Before Hedwig Mollestadt, Mary Halvorson and Susan Alcorn; before even Emily Remler, there was Philly-born Monnette Sudler, ploughing a rather lonely furrow in the 1970s as a female jazz guitarist-composer-singer. This splendid album from 1978 – recorded in Copenhagen by SteepleChase founder Nils Winther while Monnette was on the European tour that spawned the Live in Europe LP – has remained, unaccountably, unissued until now. Why the guitarist and Winther forgot about this studio date is a puzzler, because it’s terrific. Five strong Sudler originals, plus a cover of Miles’ ‘All Blues’, all featuring her clean, incisive and occasionally muscular guitar lines; plus, on two numbers, her intimate, highly expressive singing. The rhythm section provides a powerful, pulsating bedrock for Sudler and the superb pianist Oliver Collins to stretch out.

As an added bonus, there’s a fiery 21’30” live version of Collins’ ‘Libra Rising’ which really allows the band – the pianist especially – to show off their chops. This is 65 minutes’ worth of top-notch jazz treasure, and a perfect introduction to the world of this underrated musician. Monnette, now 70, is happily still with us, and still making her singular music (most recently on 2021’s Stay Strong). Long may she continue to do so.