New Chamber Jazz  Epic Records  (1955)  Various artists, including The Harry Lookofsky Strings, The Lou Stein Quartet , The Harris-Leigh Quartet and The Sven von Berg Quintet.

(34 votes, average: 3.59 out of 5)

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Albert Ayler  “Nuits de la Fondation Maeght Vol. 1”  (1970)  Shandar Records (France)  Ayler disappeared on November 5, 1970, and he was found dead in New York City’s East River on November 25, a presumed suicide.  He is buried in Cleveland, Ohio.

(36 votes, average: 3.36 out of 5)

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Charlie Parker on Verve/Barclay Records (France)  Lover Man, etc.  With his quintet featuring Red Rodney, John Lewis, Ray Brown and Kenny ‘klook” Clark.

(30 votes, average: 3.27 out of 5)

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“Something’s Cookin’ ”  The fired up Howard Roberts Quartet with Brass  Capitol Records (1965)  Cover illustration by Virgil Partch (signed VIP).  Bluesette (Thielmann-Gimbel), Hard Day’s Night (Lennon-McCartney), The Lonesome Cowboy (Sheldon-Marshall), Frankie And What’s His Name (Marshall-H. Roberts), Blues In The Night (Arlen-Mercer), Cute (Hefti), In A Mellow Tune (Ellington), Charade (Mancini-Mercer), Maniac (Rogers), Recado Bossa Nova (Antonio-Ferreira), Somethin’s Cookin’ (H. Roberts), People (Styne-Merrill).  With Charles Kynard – Organ, Chuck Berghofer – Bass, Earl Palmer- Drums, John Audino, Al Porcino, Jack Sheldon, Ray Triscari, Bob Bryant, Shorty Rogers – Trumpets, Bob Enevoldsen, Frank Rosolino, Ken Shroyer, Gilbert Falco – Trombones, Vic Feldman – Percussion.

(39 votes, average: 3.92 out of 5)

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Drummer Louis Bellson and his Quintet on Norgran Records (1954)  With Zoot Sims, Charlie Shavers, Don Abney, George Duvivier   This is a nice pensive portrait in monotone.   I imagine he’s listening to a playback at the recording session.

* Bellson was married to Pearl Bailey

(28 votes, average: 3.86 out of 5)

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“Funky!!”  Hideo Shiraki Quintet RCA Victor (Japan)

(47 votes, average: 4.21 out of 5)

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Jimmy McGriff  “Fly Dude”  Groove Merchant Records (1972)

(36 votes, average: 3.28 out of 5)

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Kool for Katz  Dick Katz  PYE Records (UK)   With drums, guitar and bass – Katz’s first sides as a leader after a decade with Ray Ellington.

(46 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Paul Gonzalves Quartet  “Boom-Jackie, Boom-Chick”  (1964)  Vocalion Records (UK)  One of the most expensive and toughest albums to track down.  This sells for over a grand on ebay if it shows up .  Only 500 copies were pressed .  The latin-flavored title track is a dedication to Jack Sharpe, one time jazz club owner, taxi driver and legendary London character.  Gonsalves was a good mate of Sharpe’s, and Jackie “supervised” the album. Gonsalves died in Sharpe’s flat in 1974.  Tremendous work from saxophonist Paul Gonsalves — one of his rare UK sessions from the 60s, all of which show that he had a tremendous sound that went way beyond his more famous work with Duke Ellington! The style here is tight, hip, and very grooving — work by a quartet that features Gonsalves on tenor, plus Pat Smythe on piano, Kenny Napper on bass, and Ronnie Stevenson on drums — all hitting a soulful hardbop style that’s very much like the best Tubby Hayes records from the time!  Gonsalves’ tone is incredible — with that raspy, almost flatted mode that he used with Ellington — and it really stretches out here with plenty of room for creativity, in a way that makes us wonder why nobody ever got this one issued over on our side of the Atlantic.  – Dusty Groove

(37 votes, average: 3.76 out of 5)

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Billy Taylor recorded  a dozen original compositions with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Ray Mosca for SESAC Repertory during this 1960 session.  Highlights include “Warming Up,”  “Native Dancer,” “Uncle Fuzzy,” and the dreamy ballad “Afterthoughts.”   Look for the 1993 Fresh Sound CD reissue called “Custom Taylored”

(26 votes, average: 3.38 out of 5)

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