Yusef Lateef

 

Artist:  Yusef Lateef

Birth Name:  William Emanuel Huddleston

Born:  October 9, 1920.  Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA

Died:  December 23 2013 (Aged 93).  Shutesbury, Massachusetts, USA

Genre:  Jazz, Post Bop, Jazz Fusion, Swing, Hard Bop Third Steam, World Music, New Age, Modern Creative, Global Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Saxophone Jazz

Occupation:  Musician, Composer, Educator, Spokesman, Author

Instruments:  Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, Bamboo Flute, Shehnai, Shofar, Arghul, Koto, Piano, Vocals

Yusef Lateef was an American Jazz Multi-Instrumentalist, Composer.  His main instruments were the Tenor Saxophone and Flute, he also played Oboe and Bassoon, both rare in Jazz, and non-western instruments such as the Bamboo Flute, Shehnai, Shofar, Xun, Arghul and Koto.  He is known for having been an innovatof in the blending of Jazz with Eastern Music.

Title:  Blues In Space (Limited Edition - Collector's LP Series) (2025)

Genre:  Jazz, Post Bop, Jazz Fusion, Swing, Hard Bop, Third Steam, World Music, New Age, Modern Creative, Global Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Saxophone Jazz

Label:  WaxTime

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side A:

 1.  Metaphor (8:07)

 2.  Yusef's Mood (8:34)

 3.  The Beginning (4:11)

 4.  Beauregard (3:35)

Side B:

 1. Morning (10:37)

 2.  Blues In Space (7:05)

 3.  Space (5:55)

Personnel:

Yusef Lateef:  Tenor Saxophone, Flute Argol, Scraped Gour

Curtis Fuller:  Trombone, Tambourine

Hugh Lawson:  Piano

Ernie Farrow:  Bass

Louis Hayes:  Drums

Blues In Space is an album by Yusef Lateef, released on November 21, 2025 by WaxTime.  Limited Edition Collector's LP Series 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl.

The Modern Jazz Quartet

 

Artist:  The Modern Jazz Quartet

Origin:  New York City, New York, USA

Genre:  Jazz, Cool Jazz, Be-Bop, Blues, Third Stream

Original line-up:

John Lewis:  Piano

Milt Jackson:  Vibraphone

Percy Heath:  Double Bass

Kenny Clarke:  Drums

The Modern Jazz Quartet was an American Jazz Combo from New York City, New York, formed in 1952 by ohn Lewis (Piano), Milt Jackson (Vibraphone), Percy Health (Double Bass), and Kenny Clarke (Drums).  They played music influenced by Classical, Cool Jazz, Blues and Bebop.  The group grew out of the rhythm section of Dizzy Gillespie's big band from 1946 to 1948.

Title:  Fontessa (Special Edition) (2025)

Genre:  Jazz, Cool Jazz, Be-Bop, Blues, Third Stream

Label:  Ermitage Records

Rating:   *****

Format:   LP

Tracks:

Side One:

 1.  Versaillies (3:25)

 2.  Angel Eyes (3:52)

 3.  Fontessa (11:13)

Side Two:

 1.  Over The Rainbow (3:55)

 2.  Bluesology (5:07)

 3.  Willow Weep For Me (4:52)

 4.  Woody'N You (4:28)

Personnel:

John Lewis:  Piano

Milt Jackson:  Vibraphone

Percy Heath:  Bass

Connie Kay:  Drums

Fontessa is a 1956 album by The Modern Jazz Quartet, originally released in 1956 by Atlantic Records, remastered and reissued on June 27, 2025 by Ermitage Records.  Special Edition Yellow Vinyl.

Shelly Manne

 

Artist:  Shelly Manne 

Birth Name:  Sheldon Manne

Born:  June 11, 1920.  New York City, New York, USA

Died:  September 26, 1964 (Aged 64).  Los Angeles, California, USA

Genre:  Jazz, Cool Jazz, Third Stream, Be-Bop, West Coast Jazz, Hard Bop, Mainstream Jazz

Occupation:  Drummer, Percussionist, Composer, Bandleader

Instruments:  Drums, Percussion

Shelly Manne was an American Drummer, Percussionist, Composer and Bandleader.  In his youth he admired many of the leading Swing Drummers of the day, especially Jo Jones and Dave Tough.  He rapidly developed his style in the clubs of 52nd Street in New York in the late 1930s and 1940s.  His first professional job with a known big band was with the Bobby Byrne Orchestra in 1940.  In those years, as he became known, he recorded with Jazz Stars like Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Shavers, and Don Byas.  He also worked with a number of musicians mainly associated with Duke Ellington, like Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Lawrence Brown, and Rex Stewart.  He also performed with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.  He became part of the working bands of Woody Herman and , especially Stan Kenton in the late of 1940s and early 1950s.

Title:  My Fair Lady (Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series) (2023)

Genre:  Jazz, Cool Jazz, Third Stream, Be-Bop, West Coast Jazz, Hard Bop, Mainstream Jazz

Label:  Craft Recordings

Rating:  *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side 1:

 1.  Get Me To The Church On Time (4:11)

 2.  On The Street Where You Live (5:37)

 3.  I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (3:21)

 4.  Wouldn't It Be Loverly (5:31)

Side 2:  

 1.  Ascot Gavotte (4:17)

 2.  Show Me (3:40)

 3.  With A Little Bit Of Luck (6:01)

 4.  I Could Have Danced All Night (3:00)

Personnel:

Shelly Manne:  Drums

Andre Previn:  Piano

Leroy Vinnegar:  Bass

My Fair Lady is an album by Shelly Manne, originally released in 1956 by Contemporary Records, remastered and reissued on September 15, 2023 by Craft Recordings.  180 Gram Vinyl.

Horace Parlan

 

Artist:  Horace Parlan

Born:  January 19, 1931.  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Died:  February 23, 2017 (Aged 86).  Koror, Denmark

Genre:  Jazz, Bebop, Avant-Garde Jazz, Post Bop, Third Steam, Hard Bop, Mainstream Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Piano Jazz

Occupation:  Musician, Composer

Instruments:  Piano

Horace Parlan was an American Pianist and Composer, known for working in the Hard Bop and Post Bop Style of Jazz.  In addition to his work as a bandleader, he was known for his contributions to the Charles Mingus recoredings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots.

Artist:  Horace Parlan Quintet

Title:  Speakin' My Piece (Blue Note Classic Series) (2023)

Label:  Blue Note Records

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side A:

 1.  Wadin' (6:08)

 2.  Up In Cynthia's Room (6:20)

 3.  Borderline (6:13)

Side B:

 1.  Rastus (6:54)

 2.  Oh So Blue (7:41)

 3.  Speakin' My Piece (6:11)

Personnel:

Horace Parlan:  Piano

Tommy Turrentine:  Trumpet

Stanley Turrentine:  Teno Saxophone

George Tucker:  Bass

Al Harewood:  Drums

Speakin' My Piece is an album by Horace Parlan Quintet, origianlly released in 1960 by Blue Note Records, remastered and reissued on February 17, 2023 by Blue Note Records.  Audiophile 180 Gram Vinyl.

J. J. Johnson

 

Artist:  J.J. Johnson

Birth Name:  James Louis Johnson

Born:  January 22, 1924.  Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Died:  February 4, 2001 (Aged 77).  Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Genre:  Jazz, Bebop, Hard Bop, Cool Jazz, Third Stream, West Coast Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Modern Big Band, Trombone Jazz

Occupation:  Musician, Composer

Instruments:  Trombone

J.J. Johnson was an American Jazz Trombonist, Composer and Arranger from Indianapolis, Indiana.  He was one of the earliest Trombonists to embrace Bebop.  He played in Benny Carter's Orchestra between 1942 and 1945.  In 1945, he joined the big band of Count Basie, touring and recording with him until 1946.  In 1950, he began leading his own touring small group, covering USA, UK, and Scandinavia.

Title:  The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol.1 (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series) (2022)

Genre:  Jazz, Bebop, Hard Bop, Cool Jazz, Third Stream, West Coast Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Modern Big Band, Trombone Jazz

Label:  Blue Note Records

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side 1:

 1.  Turnpike (4:15)

 2.  Lover Man (3:50)

 3.  Get Happy (4:47)

 4.  Sketch (4:21)

 5.  Capri (3:37)

Side 2:

 1.  Jay (3:42)

 2.  Old Devil Moon (3:52)

 3.  It's You Or No One (4:06)

 4.  Too Marvelous For Words (3:35)

 5.  Coffee Pot (4:06)

Personnel:

J.J. Johnson:  Trombone

Cliff Brown:  Trumpet

Jimmy Heath:  Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone

John Lewis:  Piano

Percy Heath:  Bass

Kenny Clarke:  Drums

The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 1 is an album by J.J. Johnson, originally released in 1955 by Blue Note Records, remastered and reissued on December 16, 2022 by Blue Note Records.  Audiophile Vinyl 180 Gram.