On this historical anthology, the legendary American guitar icon, generational multi-instrumentalist, and masterfully panoramic architect of jazz guitar phrasing Wes Montgomery is celebrated in a towering, historically volcanic, and beautifully swing-heavy archive document. Released in 1995 by the specialized independent European archival legacy vanguard imprint Giants Of Jazz, this monumental milestone stands as an exceptionally fluid, high-octane monument compiling Wes's absolute definitive early-1960s small group masterworks. Spanning over 73 minutes of immaculate remastered spatial design across 13 expansive tracks, the historical landscape operates with an intense, beautifully syncopated, and masterfully balanced acoustic kinetic energy. Montgomery acts as a brilliant sonic visionary, weaponizing his revolutionary thumb-plucking technique, pristine parallel octaves, and peerless chordal blues geometries alongside a legendary pantheon of hard bop royalty—tracking timeless, world-famous landmarks like Four On Six, West Coast Blues, Airegin, D-Natural Blues, and Twisted Blues. Backed by the unmatched piano artistry of Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones, the resonant bass telemetry of Percy Heath, and a powerhouse rotation of master drummers, this pristine collection remains an indispensable masterpiece for serious bop purists and classic jazz guitar collectors worldwide.

On Use What You Got, the powerhouse American blues vocalist Janiva Magness delivers a raw, deeply soulful, and masterfully commanding studio document. Released in 2003 by the specialized roots imprint Blues Leaf Records, this breakout record solidifies Magness as a premier voice of the modern electric blues scene, effortlessly combining grit, honey, and unmatched emotional vulnerability. Spanning over 51 minutes of immaculate high-fidelity spatial design, the 13-track landscape operates with an electric, deeply grooving, and brilliantly passionate kinetic energy. Backed by a razor-sharp West Coast ensemble, the album rolls fluidly through hard-hitting shuffles, blistering up-tempo R&B workouts, and smoky late-night torch songs—firing off magnificent highlights like the title track Use What You Got, a driving cover of Ike Turner's All Night Worker, and an emotionally devastating take on Charlie Rich's Who Will The Next Fool Be. Driven by her unmistakable, smoky vocal delivery, Zach Zunis's biting guitar licks, and a punchy, double-sax-fueled horn section, this pristine archive remains an indispensable treasure for serious blues purists and roots music collectors worldwide.

Los Angeles axeman Rick Holstrom, best known for his work with Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, delivers an album full of diversity on this, his first Tone-Cool release. The 13 songs included on Gonna Get Wild play out like a catalog of guitar stylings, running from the uptempo blues of "I'd Hate to See You Cry" to the sounds of swing and early rock & roll. Holstrom is able to pull off the different styles with ease and finesse, playing in rich, clean tones without overdoing it on the distortion. That's one reason why his songs have the uncanny ability to sound both retro and modern simultaneously.

J.J. Malone is a soulful vocalist, adept on both piano and guitar and equally convincing whether turning his hand to straight blues, rocking R&B, or funk-influenced material.
The backing on this CD is from a select group of musicians who have played with and know J.J. personally. Bobby Logan plays the tenor saxophone on five of the tunes adds a deep ambiance to his section work, as well as to his solos. Clarence Walker plays guitar, both rhythm and lead, and is real talent. Just listen to his solo on "Old Fashioned Blues," among other cuts, for an example of subtlety combined with power. Jeff Levine on piano and organ is from Brooklyn, New York, and is in demand for his fine touch on Blues and Rock styles alike. Jeff Henry is the bassist, and is considered one of the best on the West Coast Blues scene.

Although its programming has been juggled a bit, and the CD has been given liner notes, this Delmark release is a straight reissue of the original LP. Clocking in at around 38 minutes, the relatively brief set is the only recording that exists of Vinson, pianist Jay McShann, and guitarist T-Bone Walker playing together; the sextet is rounded out by the fine tenor Hal Singer, bassist Jackie Sampson, and drummer Paul Gunther. Vinson, whether singing "Plese Send Me Somebody to Love," "Just a Dream," and "Juice Head Baby" or taking boppish alto solos, is the main star throughout this album (originally on Black & Blue), a date that helped launch Vinson's commercial comeback.

Veteran tenor Flip Phillips is heard leading a jam session during what was dubbed the 1986 Floating Jazz Festival since the music took place on the S.S. Norway somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. Phillips and his fellow tenors Buddy Tate, Al Cohn and Scott Hamilton (along with pianst John Bunch, guitarist Chris Flory, bassist Major Holley and drummer Chuck Riggs) clearly had a good time stretching out on the five pieces (which all sport fairly basic chord changes); fluegelhornist Clark Terry dropped by and joins in on three of the pieces. Unfortunately the liner notes do not tell who solos when but veteran collectors should be able to tell the tenors apart. The only minus to this CD is a surprisingly boring monologue by Phillips (one of Chiaroscuro's few unsuccessful "Jazzspeaks") at the conclusion of this disc. However his nine minutes of talking is preceded by 64 minutes of hot jamming, making this CD easily recommended to fans of Jazz at the Philharmonic and straightahead jazz.

A tasteful and intelligent modern blues band, the Hollywood Flames came together in 1975 on the West Coast as the Hollywood Fats Band, led by guitar phenom Michael "Hollywood Fats" Mann, and featuring what was arguably the best traditional blues line-up this side of 1954. "Soul Sanctuary" was welcomed with unanimous praise by blues fans around the world, as blues with both a history and a future. A great album in the west coast and Chicago style blues and a must have if you like guitar players like Ronnie Earl, Dave Specter, Alex Schultz and Steve Freund. Featured special guest artist is Kim Wilson on harmonica. The Hollywood Blue Flames literally burn their way through a set of fresh originals sprinkled with well-chosen covers.

Recorded in 1973, Fuller's Blues was Johnny Fuller's much-belated full-length debut, and it also turned out to be his last record. That's too bad, because it certainly illustrates what he was capable of achieving. He runs the gauntlet here, pulling out jumping R&B numbers and acoustic blues with equal aplomb. It's an exhilarating listen - it's just too bad there weren't more like it.

The Mannish Boys lineup may change, but it is always one of the most solid bands ever put together and this incarceration is no different. Led by the Sugar Ray Rayford and Randy Chortkoff up front, with Kirk Fletcher and Frank Goldwasser as axe men, Willie J. Campbell on bass and Jimi Bott on drums, they are as solid a blues band as one can find anywhere. And then you add the likes of Candye Kane and Laura Chavez, Kim Wilson, Steve Freund, Kid Ramos, Mike Welch, Fred Kaplan and Bob Corritore (among others) and it becomes a blues extravaganza! Randy Chortkoff has steered this band and his label quite well, and this sixth CD for the ‘Boys remains centered in the blues and delivers a powerful punch. It’s stripped down some, but it works well, and maybe even better!