This LP features the Miles Davis Sextet of 1959 without the leader. Altoist Cannonball Adderley and tenor saxophonist John Coltrane really push each other on these six selections, with this version of "Limehouse Blues" really burning. Coltrane's very serious sound is a striking contrast to the jubilant Adderley alto; the latter is showcased on "Stars Fell on Alabama." With pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb playing up to their usual level, this gem is highly recommended.

Portrait Of Cannonball is a spectacularly explosive, historically monumental, and masterfully synchronized hard bop studio masterpiece led by the legendary American alto saxophone vanguard titan Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, reissued on compact disc by Fantasy’s premier independent historical preservation imprint Original Jazz Classics. Spanning nearly 58 minutes of breathtakingly swinging, blues-drenched instrumental interactions across 9 definitive tracking alignments, this high-fidelity restoration serves as an absolute pinnacle monument in late-1950s acoustic jazz archaeology. Recorded in New York City on July 1, 1958, for Orrin Keepnews's iconic Riverside label, Adderley utilizes this unique quintet configuration to execute a fierce, forward-thinking sonic blueprint that seamlessly marries his deep, gospel-laced blues roots with the sharp, sophisticated harmonic frameworks of the emerging post-bop vanguard.

A totally great set by Cannonball Adderley - one of his funkiest albums ever, recorded live at Operation Breadbasket under the supervision of Jesse Jackson, and a session in which the band is cooking a lot more than on some of their other albums from the time! The set grooves hard with some tight electric piano from Joe Zawinul - amazing snakey lines that not only set the tone for the whole record, but which really make for a strong evolution from the Mercy Mercy Mercy era of the group a few years before. Cannon's alto and soprano work are beautiful - a masterpiece of soul jazz expression - as is the cornet from brother Nat - and the group's completed by bassist Walter Booker and drummer Roy McCurdy.

Cannonball Adderley's most popular album, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy wasn't actually recorded "Live at 'The Club'," as its subtitle says. The hoax was meant to publicize a friend's nightclub venture in Chicago, but Adderley actually recorded the album in Los Angeles, where producer David Axelrod set up a club in the Capitol studios and furnished free drinks to an invitation-only audience. Naturally, the crowd is in an extremely good mood, and Adderley's quintet, feeding off the energy in the room, gives them something to shout about. By this point, Adderley had perfected a unique blend of earthy soul-jazz and modern, subtly advanced post-bop; very rarely did some of these harmonies and rhythms pop up in jazz so saturated with blues and gospel feeling…

Though labeled as a Cannonball Adderley Quintet session, this is actually a workout with a percussion section loaded with African drums, a big band, and in spots, voices - all unidentified. Nevertheless, this is one of the best and most overlooked of the Cannonball Adderley Capitols, a rumbling session that bursts with the joy of working in an unfamiliar yet vital rhythmic context. Cannonball turns in one of his swinging-est solos through a Varitone electronic attachment on Caiphus Semenya's "Gumba Gumba" and "Marabi" is a real hip-jiggler; you can't sit still through it. Other highlights include Cannon preaching blue smoke in his own Afro-Cuban-blues-flavored "Hamba Nami," a dignified trip through Wes Montgomery's "Up and At It," and Nat Adderley's commanding work on cornet at all times.

Of all the dates Cannonball Adderley cut with producer David Axelrod for Capitol, this 1972 set is the most unusual. Featuring three long jams and a short tune, this session is the sextet with Nat Adderley on cornet, Roy McCurdy on drums, George Duke playing acoustic piano and Rhodes, Walter Booker on bass, and Airto Moreira on percussion, with guests Flora Purim on vocals, guitarist David T. Walker, and percussionist King Errison. Bassist Chuck Rainey and vocal soloist Olga James help out on "Savior." This set was released just after Cannonball Adderley Quintet & Orchestra, but the vibe is completely different. Rather than focusing on hard bop, soul-jazz, or free bop jazz styles, Adderley concentrates most of his band's energy on Brazilian grooves in three of these four tunes. Played in front of a live (studio) audience, the vibe is celebratory, loose, raw, and inspired…