This set (reissued on CD) was a very unusual release for Blue Note. Greene’s mixture of R&B and soulful blues in a voice very reminiscent of late-period Dinah Washington is much more pop and blues-oriented than the music on any other Blue Note release from the period. What other…

On his third date for Blue Note within a year, Wayne Shorter changed the bands that played on both Night Dreamer and Juju and came up with not only another winner, but also managed to give critics and jazz fans a different look at him as a saxophonist. Because…

Grachan Moncur III was one of the top trombonists of the jazz avant-garde in the 1960s although he had only a few chances to lead his own record sessions. This 1964 set (which has been reissued on CD) was one of his finest, a quintet outing with bassist Cecil…

One of the New Thing’s extremely few trombonists and a greatly underappreciated composer of tremendous evocative power, Grachan Moncur III got his first major exposure on Jackie McLean‘s groundbreaking 1963 masterpiece, One Step Beyond. Toward the end of the year, most of the same musicians reconvened for Moncur‘s debut as a leader, Evolution; McLean, vibist Bobby…

Out to Lunch stands as Eric Dolphy’s magnum opus, an absolute pinnacle of avant-garde jazz in any form or era. Its rhythmic complexity was perhaps unrivaled since Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, and its five Dolphy originals — the jarring Monk tribute “Hat and Beard,” the aptly titled “Something Sweet,…

Other Aspects is unlike any other title in Eric Dolphy’s catalog. The startling 15-minute composition “Jim Crow,” recorded in 1962 with an unidentified rhythm section and operatic singer, shows his embracing of 20th century classical composition. Strong Indian influence is heard on 1960’s “Improvisations and Tukras,” featuring Dolphy’s flute…

The 1999 discovery of a previously unknown 1963 concert by Eric Dolphy makes it one of the finds of the decade. Taped for broadcast at the University of Illinois at Champaign, it was mentioned in an Eric Dolphy Internet chat room and eventually relayed to producer Michael Cuscuna. The…

As part of Blue Note’s 60th anniversary gala, Benny Green was invited to record a selection of his favorite tunes from the label’s venerable catalog. Green picked eight songs previously recorded by the likes of Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, and Dexter Gordon, then he recruited bassist Christian…

Pianist Benny Green proves himself to be a seasoned composer on this collection of originals. “The Sexy Mexy” nods to Horace Silver with some crisp unison guitar from Russell Malone. The upbeat “Central Park South” features Stanley Turrentine, while the pianist’s hypnotic “Thursday Lullaby” shows off his considerable chops. Ron Carter and Lewis Nash round out the capable rhythm…

At the time of this 1992 recording, Benny Green had developed into a masterful pianist who thought fast, swung hard, and played with soul, mixing together Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris, and Bobby Timmons. The only problem was that his music had become somewhat predictable, sticking closely to the boundaries…