Live at the Lighthouse captured the Three Sounds at their jazziest, but Coldwater Flat, the first studio session pianist Gene Harris and bassist Andrew Simpkins recorded with new drummer Donald Bailey, takes a different path. For this date, the group decided to emphasize its pop side, recording the record with the lush Oliver Nelson Orchestra and choosing to cover such pop hits as "The Look of Love" and "Last Train to Clarksville." The closing number, "Star Trek," is actually an original by Harris, unrelated to the TV show. One of the primary attractions of the Three Sounds' sound was its simplicity and their ability to find so much variation within the trio format. That magic is somewhat lost with the orchestra, which tends to overwhelm the trio…

Afro-American Sketches stands as a monumental, historically significant masterpiece that highlights the exceptional big band arranging and deep compositional genius of Oliver Nelson. Originally recorded in late 1961 and reissued by Original Jazz Classics, this ambitious seven-movement suite chronicles the African American experience, from ancestral roots and enslavement to emancipation, the Great Migration, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. Fronting an extraordinary big band composed of New York's finest studio elite, Nelson weaves a rich, complex sonic tapestry utilizing layered brass, striking French horns, and a deep, multi-textured rhythmic foundation featuring drummer Ed Shaughnessy and percussionist Ray Barretto. The compositions seamlessly transition between the hard-driving post-bop intensity of Jungleaire, the deeply soulful call-and-response frameworks of Emancipation Blues, and the intricate, sophisticated orchestrations of Freedom Dance. Striking the perfect balance between melodic simplicity and inner structural complexity, the album serves as a profound, intensely expressive testament to Nelson's enduring artistic vision and cultural resonance.

Taking Care Of Business stands as a highly authoritative and exceptionally soulful hard bop session that showcases the rapidly expanding artistry of saxophonist and composer Oliver Nelson. Originally recorded in 1960 by Rudy Van Gelder and beautifully reissued on this Original Jazz Classics release, the album places Nelson in a uniquely textured quintet setting featuring the brilliant vibraphonist Lem Winchester and the deep groove of organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith. Together with a rhythm section anchored by bassist George Tucker and legendary drummer Roy Haynes, the ensemble delivers a masterclass in blues-infected swing and intricate harmonic interplay. Nelson, executing flawless lines on both tenor and alto saxophones, leads the band through a stellar program that highlights his compositional genius on tracks like Trane Whistle and his profound interpretative touch on Sonny Rollins' classic Doxy. The resulting record is a definitive, deeply expressive document of early 1960s modern acoustic jazz that balances vibrant energy with sophisticated musical restraint.

Stolen Moments represents a historically profound and artistically majestic document, capturing one of the final studio sessions ever recorded by the legendary saxophonist, composer, and arranger Oliver Nelson. Cut originally in 1975 for the iconic Japanese East Wind label and presented here in a pristine DSD remastered edition, this magnificent album flawlessly bridges the gap between Nelson's sophisticated 1960s large-ensemble architecture and the expansive, electric-tinged fusion sensibilities of the 1970s. Backed by an absolute powerhouse band featuring Bobby Bryant on trumpet, multi-reed masters Jerome Richardson and Buddy Collette, and the phenomenal rhythm tandem of keyboardist Mike Wofford, electric bassist Chuck Domanico, and drumming legend Shelly Manne, Nelson directs a masterclass in groove and texture. The program features an incredible, deeply soulful contemporary remake of his immortal title track alongside fiery explorations of Sonny Rollins' St. Thomas, Thelonious Monk's Straight, No Chaser, and earthy Nelson originals like Mission Accomplished and Yearnin'. It stands as a vital, profoundly expressive monument to an enduring jazz genius at the twilight of his career.

Meet Oliver Nelson represents the magnificent debut session of the legendary saxophonist, composer, and arranger Oliver Nelson as a leader, capturing the early blossoming of one of jazz's most brilliant minds. Originally recorded in 1959 and beautifully preserved on this 1992 Original Jazz Classics reissue, the album features Nelson leading a stellar quintet that includes the brilliant hard bop trumpeter Kenny Dorham, soulful pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Wendell Marshall, and driving bop drummer Arthur Taylor. Across six masterfully crafted tracks, the ensemble navigates four of Nelson's highly inventive, blues-drenched original compositions alongside exquisite readings of Billy Strayhorn's Passion Flower and the classic standard What's New?. Nelson's robust, muscular tenor saxophone tone pairs perfectly with Dorham's lyrical, sparkling brass accents, while the rhythm section locks into an effortlessly deep and swinging groove. It is an indispensable, historically significant acoustic document that serves as a flawless introduction to Nelson's sophisticated compositional architecture and immense improvisational command.

Straight Ahead stands as a monumental and historically significant collaboration in the realm of post-bop and hard bop, featuring the brilliant multi-instrumentalist and arranger Oliver Nelson alongside the visionary multi-reedist Eric Dolphy. Originally recorded in 1961 and beautifully preserved on this Original Jazz Classics reissue, the album captures a high-water mark of creative synergy. Nelson and Dolphy engage in a captivating sonic dialogue, their distinct approaches to the saxophone, clarinet, and flute complementing each other perfectly. Backed by a stellar rhythm section comprising pianist Richard Wyands, bassist George Duvivier, and the incomparable drummer Roy Haynes, the ensemble navigates complex blues patterns and hard-driving rhythms with absolute ease. Spanning six masterfully crafted tracks, including the stunning opener Images and the brilliant title track, the album perfectly illustrates Nelson's sophisticated compositional vision and the quintet's immense collective improvisational power, making it an essential masterpiece for any serious jazz enthusiast.

Unlike the original classic Blues and the Abstract Truth set from three years earlier, Oliver Nelson does not play on this album. He did contribute three of the eight originals and all of the arrangements but his decision not to play is disappointing. However there are some strong moments from such all-stars as trumpeter Thad Jones, altoist Phil Woods, baritonist Pepper Adams, pianist Roger Kellaway and guest tenor Ben Webster (who is on two songs). The emphasis is on blues-based pieces and there are some strong moments even if the date falls short of its predecessor.

When the late President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, the world lost not only a prominent politician, but one who truly championed the arts and civil rights. In February of 1967, Oliver Nelson recognized Kennedy's contributions and assembled a big band to play music in his honor, with taped segments of his speeches as preludes. The result is a heartfelt yet eerie combination, perhaps a bit off-putting, but absolutely relevant decades later. The music is reflective of the changing times as identified by Nelson, ranging from commercial movie score-type music, to soulful or straight-ahead jazz, bop, and the modern big-band sound that the leader, composer, and orchestrator owned. Kennedy's most famous speech about fellow Americans, asking what they can do for their country, is folded into the last track "John Kennedy Memory Waltz" with a string quartet and the regret-tinged alto sax of Phil Woods…

Meet Oliver Nelson marked the leader recording debut of a considerable talent in tenor saxophonist Oliver Nelson (1932-1975). He was to win even greater acclaim later as a composer and arranger, but at 27 he was already a vastly experienced performer and a notably imaginative soloist, affectingly sensitive on ballads like Passion Flower and What s New, with a voluminous sound, full and fiery, on more driving material. For his debut he had simpatico company in trumpeter Kenny Dorham, so lyrical on Booze Baby Blues, and a shrewdly chosen rhythm section in pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Art Taylor. It was a noteworthy beginning. Recorded almost two years later, Main Stem was much more like a typical Prestige blowing session of the time, heavily dependant on the wit and invention of the participants. Fortunately, Nelson again chose his colleagues well. Trumpeter Joe Newman is particularly good and pianist Hank Jones is his usual lucidly impeccable self in a swinging rhythm section with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Charlie Persip, while the leader, on both alto and tenor, produces an abundance of melodic, well-constructed solos over a satisfying session.

Originally released in 1970, “Black, Brown and Beautiful” saw legendary composer and arranger Oliver Nelson musically address the state of black America in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King. Tracks like ‘Requiem’, ‘Lamb Of God’ and ‘Martin Was A Man, A Real Man’ directly address the passing of King, whereas ‘Self Help Is Needed’ and ‘I Hope In Time A Change Will Come’ orchestrally and passionately ask questions that still remain unanswered today. Indeed, Nelson, writing about the track ‘Self Help Is Needed’ stated “I have always felt that the Federal Government wasn’t going to do a damn thing and American Blacks were going to have to do it themselves. However, you can’t have a foot on your neck making it impossible for you to help yourself. That seems logical – doesn’t it?” Sadly, those words still hold true today.

The Hammond organ, named after its inventor Laurens Hammond, debuted in 1935 as a cost-effective electro-acoustic alternative to the gigantic pipe organs mainly installed in churches. Among Hammond’s first customers were George Gershwin and Count Basie. Jazz pianists like Basie, Fats Waller, Wild Bill Davis and Milt Buckner were the founding fathers of the instrument’s international conquest, which led across all styles of popular music, from jazz to progressive rock, with its heyday in the 1960s and '70s…

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. All cut at 33 1/3 and also released on Hybrid SACD. All mastered from the original analog master tapes by mastering maestro Kevin Gray.

Oliver Nelson (on tenor and alto sax) meets Eric Dolphy (alto, bass clarinet and flute) 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.

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. Lead trumpeter Freddie Hubbard is at his peak of performance, while alto saxophonists Nelson and Eric Dolphy (Nelson doubling on tenor) team to form an unlikely union that was simmered to perfection. Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Roy Haynes (drums) can do no wrong as a rhythm section. "Stolen Moments" really needs no comments, as its undisputable beauty shines through in a three-part horn harmony fronting Hubbard's lead melody…

Jazz Me Tonight is a 2019 compilation of soothing jazz to get you to the right place. This is a digital release which doesn't have a label attached to it but it's all the original versions by the original artists.