Amoeba Music

The saxophonist/composer's resume is impressive: Makaya McCraven, Marquis Hill, MeShell Ndegeocello, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Harry Styles and regular member of guitarist Jeff Parker's most celebrated quartet. Here, he's handling everything by himself with the exception of some Aaron Steele drum samples. Unusual Object is just that; comprised of what could be called experiments or exercises in sax possibilities. Multi-tracking, treated tones and sound-gates, reverb and delays all add up to a surprisingly engaging and very listenable album. Rarely jarring, Johnson's playing has a confidence within its context that sets the listener at ease, trusting the driver to navigate this foreign terrain.

Rediscovered 1972 performance with Kenny Barron, Bob Cunningham and Tootie Heath. Lateef is a player whose influence on the trajectory of Jazz can't be overstated. Often seamlessly integrating Asian scales and modes into his playing and always seeking deeper, more expressive ways to restate what is expected. There's nothing by him that's not worth hearing, and we're lucky that this gem has been unearthed.

Part of Jazz Dispensary's excellent "Top Shelf" series, this 1972 session veers deeply into intrumental R&B territory, but once the heads are stated, the extrapolation of the themes become something quite other. His version of People Make The World Go Round gets a deep exploration on par with Milt Jackson's version on Sunflower, though a bit more spritely and funky. Libra gets dubby and trippy at the mid-point and Tawhid is a funk-jazz slice of life. Highly recommmended.

Long-awaited re-issue of this excellent 1971 session with Gary Bartz, Bennie Maupin, George Cable, Ron Carter, Clint Houston and Lenny White. Landing somewhere between CTI-era post-Bop and Bitches Brew Miles Davis, this is one of Woody Shaw's masterpieces, skirting the balance of hard Bop and avant-garde. Shaw's trumpet tone is superb throughout this muscular, lyrical, singular session.

Finally issued in a complete edition, this concert with Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, double bassists, double drummers, tamboura and harmonium is one of the tradition's most profound documents. Alice had found her sound, her cohorts, her place in the world, and she presents it in two facets: 2 Indian-inspired Jazz ragas and two fiery, ecstatic John Coltrane-penned workouts.

The reissue we've all be waiting for! This lost soundtrack from a 1964 Noir Film is filled with twangy guitars and luscious instrumentals.

This archival release of 1960's singer/songrwiter Margo Guryan includes 3 LPs! The box set features 16 unreleased recordings, showcases her humble jazz beginnings, and includes some of her hits. This box set has it all.