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World roots global superstar Manu Chao has something of a reputation for his live performances in terms of their high energy charged atmosphere as much as for the actual length of the concerts. This excellent double CD and DVD package (here a luxurious A3 size digipak complete with photos and poster) merely confirms the rumours. Manu dips into various parts of his career in this almost two hours and twenty minutes concert from the early days as part of Manu Negra (’Sidi H’Bibi’) through to the latest album ‘La Radiolina’ which is the most diverse in terms of languages sung (English and Italian in addition to the usual Spanish and French). Mexican grooves abound on numbers such as ‘Casa Babylon’ and ‘Bienvenida a Tijuana’ with their use of mariachi trumpet. Reggae beats underpin several songs including the anthemic ‘La Primavera’ (that includes a segment of ‘Me gustas tu?’), unquestionably a concert highlight. The band excel on the folksy sounding ‘La vida tombola’ with its references to Maradona while manouche gypsy influences are present on the delightful ‘L’hiver est la’, possibly inspired by Leo Ferre. This is one of only two songs in French tagged together towards the end and there is no place for any of the excellent material on the 2004 release ‘Si Siberie m’etait contee’ which came complete with a cartoon book.  All the big hits are there among the thirty-three song repertoire that includes the latest ‘El hoyo’, full on, but still sounding incredibly melodic and the lovely reggae rhythm that accompanies ‘El viento’. Among the new songs, the composition devoted to his adopted city, ‘Rumba de Barcelona’ impresses with its lengthy dialogue on the daily trials and tribulations of life in the Catalan capital. Perhaps there is an overtendency in parts to revert to uptempo rock guitar influenced uptempo endings to songs, but the audience is certainly too busy enjoying themselves to notice. This is a visual treat set in the sumptuous surrounding of Bayonne in the French Basque country with much of the audience decked out in white and red and there are plenty of DVD extras to keep the viewer fully occupied. For fans of Manu Chao, this package will prove to be a treasure trove of a concert. For neophytes, this serves as an ideal introduction to Manu’s work.  Tim Stenhouse

This is the follow up to last year’s self-titled debut from Céu that catipulted her into the international arena and recorded in Sao Paulo of which Céu is a native Paulista. Once again there is the creative use of electronica with a world roots sensibility. If anything this is even more diverse than the first album. A surefire winner of a track is ‘Cangote’ which is a fascinating fusion of Jamaican dub in the use of keyboards with Brazilian percussion. Almost as appealing is the classic samba style groove of ‘Vira Lata’ with lovely use of trombone and saxophone and featuring the guest vocals of Luiz Melodia. When the sound created is as good as this, one would ideally love to hear an entire album of Céu in an acoustic vein. Céu possesses a gorgeous clarity in her voice that on occasions comes across as almost a Brazilian equivalent of Sade. This is amply ilustrated on the short opener ‘Sobre o amor e seu trabalho silencioso’ with just cavaquinho to accompany her. The Jorge Ben anthem ‘Rosa Menina Rosa’ is given a beautiful cover version with a delicate guitar intro before Céu well and truly stamps her own authority on the song. In a different vein is the swing-beat number ‘Comadi’ with dissonant guitar à la Marc Ribot while ‘Bubuia’ takes this feel a step further with dub backbeat and turntable wizardry. Lyrically one of the most important songs is ‘Cordao da Insonia’ which is a reggae-inflected piece about nocturnal life in the city when quiet reigns supreme. In general there is an experimental feel to this album that is truly refreshing. Not everything works such as ‘Nascente’ where there is a little too much going on even if the jazz brass compliments her voice well. This is an album that grows on you with every repeated listen. Unquestionably Céu is destined to be a major player in twenty-first century Brazilian music.  Tim Stenhouse

One of the founder members of Azymuth, bassist Alex Malheiros returns with an excellent new album that highlights his musical craft in a variety of contexts with excellent production courtesy of the son of Bluey from Incognito, Daniel ‘Venon’ Maunick. The delicate opener ‘Serenity’ sets off proceedings nicely with its instantly catchy riff, gorgeous flute and romantic Bill Evanseque piano from Fernando Moraes and underpinning it all Malherios in great form on double bass. This is quite simply Brazilian jazz at its very best. In contrast the introspective, moody groove of ‘Wave’ is possibly the track that most resembles a typical Azymuth number and quite different from the rest of the album. The wordless vocals of daughter Sabirna Malheiros compliment the sensitive fender rhodes playing perfectly and give the number a distinctive 1970s feel. Surprisingly seldom covered, but here given a refined treatment is the classic Bobbi Humphrey composition ‘Uno Esta’. The catchy horn riffs of the original have been retained and there is excellent flute work from Tino Junior who enters into a lengthy solo after a lovely brass breakdown. The multi-reedist features heavily also on the staccato rhythm of ‘Copa a Noite’ which is somewhat laid back, yet nonetheless manages to convey great passion. Malheiros switches to acoustic guitar on the mid-tempo samba of ‘Vola’ with brass ensemble work. An additional four remixes from IG Culture offer dancefloor action for those who like the uptempo side to Brazilian music. All in all a well rounded album. Tim Stenhouse

The impact that the emerging rock music of the 1960s had upon Latin America in general is one of the less documented sides of common musical knowledge, even less so that specifically on Peru. Vampi Soul return with an extremely well documented and generously timed second volume. This will appeal primarily to broad-minded music fans who like a little psychadelic rock music, but with a Latin twist. For fans of rare funk there are a few gems to commend. There is one heavyweight slab of JB-inspired funk by Los Far Fen on ‘Camina, No Vuelves’ with brass and percussion to the fore. A distinctive indie soul feel permeates ‘I lost a game’ by Cerro Verde while Los York’s ‘Ya bebi gran rato’ is a rare b-side 45 that impresses with every listen. Of course Santana was a huge influence on music in Latin America and this is reflected on the driving instrumental ‘Cacique’ by the self-named group. With an extended guitar riff, this sounds quite like the percussion section part to the epic Santana piece, ‘Jingo’. Elsewhere there is a cover of a Jimi Hendrix Experience song by Los Juniors, psychadelic guajira from Los 2 Heros on ‘Cuarto oscuro’ with collective chanting and even wah-wah guitar on the instrumental ‘Mas de ti’ from Los Comandos. All in all a mixed bag of musical styles that covers the period 1964-1974 and encompasses sub-genres as wide ranging as psycho-pop, Latin rock, funk, soul y mucho mas! (and a good deal more!). As ever from Vampi Soul excellent cover graphics, extended inner sleeve notes on each individual song and all in a handily packaged digipak format. Tim Stenhouse

This has been a terrific year for new jazz pianists and it ends with another exciting discovery. Gerald Clayton may be a new name to most, but his musical pedigree is impeccable. The son of jazz bassist John Clayton (long-time member of the Monty Alexander trio among a host of other names), Clayton junior has served an apprenticeship with some of the premier pianists of the last forty years. These include Monty Alexander, Kenny Barron, Billy Childs and Mulgrew Miller. In addition he has recently toured with the Roy Hargrove band and opened for Herbie Hancock. More recently in the UK Clayton has accompanied singers Madeleine Peyroux and Gretchen Parlato. Little wonder, then, that Gerald Clayton’s pianistic influences are wide-ranging and very much in the classic lineage of the jazz piano tradition. For this debut album he is very ably assisted by drummer Justin Brown and bassist Joe Sanders. All but two compositions are self-penned and the lyricism of ‘Two heads one pillow’ bodes well for the future. There is an unusual time signature to ‘Trapped in a dream’ hinting at new horizons and Latinizations on both ‘Boogablues’ (where Clayton recalls the Afro-Cuban jazz hues of Errol Garner) and the brief vignette ‘You’re out’ complete with a Latin piano vamp. In a more introspective vein, Clayton plays solo piano on the Dizzie Gillespie standard ‘Con Alma’ and with the trio on the reflective piece ‘Sunny day go’. On the standard ‘All of you’ Clayton reveals himself to be a disciple in part at least of the blues-inflected rolls of Oscar Peterson with a refined interpretation while more generally the spatial innovations on pian of Ahmad Jamal are in evidence throughout musical proceedings. Gerald Clayton, still in his mid-twenties, is in the process of carving out a distinctive individual voice, but with this wide-ranging and highly entertaining debut album he has given himself plenty of options and
new directions to explore in subsequent recordings. A definite name to watch out for in the future. Tim Stenhouse

Far from being a sampler CD, this is actually a genuine live recording of a collective of musicians on the ACT label and as such serves as a useful introduction to the artists contained within. There is an intriguing combination of piano trio and trombone from the Chris Gall Trio and Nils Landgren on ‘Blues Panic’ that recalls in tone the early Blue Note recordings from the late-mid 1950s of Curtis Fuller. Intimacy is a recurring them of this live set and this is perfectly illustrated by the excellent vocals of Viktoria Tolstoy accompanied by accordion on ‘Although you’re gone’. Equally impressive is the reflective piano-bass duet of Michael Wolluy and Lars Danielsson. Of course one cannot think of ACT without contemplating the towering contribution of the sadly departed Esbjorn Svensson and these recordings took place barely three months after the tragic aforementioned news was revealed. Fittingly, then, there is an extended nine minute medley in
tribute to the Swedish pianist ‘Where did you sleep last night/Good morning Susie Soho’ which sounds like something that John Scofield might have cooked up. Elsewhere there is an unusual quasi-folk-classical feel to the collective on ‘Majas Polska’ that features truly beautiful harmony vocals and no less than four female vocalists. All in all a varied and enjoyable live performance from a label that has as its mission statement the promotion of European jazz in myriad forms. Tim Stenhouse

This classic late roots album dates from 1981 and is something of rarity in that it was recorded and only surfaced in the United States via Santa Cruz in California. The Rastafarians were one of a whole host of harmony vocals groups who never made it big and subsequently fell into relative obscurity. It was the misfortune of this group to record the album herein when roots reggae was very much out of vogue and it was the then newly emerging dancehall style that was attracting attention and airplay. Featuring an all-Jamaican band, from start to finish there is some serious heavyweight roots music on offer. The opener, ‘Rasta Theme’ is a righteous roots rocker of distinction with lovely guitar work and a cooking rhythm section with infectous collective chanting. Arguably the album’s strongest song is the anthemic ‘Occupation’, which is a tale of the promised land of Ethiopia being invaded by Mussolini’s fascist Italy and the use of dub effect simply enhances the overall feel. Protest against war mongerers and politicians’ broken promises is the underlying them of ‘A love we a deal wit’ which features a riddim almost identical to that of Marley and the Wailers’ ‘Concrete Jungle’. Wailers-esque may also be an accurate way to describe the ambience on ‘This ya musik’ with a driving rhythm section in evidence and once again excellent use of dub reverb. On other songs the Rastafarians sound at different times like Culture on the flute driven ‘Hold on Jah Jah children’ (with the lead singer sounding a dead ringer for Joesph Hill) while on ‘Seek him’ there is a definite nod to the early 1980s Twinkle Brothers sound. All lyrics are provided in the inner sleeve with group photos and line up indicated. Once again Makasound have uncovered a hidden gem.  Tim Stenhouse

Legendary singer Kiddus I who recorded some classic roots for Lee Perry among others during the 1970s returns with an excellent new recording very much in the classic roots vein. The highly distinctive vocal delivery that so characterised his 1970s work has not lost him and judging by this album his voice does not appear to have aged at all. What is impressive here is the timelessness of the songs, instrumentation and especially the singing itself. Opening proceedings is a minor theme roots piece, ‘Rock, Rock, Rock’ with the trademark laid back delivery. Vying for top spot is the gorgeous roots composition ‘Different strokes’ that features a combination of flute and brass that recalls mid-1970s period Pablo Moses. Kiddus I has an unsual way of stressing words and this is exemplified on ‘Fighter’ with delicate guitar work and drum accompaniment. Nyabinghi drumming is showcased on the excellent ‘War’ (not the Marley classic) while an uptempo steppers rhythm graces ‘Her own woman’ with lovely use of acoustic guitar. The title track bears a remarkable ressemblance to the riddim of ‘Legalize it’ , but has a more modern feel on drums. Produced by Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith at his home at various intervals between August 2006 and 2008, this is quite simply quality roots. Sadly, there is precious little of Kiddus I’s craft currently available (the classic 1970s recordings were only released in the last few years via Japan). While awaiting a comprehensive retrospective of his work, the new album will do just nicely. Tim Stenhouse

Jazz legend and all-time great vibraphone player Bobby Hutcherson has graced some of the seminal post-bop albums of the modern jazz era and they include ‘Out to Lunch’ for Eric Dolphy, ‘Destination Out’ for Jackie McLean and ‘Mode for Joe’ for Joe Henderson to which countless others could be added. This new album is devoted to the music of John Coltrane, both compositions written by the saxophonist, and standards that he made his own on those classic Atlantic and early to mid-period Impulse albums. The project as a whole recalls in part the sole album that Coltrane recorded with a vibist, Milt Jackson, for Atlantic ‘Bags and Trane’ back in 1959, though none of the pieces on that album are replicated here. Hutcherson has wisely avoided using another reed player and instead has enlisted the talents of guitarist Anthony Wilson (whose father the great big band leader Gerald Wilson is a long-time friend of Hutcherson and indeed the then young vibist played on Wilson senior’s recordings for the Pacific Jazz label in the 1960s) and an excellent young pianist Joe Gilman. An uplifting rendition of the standard ‘Out of this world’, a favourite among jazz musicians, is an undoubted album highlight with excellent soloing from Wilson as is the minor Latin theme that permeates ‘Like Sonny’. Bobby Hutcherson has a life-long love of Latin music, recording the superb ‘Rojo’ for Blue Note on the 1966 ‘Happenings’ album and during the 1970s even recorded a whole album with Latin musicians, ‘Montara’. The more reflective side of his playing is demonstrated on the contemplative opener of the title track, the romantic ‘Nancy(with the laughing face)’ and on ‘Dear Lord’. Of course no tribute to the great saxophonist would be complete without reference to the spiritual side of his work and here there are two fine examples. The modal piece ‘Spiritual’ is ideally suited to the vibraphone and piano in tandem and this features an extended solo from Joe Gilman while ‘Equinox’ receives a moody interpretation. This is a concept album in the true sense of the word and arguably one of Bobby Hutcherson’s most accomplished in over a decade. Tim Stenhouse

(Soundway) 5/5

Serving as a companion to the excellent Nigeria Special covering similar musical territory, this outstanding compilation is the very raison d’être of the specialist compilation; bringing to a wider audience in a luxurious packaging hitherto impossible to find sounds that perfectly illustrate the various musical trends in a country for a given period in time. Thirty-three songs in total and only a handful of artists with more than one song apiece means the listener’s world is opened to a multitude of fascinating sounds and unknown musicians (outside of Ghana in any case). The jazzy hues of Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and his Creations (what an intriguing name for a band!) impress on ‘Akoko Ba’ with lovely saxophone and trumpet solos. In a slightly Afro-Cuban vein is the driving pace of K. Frimpong and his Cubanos Fiestas on ‘Kyenkyen Bi Adi M’Awu’ with eery sounding organ, terrific rhythm guitar, understated horns and heavy percussion underpinning it all.
Truly wonderful. While instrumentals predominate, excellent vocals are in evidence on a couple of tracks. The English-language ‘You hypnotize me’ is a mid-tempo highlife beat song from the Ogyatanaa Show Band while the relatively well known Ebo Taylor delivers an uplifting organ-driven piece on ‘Twer Nyame’, one of this listener’s favourites on the compilation. Fela Kuti even features in a background accompanying role on ‘Dr. Solutsu’ by the Basa Basa Sounds which is a folksy guitar influenced piece with collective chanted vocals. Some old-style charm accompanies the Pa Steele’s African Brothers and their melodic ‘Odo Mmera’ with its sweet harmonies and subtle use of guitar.  Afro-Beat fans will be in their element at the variations of sound possible while world roots fans will marvel at the authenticity and sheer individuality of most of the songs on offer. The compilation is available in two formats with a special box set for vinyl aficionados and a hardback case-bound book for CD fans. As always Soundway maintain the highest of standards in the inner sleeve notes with individual details on each and every song and high quality photos of musicians and 45/album covers. Tim Stenhouse

British pianist has been heard in recent times in a variety of contexts and this includes the excellent project with Tim Garland as part of the Acoustic Triangle that played at venues including Manchester Cathedral last year and in November a UK tour as leader that included the Royal Northern College of Music. He returns with a superbly crafted double CD that highlights two further facets to this multi-talented musician; a side of solo and duet pieces accompanied by cellist Cara Berridge; a trio side of largely self-composed pieces, but including three standards from the great American songbook. For the latter he is aided by his regular trio of British drummer James Maddren and Russian double bassist Yuri Goloubev and collectively they evoke the Keith Jarrett trio from the mid-1980s onwards. Simcock impresses throughout with his thorough grounding in the jazz tradition, but especially on ‘Tundra’ with its dramatic crescendo and on a bluesy rendition of ‘Black Coffee’. On the first CD the quasi-classical ‘Exploration of Movement II of Grieg Piano concerto’ receives both a refined and austere performance by the pianist while ‘On Broadway’ is a fascinating deconstruction of the tune that showcases Simcock’s dazzling technique and is worlds away from either the famous George Benson version, or even the Tito Puente Latin-jazz classic. Elsewhere Simcock takes a leaf out of the recent Enrico Pieranunzi solo album with solo improvisations. This is an outstanding recording that deserves to see Gwilym Simcock catapulted to international stardom. Tim Stenhouse

Australian jazz does not exactly enjoy a high profile, but in piano trio Trichotomy that status quo is going to be upended very soon. Comprising Sean Foran on piano, John Parker on drums and Pat Marchisella on acoustic bass, here are musicians who have clearly taken on board the innovations of the Esbjorn Svensson trio and the ECM label, but are equally at ease with Radiohead. Not everything comes off when you are combining such diverse musical styles, but make no mistake this is a group with an extremely bright future. The waltz-like opener ‘Island of the sun’ starts off as a melodic piece before becoming free-form in the second part and then returning back to the theme. Possibly the most convincing compositions are actually the ballads such as the reflective and romantic ‘At the right moment’ that is surely inspired by listening to Brad Mehldau. Pianist Sean Foran is at his most refined here. In contrast ‘Start’ comes across as the kind of piece that Esbjorn Svensson would have been truly proud of. It starts off as a ballad, but shifts gear midway though. Different again is ‘The unknown’ sporting a distinctly Spanish feel with the use of handclaps and the kind of thing that one might have expected from the young Chick Corea. Minimalist is the only way to describe the ballad ‘Please’ that along with ‘A scent’ (featuring a guest trumpeter) are both enveloped by an austere ambience that is surely a homage to the ECM sound. The rock-influenced ‘Chunk’ does not really fit in with the rest of the album and ‘Variations on a bad day’ has, perhaps, too many changes in direction for its own good. Nonetheless as a debut ‘Variations’ is a very promising indication of the trio’s potential. Another interesting release from the specialist hi-fi label that is making something of a reputation for discovering new talent. There will be a UK tour from Trichotomy in January so you will have not have to wait too long to sample the trio in a live setting. Tim Stenhouse

This is the first internationally distributed album from Malian singer-songwriter and guitarist Adama Yalomba and the musician has been well groomed having performed at various world roots music conferences and festivals including Womex and les Escales. The result is an accomplished album featuring guest musician Cheikh Tidiane Seck and guitarist Nicolas Repac (member of Arthur H’s group) with catchy hooks that grows on the listener with repeated listening and could just be one of the surprises of 2010 and even possibly repeat the success of Amadou and Mariam. Yalomba’s voice is a composite of several classic Malian and Senegalese male vocalists, but on the irresistible riff of ‘Collaborer’ sounds very reminsicent of Youssou N’Dour. Subtle use of keyboard and guitar feature on the title track where Yalomba’s voice hints at Salif Keita. In contrast on the soothing ‘Baara’, which has plenty of crossover potential and a contemporary instrumentation, Yalomba sounds as though he has been influenced by Baaba Maal. Gorgeous female background vocals top off an excellent song. The more reflective side to Yalomba’s musicianship is highlighted on ‘Demen’ with an acoustic feel and reposing collective harmonies. Of course Malian music has been heavily influenced by the blues-inflected guitar of the great Ali Farka Toure and on ‘Nugudjugu’ both guitar and harmonica combine to good effect on one incessant driving rhythm of a track. Completing proceedings is a duet between Yalomba and guest vocalist Piers Faccini who sings in English on the understated soulful groove of ‘Djamakoyo’. Another fascinating discovery, then, of a relatively unknown West African singer by Makasound in association with Black Eye records. Tim Stenhouse

Veteran singer and producer Linval Thompson effortlessly straddled the demarcation between roots and dancehall styles in Jamaican music at the end of the 1970s and has returned with the first album as a leader in some years. Recorded partly in Marseille by Laurent Longubando (with a collective known as the Hand Cart band who from listening to them you would not have been surprised if they were among Kingston’s finest session musicians from the 1970s, but interestingly with no horns present), but voiced in Kingston, the first half of the CD has a very classic roots feel, while the second part is more contemporary and diverse. The anthemic ‘Jah Jah is my father’ has an irrestistible riddim and righteous lyrics that are delivered in impeccable style by Linval. This is one moody cut that linger long on the ear. Almost as good is ‘Natty Africa’ once again with the lyrics to the fore and dub effect part way through. A critique of the lack of government help to the poor and needy is supplied on the excellent ‘Government people’ and in general Linval Thompson is in a reflective mood on the album. A very topical theme is that of the greed of a consumer-led society and material possessions and ‘All is vanity’ is a modern roots song with thoughtful observations. Likewise ‘Hustler’ is a tale of social strife of a family that struggles to make ends meet. On this song Thompson sounds very reminiscent of the young Dennis Brown who was surely a seminal influence on him. In a more dancehall vein are the songs ‘Bad Boys’ and ‘Bad Friends’, with the latter featuring heavy bass and drum riddims. Equally there is a contemporary roots feel to ‘Roots Princess’ (not a reworking of Linval’s 1979 song ‘Roots lady’) with an accompanying dub version. The album ends with a variation on one of his most loved pieces, ‘I love marijuana’, here retitled ‘Free marijuana’. An album of differing flavours, then, but a very welcome return to singing duties for one of the underrated giants of Jamaican popular music. Tim Stenhouse

The seventieth anniversary of the world’s most prestigious jazz label has not exactly set the music industry alight, but as the year ends a timely reminder of Blue Note’s glory years has arrived in the shape of a weighty box set (retailing at around £50) that neatly divides the substantial back catalogue into separate instrumental sections with a bonus vocal CD. Dutch jazz bassist Hans Mantel, an avid Blue Note collector, has made this a personal selection and therefore it reflects his own tastes which are primarily bop, hard bop and soul jazz. First of all, there are a few caveats before dipping into the selections. Ideally one would have liked some examples of the classic avant-garde musicians that graced the label and Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor are notable absences. Equally the fusion era is largely ignored and at least one CD could have been devoted to this genre while for the present the omission of Joe Lovano who has now been on the label for almost twenty years is a baffling one and far too little of the great Bobby Hutcherson. As for the vocal section, several songs were originally on the Capitol label (now affiliated to EMI) and as such are not strictly speaking Blue Note at all. A more judicious choice would have included a showcase for Patricia Barber and more examples of Kurt Elling and Dianne Reeves.

The first two CDs focus on the saxophone and there is no doubt about it, Blue Note was first and foremost a truly great label for instrumentalists and especially for the titans of the saxophone. Here Mantel has made an impeccable choice that includes examples of all the seminal albums. Jackie McLean features on ‘Lost’ from ‘A Fickle Sonance’, Hank Mobley is represented from his epic ‘Soul Station’, Sonny Rollins from ‘Newks Time’ (though a strong case for ‘Live at the Village Vanguard could also be made), John Coltrane’s sole album as leader for the label’ Blue Train’ is not forgotten and even Eric Dolphy gets a look in on the only real avant-garde selection from the masterful ‘Out to Lunch’.  What is heartening is that Mantel has included some of the lesser recognised saxophonists who were integral members of the regular session musicians. These include the likes of Lou Donaldson and Stanley Turrentine as well as those who seldom recorded for various reasons such as Tina Brooks (a selection from the hard to find on vinyl at least ‘Back to the Tracks’ rather than the more obvious ‘True Blue’), Booker Ervin or Leo Parker. The newly emerging players of the 1960s are all present from Joe Henderson and Sam Rivers thoruogh to Wayne Shorter. The older generation of Dexter Gordon and Johnny Griffin are likewise included.

If saxophonists predominated on the label, then pianists were certainly not far behind. The list of greats reads like a near definitive guide to the evolution of the jazz piano from bop onwards. Thelonius Monk cut his first truly innovative sides for the label and Herbie Nicholls virtually all of his small discography for Blue Note. During the 1950s Horace Silver perfected his own brand of soul-inflected be-bop and became the longest serving pianist on the label along with the highly individualistic Andrew Hill who enjoyed two separate spells with Blue Note including the post-1985 period. If Bud Powell’s best music was reserved for Verve, his Blue Note albums of the 1950s nonethless had much to commend and then there are the pianists that one immediately associates with Blue Note. Sonny Clark personified mid-late 1950s jazz and bizarrely it is not a track from the seminal ‘Cool Struttin’ that featurers here, but rather one from the ‘Standards’ session, excellent though that undoubtedly is. Freddie Redd, Kenny Drew and Horace Parlan regularly featured as sidemen on Blue Note albums and are rightly given their due as leaders of some distinction. Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner perfected their art during their twenties while recording for the label and both impress here. On the blues side, Gene Harris should never be forgotten and his leadership of the Three Sounds resulted in some of the best selling sides in the 1960s, particularly among the African-American community in the States who appreciated a good foot-tapping groove.

If piano trios regularly featured among new releases on Blue Note, then one definitive type of Blue Note sound was the organ combo. Here the label was among the innovators in first showcasing the talents of one Jimmy Smith who almost single-handedly introduced the hammond organ in a jazz context. Arguably he is deserving of more than one piece, but it is nonetheless a choice cut off the excellent ‘Midnight Special’ album.  Others followed in his path and among the most memorable were ‘Big’ John Patton, Freddie Roach, Shirley Scott (though exclusively as a sidewoman for Stanley Turrentine) and by far the most challenging Larry Young. Other organists, better associated with other labels, recorded at some stage for Blue Note and these included Charles Earland and Jimmy McGriff.

Trumpeters became leaders of bands as well as featured sidemen of the saxophonists during the bop era and Blue Note both recorded some of the greats at early stages in their careers and equally reared some of the subsequent generation. For the former Miles Davis cut early sides for the label in the first half of the 1950s before moving to Prestige and is represented here (possibly one of the sideman pieces for Cannonball Adderley on ‘Something Else’ would have been more appropriate) and Clifford Brown and Fats Navarro both recorded definitive sides on the label before both their lives were cut tragically short. Kenny Dorham stood out from the rest with his brand of cu-bop and and a superb example from the classic ‘Afro Cuban’ album in ‘Basheer’s Dream’ while Art Farmer recorded several sides as a sideman with Horace Silver and on the cut featured, ‘Funk in a deep freeze’, for Hank Mobley. Of the next generation, Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan recorded many memorable recordings for Blue Note as leaders and sideman while Woody Shaw was a disciple of both and featured on mid-late 1960s albums for the likes of Andrew Hill, Jackie McLean and Larry Young.

Alfred Lion always had a soft spot for band leaders and one of the defining characteristics of the label was the attention to detail in compositional skills and the amount of paid for time in rehearsing. This is why the arrangements and final recordings were so tight and live on. Art Blakey’s band was almost a finshing school in jazz musicianship and two fine examples are to be found from ‘The Big Beat’ and ‘Mosaic’ albums. Duke Pearson was less well known outside aficionado circles, but led some fine big bands that included Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and ‘Big Bertha’ is a fitting testimony to his many talents. Donald Byrd throughout his caeer has encouraged new talent and that included the young Herbie Hancock. Here is featured on a late-1960s session that typifies the laid-back soul-jazz groove. A pity his later jazz-fusion sides were not included here. Horace Silver fronted many fascinating line-ups, but on ‘Cookin’ at the continental’ we find the quintessential pairing of Junior Cook and Blue Mitchell on horns.

As a bonus, the final CD is devoted to vocalists and while the classic label seldom included vocals (Dodo Green featured here and Sheila Jordan not included being notable exceptions along with the odd vocal 45 to a classic instrumental such as Bill Henderson singing ‘Señor Blues’) and briefly in the 1970s Marlena Shaw. Kurt Elling and Dianne Reeves dominated in the post-1985 period while pianists such as Eliane Elias were persuaded to extend their talents to singing, primarily the Jobim repertoire. The biggest hit of all, perhaps surprisingly, was Norah Jones and her own brand of Americana.

Tim Stenhouse