A masterpiece from the same few months in 1963 as The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady, adding a couple more players to its killer lineup of Booker Ervin, Jaki Byard, Charlie Mariano and co. A kind of testimonial match by the eleven-piece, doing over some of Mingus’ best tunes so far: he didn’t take a group back into the studio till 1970.
‘Essential Vinyl Series.’

Outstanding spiritual, land-of-the-blacks jazz from 1970. Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, Buster Williams, Herbie Hancock and three Heaths — Mtume, his dad Jimmy, and his uncle Albert.
Liner notes by Amiri Baraka.

Roman Norfleet from the Cosmic Tones Research Trio and Andre Raiah from Brown Calculus. ‘Esoteric texts, sacred imagery, and mystic thought feed into spare diagrams of sound as space, tone, and pulse, drawn by saxophone, keyboard and percussion.’
Warmly recommended; check it out.

The cheaper LP is in the ‘Essential Vinyl’ series.

‘Essential Vinyl.’

Irresistible duets from 1955 (with Again and Porgy & Bess to come).
Their stylistic incompatibility is the spark: spontaneity, love, respect, and consummate musicianship shine the brighter.
‘Essential Vinyl.’