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.

"In a Temple Garden" is an album by American multi-instrumentalist and composer Yusef Lateef recorded in 1979 and released on the CTI label. This is his second release for CTI. Album's music in whole is more or less what you can expect from CTI release coming from late 70s: smooth and soulful jazz, quite polished, in moments even close to new age, but enough professional to be listened without being totally disappointed.

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.

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.

The Brecker Brothers, Michael and Randy, were one of the most successful of the jazz/fusion groups that arose in the 1970s, recording six bestselling albums for Arista between 1975 and 1981. For their acclaimed debut, the siblings recruited all-star players including David Sanborn, Chris Parker, Harvey Mason, Sr., Bob Mann, Ralph MacDonald, Don Grolnick and Will Lee. Integrating their taste for jazz, fusion, R&B, funk and pop, the recording features their hit single, “Sneakin' Up Behind You” and the emblematic “Skunk Funk”. Widely received, the album reached the top five on Billboard’s Top Jazz albums.

Next to John Coltrane, Michael Brecker was unquestionably the most influential tenor player in the history of jazz. As a result of his stylistic and harmonic innovations, he is the most studied contemporary jazz musician in music schools throughout the world today. This posthumous release comprises the last recordings Michael Brecker made before his untimely death in January 2007. The all-star lineup on Pilgrimage, which includes Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, Pat Metheny, Jack DeJohnette, and John Patitucci, has worked in various combinations over the past four decades.

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.

Esther Phillips was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals. She was a versatile singer and also performed pop, country, jazz, blues and soul music. In 1975, she released a disco-style update of Dinah Washington's "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes", her biggest hit single since "Release Me". It reached the Top 20 in the United States and the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The accompanying album of the same name became her biggest seller yet, with arranger Joe Beck on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor sax, David Sanborn on alto sax, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Steve Khan on guitar and Don Grolnick on keyboards.

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.

"Good King Bad" is a studio album by American guitarist George Benson featuring performances recorded in 1975 and released by CTI Records in 1976. The Allmusic review states "The R&B elements get stronger, the sound and mix are more attuned to the dancefloor, yet this brings out the best in George Benson's funky side. Thanks in part to the more rigid beat, Benson pares down his style to its rhythmic essentials, refusing to spray notes all over the place at random, and as a result, the record cooks and dances".

"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.

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.

Originally issued in 1976, "End Of A Rainbow" was Patti Austin's solo debut album for CTI Records. Although less commercial success, this album was one of the first ever to be exclusively devoted to the Quiet Storm "sound" that was just-then blossoming. Patti's soulful, tender and at times wistful and melancholic vocals are nothing short of exquisite. Patti wrote eight tracks herself and CTI boss Creed Taylor obviously spared no expenses in getting the best session players for this cult classic.

A sweet blend of jazz and soul from Patti Austin. Austin works with some great original material that includes the tracks "(Ooh-Wee) He's Killing Me" and "I Can't Stop" as well as surprising covers, like Squeeze's "Another Nail From My Heart", Isaac Hayes' "Body Language", and Bob Seeger's "We've Got Tonight". The sound is surprisingly rootsy on a few numbers and warmly jazzy on others and Patti's still got all the polish she picked up from her years with Quincy Jones, but she's also stepping out a bit more as an artist with a stronger emotional palette.

"The Chicago Theme" is an album by flautist Hubert Laws recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in New Jersey in 1974 and released in 1975 on the CTI label. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow state "Rather than performing with a small group, as he did on his best sessions, Laws is joined by strings and funky rhythm sections playing now-dated commercial grooves… The only reason to acquire this out of print LP is for Laws' still-superb flute playing".