiday Live at Monterey 1958. This is more than a great recording. The fact that it lay undiscovered for 20 years, took place at the most prestigious Jazz Festival on the West Coast, and is among just five of Holiday's live concert recordings, makes Billie Holiday Live at Monterey 1958 a rare jewel among the archives.

Mose Allison - Creek Bank (1958) {Prestige ‎PCD-24055-2 rel 1994}
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© 1958, 1994 Prestige / ZYX Music | PCD-24055-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Jazz Blues / Piano / Vocal Jazz

This Prestige collection combines two 1958 sessions that feature Mose Allison on many cherished standards, and a few early originals. Here the pianist/vocalist divides his time between instrumental piano trio numbers and those that feature his bluesy Southern vocals. Listening to many of these familiar tunes, it is easy to see how Allison was influenced by everyone from Sonny Boy Williamson and Nat King Cole to Bud Powell.

Fred Katz - Fred Katz and His Music (2012) {2CD Set Decca–Fresh Sound FSR-CD744 rec 1958-1959}
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© 1958-59, 2012 Decca / Fresh Sound Records | FSR-CD 744 | 24bit remastering
Jazz / Cool / Third Stream / Modern Creative / Cello

Fred Katz (born February 25, 1919) is an American composer, songwriter, conductor, cellist, pianist, and professor. In jazz, a principal contribution of Katz has been, as Leonard Feather noted, “to put the cello to full use both in arco and pizzicato solos.” Oscar Pettiford had already indicated the considerable jazz potential of plucked (pizzicato) cello, but with Oscar, the instrument remained secondary to his primary instrument, the bass. Katz was the first musician to utilize all of the cello in jazz as his chief instrument in that idiom.

Art Blakey Quintet - A Night at Birdland Vol.2 (1954) {Blue Note Japan, CP32-5202, Early Press}
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© 1954, 1986 Blue Note / Toshiba EMI Japan | CP32-5202
Jazz / Hard Bop

During Blue Note vault research in 1975, four additional full performances from this historic Birdland recording were discovered. three of them were issued in the U.S. in 1978 as part of a Blakey double album. All four were issued in 1983 in Japan as A NIGHT AT BIRDLAND, Volume Three, which had a short playing time. Due to the expanded time limitations of the CD, half of these discoveries have been added to each of the original Birdland volumes. -Michael Cuscuna

Art Blakey Quintet - A Night at Birdland Vol.1 (1954) {Blue Note Japan, CP32-5201, Early Press}
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© 1954, 1986 Blue Note / Toshiba EMI Japan | CP32-5201
Jazz / Hard Bop

During Blue Note vault research in 1975, four additional full performances from this historic Birdland recording were discovered. three of them were issued in the U.S. in 1978 as part of a Blakey double album. All four were issued in 1983 in Japan as A NIGHT AT BIRDLAND, Volume Three, which had a short playing time. Due to the expanded time limitations of the CD, half of these discoveries have been added to each of the original Birdland volumes. -Michael Cuscuna

Hal McKusick - Hal McKusick Quartet (1955) {Bethelehem–Fresh Sound FSR-CD 41 rel 1989}
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© 1955, 1989 Fresh Sound Records / Bethelehem | FSR-CD 41
Jazz / Cool / Bop / Saxophone / Clarinet

Hal McKusick was a fine journeyman cool-toned bop-based altoist and clarinetist on this 1955 Bethlehem studio date (reissued on CD by Fresh Sound), McKusick is accompanied by guitarist Barry Galbraith, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Osie Johnson on a variety of straightahead tunes including seven originals by arranger Manny Albam. The music is pleasing, light and swinging.

Lee Konitz - Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre (1951-1959) {2CD Set Verve 527 780-2 rel 1996}
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© 1951-59, 1996 Verve / PolyGram | 527 780-2
Jazz / Cool / Bop / Saxophone

This unusual two-CD set not only reissues the original LP of the same name but three other rare Verve LP's from the 1950's. Altoist Lee Konitz (on "An Image") is showcased during a set of adventurous Bill Russo arrangements for an orchestra and strings in 1958, pops up on half of Ralph Burns' underrated 1951 classic Free Forms (the most enjoyable of the four sets) and meets up with baritonist Jimmy Giuffre, whose arrangements for five saxes (including the great tenor Warne Marsh) and a trio led by pianist Bill Evans are sometimes equally influenced by classical music and bop.

Red Garland's third session as a leader finds the distinctive pianist investigating eight standards (including "Please Send Me Someone to Love," "Stompin' at the Savoy," "If I Were a Bell," and "Almost Like Being in Love") with his distinctive chord voicings, melodic but creative ideas, and solid sense of swing. Joined by bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor, Garland plays up to his usual consistent level, making this an easily recommended disc for straight-ahead fans.

Various Artists - The Complete Norman Granz Jam Sessions (2004) {5CD Box Set Verve B0003252-02 QS01 rec 1952-1954}
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© 1952-54, 2004 Verve / Universal | B0003252-02 QS01
Jazz / Bop / Bebop / Standards

The historic Norman Granz Jam Sessions, recorded between 1952-1954 for Clef and Mercury, are among the most treasured jam sets of all time. The nine separate albums featured the crème de la crème of New York's jazz community from Charlie Parker to Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Oscar Peterson, Lionel Hampton and Max Roach and dozens of others. This box set simply collects all nine LPs on five remastered CDs, containing original artwork in a slipcase that fits inside a handsome metal display box. The individual volumes are of consistently very high quality and are utterly indispensable to jazz aficionados. For those who already have the discs, this is merely superfluous. For those who don't, this is a pricey buy but a hell of a way to begin a jazz education.

Various Artists - Cold War Countdown: Country Music Goes To War 1952-1972 (2019) {OMNI - 199}
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© 1952-72, 2019 The Omni Recording Corporation | OMNI - 199
Country / Folk / Bluegrass / Gospel

From the people who brought you 'Hillbillies In Hell'. War, Patriotism, Pathos, Paranoia and Propaganda in the Country Music Experience. Vinyl Relics recovered from abandoned Fall-Out Shelters and excavated from beneath wastelands of Radioactive Rubble. Country Music Artefacts from the Cold War Era: Hyper-Patriotic Anthems, Delirious Cowpoke Agitprop Diatribes, Peacenik Protestations and Heartfelt Homefront Lamentations. Years in the making - 'Cold War Countdown' presents 28 tempestuous tirades of Red-Scare Pinko-Subversion, Iron Curtain-Clad Simian Freedom Fighters, Bearded Despots, Flower Power Fall-Out, the War Wizened, the Walking Wounded and Heart-Wrenching Fallen Heroes.