Coleman Hawkins – Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster – Verve 180G Vinyl
Dexter Gordon – Go – Blue Note – 180G Blue Coloured Vinyl LP
Hard Bop Mastery with Audiophile Warmth
Swinging, lyrical, and effortlessly cool—Dexter Gordon’s landmark session, pressed to perfection.
Originally released in 1962, Go! is one of the finest recordings of tenor sax legend Dexter Gordon’s career. Captured in a single day by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder and released on Blue Note Records, the album pairs Gordon’s soulful phrasing and fluid tone with an exceptional rhythm section featuring Sonny Clark (piano), Butch Warren (bass), and Billy Higgins (drums).
This 180g coloured vinyl edition—pressed in striking blue—offers both visual flair and serious sonic substance. The remastering preserves the warmth and intimacy of the original tape, with rich midrange detail, clean cymbals, and Gordon’s unmistakable tenor sound delivered with natural depth and presence. Whether it’s the laid-back groove of Cheese Cake, the ballad beauty of I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry, or the bluesy swing of Love for Sale, every track feels alive in the room.
A true Blue Note classic—Go! is essential listening for any jazz enthusiast and a standout pressing for audiophiles who appreciate analogue finesse and timeless performances.
Diana Krall – When I Look Into Your Eyes (Verve Records – Acoustic Sounds Series ) 180g 2LP Gatefold Sleeve
Krall’s fifth studio album made a mark as the first jazz album in 25 years to garner a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
Tommy LiPuma elevates Krall’s sound along the lines of Nat King Cole with an orchestral stamp on eight out of 12 tracks.
It doesn’t take strings, though, to showcase Diana Krall as a hopeless romantic. She does that well enough on her own.
Verve’s Acoustic Sounds Series features transfers from analog tapes and remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Dizzy Gillespie Live At Singer Concert Hall 1973 – The Lost Recordings 180g Vinyl
For Dizzy everything starts and ends with laughter. In the meantime, all paths are possible. That of melancholy, of dance or of political commitment... Dizzy is everywhere at once, always elusive, he is this explorer who, after having been one of the founders of Bebop in the 40's, will never stop experimenting, surprising and pushing back the borders.
Dizzy Reece – Star Bright Lp (Blue Note Classic Series) Blue Note Vinyl
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the trumpeter Dizzy Reece moved to London at age 17 and began working across Europe, frequently in Paris, where he played with the likes of Don Byas and Kenny Clarke. Reece also made fans of Miles Davisand Sonny Rollins who spread the word about a hot new trumpeter on the European scene. So when Donald Byrd and Art Taylor came through Paris on tour in 1958 they sought out Reece and even found their way into the recording studio together for what would become Reece’s Blue Note debut Blues In Trinity.
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane – Duke Ellington & John Coltrane 180g Analogue Productions Vinyl
“Genius + Soul = Jazz is a winner, now sounding better than ever. I like this reissue so much I’ll probably not play my original again since it isn’t in quite as nice condition. In fact, I’m not sure if I really need to even keep my original in the collection at this point given the quality of this reissue. And that is probably the best complement I can offer.” — Mark Smotroff, Audiophile Review, May 17, 2021.
Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges – Back to Back – Analogue Productions 45RPM 200g 2LP
Several times in his career star alto-saxophone soloist Johnny Hodges struck out on his own, only to return each time to Duke Ellington’s band. There seemed to be a constant tension between them, though it was old hat by the time of this recording. In the enclosed notes, critic Michael Ullman examines this complex relationship, suggesting that the blues classics chosen for this program may have been neutral ground. A place where Ellington’s unique piano playing could come to the fore and Hodges’ irrepressible sensuality could have free rein. This is one of the very best small-group records Ellington ever made — a relaxed, perfectly integrated set of music that truly swings the blues.
Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges – Back to Back – Verve (Acoustic Sounds Series) 180g Vinyl LP
Acoustic Sounds Series reissues from Verve/Universal Music Enterprises!
This is among the finest Ellington small group sides. The predominantly blues repertoire is the perfect setting for Sweets and Hodges to open out, with Duke getting a simpler, but no less forceful rhythm section backing than he did in his own band, notes Jazzwise. Hodges does some of the most soulful playing of his career here.
Duke Pearson – The Right Touch LP (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) – Blue Note Vinyl
Perhaps the perfect starting point for a reappraisal of Duke Pearson’s underrated career is his fantastic and aptly titled 1967 album The Right Touch. The album stands as perhaps the finest in Pearson’s discography and is a showcase of his sublime talents as a pianist, composer, and arranger. The Right Touch is comprised of six memorable Pearson compositions arranged for a dynamic 8-piece band featuring trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, trombonist Garnett Brown, alto saxophonist James Spaulding, alto saxophonist/flutist Jerry Dodgion, tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, bassist Gene Taylor, and drummer Grady Tate.
