In the ‘Blue Note Classic Vinyl’ series.

A brawny, no-piano, three-horn quintet — Dave Liebman, Joe Farrell, Frank Foster — including bassist Gene Perla. Questing, widescreen post-bop from 1971.

With George Coleman, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, Wilbur Little, and Candido.

Reshapes of classics by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon, Kenny Burrell, and Eddie Gale, among others — with contributions from vibraphonist Joel Ross, trumpeter Marquis Hill, alto saxophonist Greg Ward, guitarists Matt Gold and Jeff Parker, bassist Junius Paul, and De’Sean Jones on tenor saxophone and flute. 
“When piecing everything together, I wanted to create a narrative that made the listener feel like they were falling into this space or a movement. I was really trying to make a record out of it, not just a series of tracks… The music that we’re making now is part of the same route and is connected, so I want to honor tradition and release something that people can vibe to.”

‘A never-before-issued live recording of McCoy Tyner and Joe Henderson leading a stellar quartet with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Jack DeJohnette at the hallowed lost jazz shrine Slugs’ Saloon in New York City in 1966. Recorded by the legendary engineer Orville O’Brien — behind classic 1960s jazz albums such as Freddie Hubbard’s The Night of the Cookers and Alice Coltrane’s Journey to Satchidananda — the tape has been in DeJohnette’s personal archives for nearly 60 years.’

Scorcher. Crucial Jackie Mac, with Pete La Roca also on top form.
‘Classic Vinyl Series.’

Japanese: GXK 8085.

Recorded between Let Freedom Ring and One Step Beyond, it’s presumably the laidback presence of HJ hero Sonny Clark — who also contributes half the compositions — which tips the scales away from JM’s more screwface, outward-bound trajectory, towards good-old-fashioned, limber, bluesy hard bop. Though a throwback, cancelled at the time (and shelved for twenty years), it’s downright classic Blue Note now.

The rivetingly lucid, acrobatic expression of raw emotion characteristic of this altoist, fronting the same unit which had recently recorded Sonny Clark’s masterpiece Leapin’ And Lopin’, including Tommy Turrentine, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins.
Supposedly Clark came across the music of the opener knocking around Monk’s apartment. Amongst five JM originals, the title track shows how hard bop was too hip to sit still or look back. Sundu is a tasty Clark blues.

The more expensive new LP is in the all-analogue Blue Note 80 Vinyl series.

Remarkable 1966 lineup, with James Spaulding, Lee Morgan, Howard Johnson and Kiane Ziwadi in the brass line — the title track reminds you where the Hypnotics are coming from — and McCoy Tyner, besides.

‘Classic Vinyl Edition.’