As Oliver Nelson is known primarily as a big band leader and arranger, he is lesser known as a saxophonist and organizer of small ensembles. Blues and the Abstract Truth is his triumph as a musician for the aspects of not only defining the sound of an era with his all-time classic "Stolen Moments," but on this recording, assembling one of the most potent modern jazz sextets ever.

In July of 1960, in protest against what they considered the failings of the jazz scene and the accelerating commercialization of the annual Newport Jazz Festival, Charles Mingus and Max Roach staged their own "rebel" festival at nearby Cliff Walk Manner, RI. The rebels set up their own tents for sleeping, built their own stage, handled advertising, promotion, ticket taking and MC duties. By all accounts the concert was wholly inspired and a peaceful affair. Meanwhile, what was supposed to be an alternative festival turned out to be the only one in town. Unable to disperse an intoxicated mob of young people seeking access to the sold-out show at Freebody Park, the actual Newport Jazz Festival ended abruptly in a full scale riot. Despite the fact that these sessions were held in the studio, the music reflects the high-spirited freedom of the best jazz played at the original setting with nearly all of it improvised during the recording. Of particular note is the Booker Little track "Cliff Walk," which features both Max Roach and Jo Jones, two of the greatest jazz drummers ever, trading off. The LP includes extraordinary liner notes written by Hentoff himself, giving a context and insight that adds to the experience of hearing these magnificent performances. This recording is remastered by legendary mastering engineer, Bernie Grundman.

"Out to Lunch", Dolphy’s sole recording for Blue Note represented a pinnacle moment in avant-garde jazz. Poised with intriguing improvisation, the compelling listen would become a staple in the jazz canon. The album made a bold statement with its stunning instrumentation, ranging from alto sax to bass clarinet. This essential recording included a breathtaking tribute to Thelonious Monk.

Oliver Nelson meets Eric Dolphy on this frequently exciting sextet session with trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Richard Wyands, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. Although Dolphy is too unique and skilled to be overshadowed in a setting such as this, Nelson holds his own. He contributed five of the six compositions (including "Screamin' the Blues," "The Meetin'," and "Alto-Itis") and effectively matches wits and creative ideas with Dolphy. This edition is a part of the ultimate audiophile Prestige Stereo reissues from Analogue Productions - 25 of the most collectible, rarest, most audiophile-sounding Rudy Van Gelder recordings ever made.

Caribé is an album by the Latin Jazz Quintet with Eric Dolphy that was recorded in 1960 and released on the New Jazz label in February 1961.

Resonance Records is proud to announce the first official previously-unissued studio recordings of Eric Dolphy in over 30 years, including 85-minutes of never before released material. Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions is being released in partnership with the Eric Dolphy Trust and the Alan Douglas Estate with remastered high-resolution monoaural audio transferred directly from the original tapes.

Numbered, Limited Edition 200 Gram LP. Pressed at Quality Record Pressings. Mastered by Kevin Gray & Cut from the Original Stereo Analog Master Tapes.

"Point Of Departure" is not only one of the greatest jazz recordings of 1964, but of all time. The stellar lineup (Eric Dolphy, Kenny Dorham, Joe Henderson, Richard Davis and a teen aged Tony Williams) was given a set of challenging compositions by the brilliant pianist and composer Andrew Hill. This group created the album known as Point of Departure, an acknowledged modern day classic and one of Blue Notes most extraordinary recordings. Andrew Hill was a quiet revolutionary, but he was every bit as original in his conception as Thelonious Monk. Hill extended, twisted and turned hard bop into his own very fresh and personal music. Like Eric Dolphy, Hill spawned few imitators. His conception was so pure, and so unique, both as a player and as an arranger-composer that nearly a half century later, Point Of Departure remains a brilliant touchstone of modern jazz.

The recordings made by John Coltrane and his band at the Village Vanguard over four nights in early November 1961 had to be divided up over two LPs at the time, collectively ranked by All About Jazz at number two on its list of the 10 best live jazz records. For these performances Coltrane expanded his usual lineup to include Eric Dolphy on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, which brought new possibilities to the front line and to the music performed during the four nights. Live At The Village Vanguard has gone on to become one of Coltrane's most successful releases.

The Blues and the Abstract Truth is an album by American composer and jazz saxophonist Oliver Nelson recorded in February 1961. It remains Nelson's most acclaimed album and features a lineup of notable musicians: Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Roy Haynes. Baritone saxophonist George Barrow does not take solos but remains a key feature in the subtle voicings of Nelson's arrangements.

One of the greatest jazz masterpieces of all time, "Africa/Brass" frames Coltrane’s lyrical improvisation in explosive horn arrangements that include legendary trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and free jazz innovator Eric Dolphy. Pianist McCoy Tyner, drummer Elvin Jones, and bassists Reggie Workman and Art Davis underpin the orchestrations with propulsive energy that makes for one of the most exhilarating listens in jazz history. AFRICA BRASS shows the legendary tenor player at one of his greatest artistic heights and is an absolutely essential addition to any jazz-lover’s library.

Posterity remembers Oliver Nelson primarily as an arranger/conductor. When he first began to attract attention with a series of albums for Prestige and its subsidiaries, however, Nelson was hailed as a versatile leader of small groups and a composer/instrumentalist who could refresh the music’s traditional verities while also looking ahead. There is no better showcase for these skills among his initial sessions than "Screamin’ the Blues", a rousing set of funky modernism interpreted by a sextet of players who shared Nelson’s allegiance to both virtuosity and vision.

One of jazz’s best kept secrets, this landmark 1961 release by saxophonist and arranger Oliver Nelson boasts the superstar lineup of Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes and Paul Chambers. The record explores the limitless boundaries of the blues and introduced the world to one of the jazz genre’s most performed standards, “Stolen Moments”.

"Impressions" contains two studio tracks paired with two live songs left over from the same November 1961 recordings that yielded John Coltrane's very successful "Live At The Village Vanguard". There was too much material for one LP so the music had to be divided up, with this second album coming a year after the first.

The second of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's two Impulse albums features the 25-year old in three separate settings. He is heard along with a tenor-saxophonist backed by strings ("Skylark," "I Got It Bad" and "Chocolate Shake" are all given beautiful treatments), with a 16-piece band and in a septet with Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter. This well-rounded and highly recommended showcase shows why Freddie Hubbard was considered the top trumpeter to emerge during the early '60s.