"Alive" marks the 2014 return of Japanese pianist/composer Hiromi’s Trio Project, featuring contrabass guitarist Anthony Jackson (Steely Dan, Paul Simon, The O’Jays and Chick Corea) and drummer Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour and Jack Bruce). Hiromi's Trio, which DownBeat magazine called one of the most exciting groups working in any genre today, was first formed in 2011. On "Alive", Phillips’s powerful yet poetic percussion and Jackson’s flowing, glow-in-the-dark basslines beautifully support Hiromi’s improvisations. Her evocative compositions evoke the myriad moods and mysteries of life and reveal the soulful, syncopated simpatico of her thrilling threesome.

The Nightfly is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Donald Fagen. Fagen was previously best known for his work in the group Steely Dan, with whom he enjoyed a successful career in the 1970s. The band separated in 1981, leading Fagen to pursue a solo career. Although The Nightfly includes a number of production staff and musicians who had played on Steely Dan records, it was Fagen's first release without longtime collaborator Walter Becker.

"Black Widow" is an album by Argentine composer, pianist and conductor Lalo Schifrin recorded in 1976 and released on the CTI label. The Allmusic review called it "one of the peak albums in Lalo Schifrin's lengthy catalogue and a necessity for anyone interested in his jazz work".

Trombone player Urbie Green never was a household name but his two albums on the famous CTI label are excellent all-star jazz events featuring a host of guests like Eric Gale, Joe Farrell, Jeremy Steig, Mike Abene, Andy Newmark, Toots Thielemans, Jimmy Madison, Anthony Jackson and Mike Mainieri among others, delivering another slice of great CTI jazz. This session was produced by Creed Taylor and released 1976.

Flesh on Flesh is a 2002 album by Italian-American jazz fusion and Latin jazz guitarist Al Di Meola. The album contains new compositions and reworkings of older ones as well.

Keyboardist Will Boulware and company strike again with another dose of to-die-for contemporary jazz. His first Eighty-Eight's label effort, "Over Crystal Green", won Swing Journal's Golden Disk award and helped to launch a label that has now received extensive acclaim from jazz and audiophile press. Boulware pulls out some heavy artillery on "Harmony", including a very special appearance by Phoebe Snow, who sings on three tracks. Will & Rainbow is rounded out by Peter Bernstein on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone, Philippe Saisse on synthesizers, Steve Gadd on drums, and Anthony Jackson on bass.