Celebrating Miles Davis & John Colrane, "Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall" was recorded on October 25, 2001. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group in 2003, the year of its release.

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.

Although he has appeared on a countless number of studio sessions, this release was (with the exception of an obscure Japanese date in 1984) drummer Steve Gadd's debut as a leader. The Gadd Gang (comprised of the drummer, guitarist Cornell Dupree, bassist Eddie Gómez and Richard Tee on keyboards) was a likable unit that blended together jazz, R&B and some groovin' funk. With the addition of a horn section arranged by David Matthews, the group plays Bob Dylan's "Watching the River Flow," and Wilton Felder's "Way Back Home," a medley of "Honky Tonk" and "I Can't Stop Loving You," and some basic band originals that can appeal to a wide audience.

In the mid '70s, trumpeter Randy Brecker and his saxophonist brother Michael were the Wynton and Branford Marsalis of their jazz fusion day. This live date features the brothers performing with the WDR Big Band in Koln, Germany in 2003. Augmented by conductor/arranger Vince Mendoza, bassist Will Lee, and drummer Peter Erskine, the Breckers revive some of their hits from their classic LPs Back to Back, Don't Stop the Music, Heavy Metal Be-Bop, Detente, and Strap-Hangin'. Randy's full-bodied trumpet tones and Michael's Tranish sheets-of-sound sax appeal reveal their tradition-born technique applied to funk, world, and pop-oriented soundscapes. The peppery title track and the mid-tempo backbeat on "Sponge" reveal their mainstream jazz cred, and the oblique "Wayne Out" is a tribute to Wayne Shorter. The Latin-tinged "Shanghigh" is a shout-out to Randy's former boss Horace Silver, while the percussive "For Barry" reveals Michael's type of tenor madness. Contrary to some critics, these fusion cats could swing.

This rare collection of all-star recordings from keyboardist Harris Simon features Michael Brecker at his very best! As a 21-year-old wunderkind, pianist-composer-arranger Harris Simon went into the studio in March of 1978 to record his first recording under his own name entitled "New York Connection" featuring an all-star cast including tenor sax titan Michael Brecker, Brazilian trumpeter Claudio Roditi, saxophonist-flutist Joe Farrell, bassist Mike Richmond, guitarist Bill Washer and Brazilian drummer Portinho. Two years later, Simon returned to the studio with essentially the same heavyweight crew to record Swish. Selections from both quintessential late '70s offerings, are now available in the compilation The "Mastery of Passion", represent a moment in time when jazz was crossing over to a wider audience.

"The Rape of El Morro" is an album by American arranger/conductor and composer Don Sebesky featuring performances recorded in 1975 and released on the CTI label.

Julian Coriel is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. Like his father, Larrry Coryell, Julian Coryell is a talented guitarist, but his style is more in the smooth jazz vein than his dad's. Inspired by Miles Davis, a friend and colleague of his legendary jazz guitarist father, Larry Coryell, who once told him, "jazz is easy, creating fresh pop music is hard", singer/songwriter Julian Coryell has searched around for the perfect niche. This disc contains more great jazz compositions and features Michael Brecker on saxophone.