Duke Ellington: Meets Coleman Hawkins/And John Coltrane

An essential two LPs on one CD by two of Ellington's most inspired invited guests....

Reviewed in issue February/2012

Archie Shepp: For Losers/Kwanza

Walter Booker | Jimmy Owens | Doris Troy | Bernard Purdie | Archie Shepp | Albert Winston | Joe Chambers | Mel Brown | Martin Banks | Robin Kenyatta

Although he went on to make some important records for a wide variety of labels, none more so than BYG,...

Reviewed in issue February/2012

John Handy: Hard Work/Carnival

The 1970s were a low point in Handy's output, and these two mildly funky albums show why....

Reviewed in issue February/2012

Curtis Fuller: Soul Trombone/Cabin In The Sky

Two unjustly overlooked sessions by the great post-bop trombonist in septet and big band settings....

Reviewed in issue February/2012

Gabor Szabo: The Sorcerer/More Sorcery

Marty Morell | Bill Goodwin | Lajos ‘Louis’ Kabok | Jimmy Stewart | Gabor Szabo | Hal Gordon

The handsome new Impulse! “2-on-1” series is returning some unfairly neglected music to the spotlight. Hungarian guitarist Gabor Szabo certainly...

Reviewed in issue February/2012

Charles Mingus: The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady/Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus

Dick Hafer | Charlie Mariano | Eric Dolphy | Jerome Richardson | Booker Ervin | Jay Berliner | Walter Perkins | Charles Mingus | Rolf Ericson | Eddie Preston

The Black Saint is widely acknowledged as a Mingus masterpiece, and nothing about this reissue changes that. The bargain of...

Reviewed in issue February/2012

Oliver Nelson And Friends: Happenings/Soulful Brass

Like much of Nelson, accomplished and worth hearing, but moving towards his slick film music vein and away from his...

Reviewed in issue February/2012

Elvin Jones: Illumination/Dear John C.

Hank Jones | Charlie Mariano | Richard Davis | Jimmy Garrison | Charles Davis | Prince Lasha | Sonny Simmons | Roland Hanna | McCoy Tyner | Elvin Jones

It is interesting to reflect that in the generation before Elvin Jones’, musicians who achieved great things as members of...

Reviewed in issue Dec/Jan/2011/2012