From 1963, following stints for Jackie McLean on One Step Beyond and Destination… Out!, this is maybe the great trombonist’s best record, with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams — all involved with Miles around this time — and Cecil McBee. Four Moncur originals: bold, free, forward-looking music; but expansive and assured, never forced. ‘Some other stuff’; not full of itself, but a bit different. Try The Twins — dedicated to his two brothers — for a better sense of his musical good humour.

Aged just 19, with Pepper Adams, Bobby Timmons, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. Though so early, this is a crucial set, kicking off with a scorching, fresh A Night in Tunisia.
Timmons plays a blinder.

Lee Morgan (trumpet), Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Ronnie Mathews (piano), Victor Sproles (bass), Billy Higgins (drums).
Japanese one-off CD. The LP is in the Blue Note Classics series.

‘Classic Vinyl Series.’

Delightfulee, The Cooker, Leeway, The Rumproller, Search For The New Land.

At the fountainhead of soul jazz and boogaloo, the stinging opener is an all-time, humungous, utterly irresistible jazz hit.
Joe Henderson and Barry Harris are superb throughout. Don’t miss Hocus-Pocus.

‘Classic Vinyl Series.’

‘Ndegeocello’s second Blue Note pays homage to the great writer and activist James Baldwin. Her transformative music and collaborative spirit ignites this genre-bending work that is at once a musical experience, a church service, a celebration, a testimonial, and a call to action. Features frequent collaborators Justin Hicks, Kenita Miller, Abe Rounds, Jake Sherman, Jebin Bruni, and Julius Rodriguez, as well as powerful spoken word performances by Jamaican poet and activist Staceyann Chin.’

The pianist’s tenth studio album — the very first release on the newly formed imprint Blue Note Africa — ‘pulls his most foundational cultural Influences into a space where the sounds of the South African landscape are placed at the center of the nation’s evolving jazz songbook. A central figure of the country’s vibrant jazz scene, Makhathini assembled a band consisting of some of South Africa’s most exciting young musicians including saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, trumpeter Robin Fassie Kock, vibraphonist Dylan Tabisher, bassist Stephen de Souza, percussionist Gontse Makhene, and drummer Dane Paris, as well as guest vocalists Omagugu Makhathini and Anna Widauer, and America saxophonist Jaleel Shaw.’
‘Admirers of Shabaka & The Ancestors will recognise a similarly incantatory vibe. And if that listener is also familiar, as is likely, with Pharoah Sanders and Azar Lawrence (with whom Makhathini has also played), they will hear those resonances, too… traditions, particularly of South African folk and ritual music, play a major part. African America is also in the mix, through Randy Weston and Don Pullen…’ (Chris May, All About Jazz).

With the Turrentines. ‘Classic Vinyl Series.’

Superb organ jazz from 1965, with Grant Green, Bobby Hutcherson and Otis Finch. Latona was the Jazz Dance weapon; One Step Ahead is knockout, too. A classic Blue Note.

Flexing, in 1965, with Blue Mitchell (trumpet), Harold Vick (tenor sax), Grant Green (guitar), John Patton (organ) and Ben Dixon (drums) — not to mention Fat Judy.

Japanese, with insert: GXK 8146.

It’s a Christmas album but fear ye not. It’s from the same six months as How Insensitive and Now Hear This, with Airto running between these sessions and the recording of Bitches Brew. Try the grooving opener, with DP alternating on piano and celeste.