This wonderful set finds flutist James Newton creating fresh interpretations of seven songs written by Duke Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn. His ensembles include violinist John Blake, altoist Arthur Blythe, cornetist Olu Dara, vibraphonist Jay Hoggard, pianist Roland Hanna (who has long had the ability to emulate Ellington's chord voicings and touch), bassist Rick Rozie, percussionist Anthony Brown, and either Pheeroan Ak Laff or Billy Hart on drums. In addition, Milt Grayson (who had sung with Ellington) takes a guest vocal on "Strange Feeling." Whether romping through "Cottontail," reviving "Virgin Jungle" (heard in an 11-minute version), or taking an unaccompanied flute flight on "Sophisticated Lady," James Newton's tribute set is quite memorable and a real gem.

Back in 1958, guitarists John Pisano and Billy Bean teamed up for a pair of Decca albums (Take Your Pick and Makin' It) that also included Gene Estes on vibes, bassist Hal Gaylor, drummer Larry Bunker and, on various tracks, strings and woodwinds. During the same period, Pisano taped their rehearsals and the best selections from those informal jams have been released for the first time in this 1998 CD, available from the British String Jazz label.

When the great Charlie Parker picked a young white guy named Al Haig asthe pianist for his quintet in 1946, a lot of people were surprised Enigma album for sale. However, Haigwas one of the very first pianists to follow the trend started by Bud Powell, andhis technique, style and impeccable taste earned him the right to be in Parker'sgroup. In his last years (he died in 1982) he would make more than a dozen albums Enigma CD music.

Edward Louis Smith (born May 20, 1931, Memphis, Tennessee, United States) is an American jazz trumpeter. While studying at the University of Michigan, he played with visiting musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Thad Jones and Billy Mitchell,[1] before going on to play with Sonny Stitt, Count Basie and Al McKibbon, Cannonball Adderley, Percy Heath, Philly Joe Jones, Lou Donaldson, Donald Byrd, Kenny Dorham and Zoot Sims.

Erroll Garner was known for his distinctive and unique style of playing the piano: he often kept the beat in his left hand, which gave his piano playing an almost guitar-like style. This album was recorded in July of 1954, and of the 13 tracks that are on this release, Garner recorded 11 more at this same recording session! (all of them 1st takes!) Joining Erroll on piano are Wyatt Ruther on bass and Eugene "Fats" Heard on Drums, also featured on "Sweet and Lovely" is conga player Candido Camero.

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer often referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz and Lady Ella. She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.

The new Brave New World album, "Spork," is now available. Adam is thrilled to be working with mixing wizard Jeff Jones, also known as the Jedi Master. Adam worked with Jeff a while back at RVI studios, and Jeff helped record and mix Adam's first solo album, "In A Loud Way." Jeff recently won a Grammy for his production work on Dr. John's new CD, "The City That Care Forgot."

A beautiful album of subtle, soulful jazz, recorded with the great Benny Bailey on trumpet, and featuring the amazing (and amazingly underrated) tenor of Billy Mitchell. The writing on here's excellent, and the tracks are long, meandering, and beautiful (and a little bit like Bailey's European recordings, if you know them). The monster highlight is "Perpetual Stroll", which has great, catchy changes, and some wonderful thoughtful solos. Other tracks include "B&B", "Prompt", and "De Lawd's Blues".

In 1996, the Afro-Celt Sound System formed a sound clash that mixed Irish music, dance floor grooves, West African percussion, and the kora. While there were highlights, often with help from high profile singing guests like Sinead O'Connor and Peter Gabriel, the albums were fragmented. Now the members have shortened their name to the AfroCelts for their forth album, declaring that the Sound System isn't applicable because they've evolved into a more conventional and fully formed group. The change sounds radical, but it's really just a refinement in their working relationship and songwriting skill. Consequently, Seed holds together more strongly as an album. The songs are more consistently crafted and sonically rich here, with different voices and instruments coming to the fore, but never outshining the greater whole. Highlights include the blues slide guitar-driven title track, the wholly acoustic (which is a first!) and Irish jig-inspired "Ayob's Song/As You Were," and the Radiohead-influenced "All Remains."

This album was released under the alias "Undercover Express" in Japan and was intended as a sideproject, not as a new Osaka Monaurail release. That's why it is easy to understand, how this album differs from the other releases. It's all instrumental cover-versions, and the overall sound is cleaner and jazzier than the typical Osaka Monaurail-sound. German distributor Unique Records decided to go with new grown popularity of Osaka Monaurail in Europe due to their incredible live-shows, that they have played in Europe for at least three years in a row at the time of this release, and released this as "Amen Brother" by Osaka Monaurail. Not aware of the story of this album, some listeners showed disappointment in the record (saying it was too different from it's predecessors due to the points mentioned above), but were convinced by the live-experience once and for all, which had this "misunderstanding" lose it's importance.

Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra is an album by Paul Kantner, and his last solo studio album. The title comes from an unofficial name for San Francisco artists who recorded on various albums in 1970–1973, also known as PERRO. The song "Mountain Song" is dedicated "to David C, Jerry G, Graham N, Grace S, David F, Billy K and Mickey H and to one summer when all of our schedules almost didn't conflict," and was written during the 70's recording sessions by Kantner and Jerry Garcia. The album collects various Starship/Airplane alumni to front an extended trip musically similar to his then recent, Starship efforts. One track, "Circle of Fire" was recorded originally for the Jefferson Starship album, Winds of Change.

Erroll Louis Garner was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His best-known composition, the ballad "Misty", has become a jazz standard. Scott Yanow of Allmusic calls him "one of the most distinctive of all pianists" and a "brilliant virtuoso".

There is no doubt that Irish jazz guitarist Louis Stewart is one of the all-time greats, and it is obvious from the first notes he plays on any occasion. Quick witted, clean and clear, original, inventive, steeped in tradition, astonishing at most turns and only remarkable on the others, the only reason most of you don't know him is that he works in Europe, barely visiting the continental America's during his five decades of performing.

This blues release from JSP label contains songs from Dusty Brown, Doc Terry, Jimmy Lee Robinson and Johnny LittleJohn.

Thermonuclear Blues/Rock unit VDELLI, have arrived on the world stage, on time, in form, now showcasing their unique and intoxicating new sound. Michael Vdelli (Guitar/Vocal), Leigh Miller (Bass/Vocal) and Ric Whittle (Drums) collectively are a perfect storm, taking all before them in their stride, with no respite in sight. Since securing the deal with German label Jazzhaus Records in 2010, the band has released five albums, each in turn upping the ante in songwriting, studio performances and critical acclaim. Higher. The name suggests a continuous ascent. Like being halfway up a mountain and taking the next leg of the journey toward the summit. Or having a good buzz on when the band kicks in and transports you to another dimension. That kind of upward movement is what Vdelli's fifth international release for Jazzhaus Records is all about. "Artistically," says Vdelli, "I feel we've achieved our goal of producing something fresh and energetic that has progressed from our last effort. So now we wait and see how it is received by the people. I can’t wait to be on the road playing these songs live!".