Rather than provide detailed reviews of these never-before-released and/or reissued jazz recordings, we will summarize each in alphabetical order by artist, focusing on 18 titles, including others released close to Record Store Day. This group is a little short on never-before-released material and heavier on reissues. Most of these sets have terrific liner notes, historic photos, and remembrances from those who played with or admired the musicians. Expect special 180-gram and colorful vinyl on these releases from the best engineers. This is not pitched as comprehensive. We may have missed a couple, but these are the most vital releases.
NEW DISCOVERIES
Artist – Kenny Dorham
Album – Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live from the Blue Morocco (1967)
Overview – Consider how underrated Dorham was. He became Bird’s front-line partner when MIles left. He succeeded Clifford Brown twice. He separated himself from the other trumpet greats with his lyricism. He can be identified by playing just one note. That is on fine display here and a fiery energy that many don’t associate with him. He always drew the best musicians and had an affinity for playing with aggressive saxophonists. Check out this lineup and listen for the killer solos from Sonny Red (“Confirmation”), Cedar Walton (“Bag’s Groove”), Paul Chambers (“Confirmation”), and the leader on “Must Hear” tracks below.
Location and Date Recorded – Blue Morocco in the Bronx 1967
Personnel – Kenny Dorham(trumpet), Sonny Red (alto saxophone), Cedar Walton (piano) Paul Chambers (bass), Denis Charles (drums)
Highlights of Booklet (Essays and Interviews) – Zev Feldman, Bob Blumenthal, Dan Morgenstern, Eddie Henderson , Charles Tolliver, Steven Bernstein, Jeremy Pelt
Must Hear Tracks – “Blue Bossa,” “Confirmation,” “Blue Friday,” “Bag’s Groove”
Available Formats and Dates – LP and CD on 4-12
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Artist – Bill Evans
Album – Further Ahead – Live in Finland 1964-1969
Label – Elemental (Zev Feldman)
Overview – You’re right if you think there is always a Bill Evans treat on Record Store Day. This is the 13th archival package produced by Feldman in cooperation with the Bill Evans Estate. This period, especially 1964 and 1965, represents Evans at his height. Over these two LPs, you hear three trios – 1964 (Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker) and 1965 with arguably the best bassist of his time, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, with drummer Alan Dawson. In a rare appearance, altoist Lee Konitz appears on just one track, a must-hear as detailed below. The 1969 sessions lack a bit of energy in comparison but have his longest-running trio mates, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Marty Morell.
Location and Date Recorded – Helsinki Jazz Festival 8-13, 1964, 11-1,1965 and University of Tampere, Tamere, Finland 10-28, 1969
Personnel – Bill Evans (piano), Chuck Israels (bass), Larry Bunker (drums) + Bill Evans, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass), Alan Dawson (drums) and Lee Konitz (alto sax on “My Melancholy Baby” + Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez (bass), Marty Morell (drums)
Highlights of Booklet (Essays and Interviews) – Zev Feldman, Marc Myers, Chuck Israels, Eddie Gomez, Marty Morell, Gil Goldstein, and Evans’ own take on his writing process
Must Hear Tracks – Both versions of ”Come Rain or Come Shine,” “My Melancholy Baby,””Turn Out the Stars,” “Quiet Now”
Available Formats and Dates – 2 LPs on 4-12, 2 CDs on 4-18
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Artist – Freddie Hubbard
Album – On Fire: Live from the Blue Morocco (1967)
Label – Resonance (Zev Feldman)
Overview – Seldom has an album title been more appropriate. By this time, Hubbard had played with John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and had several leader albums on Blue Note and Impulse! Aside from Miles, Hubbard was the top trumpeter of his time. Here, he plays with his working band of the time, a top-tier quintet who could quickly shift from the ‘in’ to the ‘out’ within one piece. Hubbard had powerful strength on his horn, much like Clifford Brown. The best quote to describe this session is from Steven Bernstein, “This recording is insane!. It’s one of the most exciting live documents I’ve heard in my life. It’s f*cking mind-blowing. Freddie’s on fire. It’s just so damn good.” The sizzle of this reminds me of one of the first Hubbard albums I bought, 1965’s Blue Note Night of the Cookers, and from the same year and label, Art Blakey’s Free for All. Not only that, you hear a young Kenny Barron and Bernie Maupin, perhaps best known later for his work on bass clarinet, is strictly playing tenor here.
Location and Date Recorded – Blue Morocco in the Bronx 1967
Personnel – Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Bennie Maupin (tenor saxophone), Kenny Barron (piano), Herbie Lewis (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)
Highlights of Booklet (Essays and Interviews) – Zev Feldman, Bennie Maupin, Kenny Barron, John Koenig, Charles Tolliver, Eddie Henderson, Steven Bernstein, Jeremy Pelt
Must Hear Tracks – It’s hard to top the first three on LP 1 – “Crisis,” “Up Jumped Spring,” and “Echoes of Blue.” Also, it’s interesting to compare the lengthy burning version on LP 2 of “Bye Bye Blackbird” with Miles’ renditions.
Available Formats and Dates – 3-LP -4/12, 2 CD -4/18
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Artist – Charles Mingus
Album – In Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts (1977)
Label – Resonance
Overview – Believe it or not, this is the first legitimate recording of Charles Mingus’ 1977 quintet, who always took a back seat to larger ensembles when albums were released. Mingus was struggling with health issues at the time, but that’s not evident in the music. The ensemble retains some members for the mid-’70s “Changes band,” including trumpeter Jack Walrath and the long-tenured drummer Dannie Richmond, with 23-year-old tenorist Robert Ford succeeding George Adams and pianist Robert Neloms taking Don Pullen’s place the piano. Mingus performs two solo piano improvisations here, but most of the material should be familiar to Mingus aficionados.
In the program are “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love,” “Noddin’ Ya Head Blues,” “Sue’s Changes,” “Three or Four Shades of Blue” and “Fables of Faubus” among others. Yet this stripped-down group, in comparison to the larger ones, offers many more solo opportunities that Ford and Walrath take advantage of, blowing hot throughout. The blues is never far away in any Mingus performance, but given these dates in Argentina, he added the Latin-infused “Cumbia and Jazz Fusion to the program, a full 22 minutes plus workout. The set proves that in later period, Mingus still had plenty of vitality and was consistent with his persona. Many will attest as Ricky Ford does – “When you played with him, you were walking on eggshells. You never knew what was going to happen.”
Location and Date Recorded – CD1 on 6-2, 1977 at the Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires, CD2 on 6-3 at Teatro SHA in Buenos Aires
Personnel – Charles Mingus (bass and piano), Ricky Ford (tenor saxophone), Jack Walrath (trumpet), Robert Neloms (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums)
Highlights of Booklet (Essays and Interviews) – Brian Priestly, Claudio Parisi, Jack Walrath, Ricky Ford
Must Hear Tracks—Honestly, Neloms is not the pianist that Don Pullen was, but the spotlight is most often on Walrath, who shines on “Noddin’ Your Head Blues,” “Three or Four Shades of Blues, ““For Harry Carney,” and “Cumbia.”This is superb material throughout, with every cut being a worthwhile listen. Be sure to check out Ricky Ford’s solo on “Sue’s Changes.”
Available Formats and Dates– 2-LP on 4-12, 2-CD on 4-18
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REISSUES/COLLECTIONS
Artist – Cela Cruz and Willie Colón
Album – Happy Girl
Label –Craft
Overview – The album is the salsa equivalent of the soul pairing of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. This is a vocal tour-de-force for Cruz under Colón’s production, which displays her talents in a variety of styles, from salsa to bolero to merengue.
When Recorded – 1977
Personnel – Celia Cruz (vocals), Jose Mangual and Milton Cardona (various percussion), Yomo Toro (guitar, vocals), Pablo Rosario (percussion), Prod. Joe Torres (piano), Luis Romero (timbales), Willie Colón (trumpet, coro), Leopoldo Peinda, Lewis Kahn, Papo Vasquez (trombone)
Must Hear Tracks – “Usted abuso,”(salsa), “Plaxon traiconeros” (bolero), “Pun pun catalu” (merengue)
Available Formats and Dates – LP on 4-12
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Artist – Nathan Davis
Album – Happy Girl
Label – Saba/MPS
When Recorded – 1965 (when Davis lived in Europe)
Overview—Davis was a progressive player who worked with Eric Dolphy, Kenny Clarke, and Elvin Jones during this period. Davis was a multi-reedist with exceptional tone, playing soprano, tenor, and flute. This is white-hot material that is mostly hard bop with hints of modality and soul jazz, too. It’s reminiscent of the work of Jackie McLean in the early ‘60s.
Personnel – Nathan Davis (woodwinds), Woody Shaw (trumpet), Larry Young (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), Billy Brooks (drums)
Must Hear Tracks – “The Flute In the Blues,” “Mister E,” “Evolution,” “Theme From Zoltan,” and “Happy Girl”
Available Formats and Dates – LP, CD on 4-12
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Artist – Various Artists
Album – Jazz Dispensary- Night Lights
Label – Craft
Overview – The new compilation collects cuts from Prestige Records’ imprint Moodsville, featuring beautiful late-night tunes from multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef, guitarist Kenny Burrell, saxophonists Coleman Hawkins and Gene Ammons, as well as Kenny Burrell, and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (which features the oft-forgotten, prolific organist and bandleader Shirley Scott)
Location and Date Recorded – Various Dates from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Must Hear Tracks – As in the Overview.
Available Formats and Dates – LP on 4-12
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Artist – Vince Guaraldi
Album –It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! (complete original soundtrack plus bonus track)
Label -Lee Mendelson Film Productions
Overview –The complete soundtrack is available for the first time. These are cues for the film. There are 20, including the bonus track, “Woodstock Medley.” Nonetheless, this is a swinging ensemble with Guaraldi, who rather unusually plays quite a bit of electric piano. The sound is pristine and, like the Peanuts movies, fun, witty, and made for ever-swinging, promised end-to-end listening.
Highlights of Booklet (Essays) – Derrick Berg, author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano, Jason Mendelson, producer and son of Lee Mendelson; Sean Mendelson, album producer, musician, and son of Lee Mendelson
Location and Date Recorded – 1974 and 2021 at Wally Heider Studio in San Francisco, CA
Personnel – Vince Guaraldi (piano, electric piano), Seward McCain (bass), Robert Claire (flute), Glen Cronkhite (drums), Eliot Zigmund (drums)
Must Hear Tracks – “Woodstock Dream,” “Snoopy and Woodstock,” “Marcie’s Song”
Available Formats and Dates – 10-inch vinyl on 4-12 (selections), Full Soundtrack on 12-inch vinyl, CD, and digital already available
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Artist – Charles Mingus
Album –Mingus at Monterey
Label -Candid
Overview – Much of the album is a tribute to Duke Ellington although we hear two versions of “Orange Was the Color of Her Dress” and “Meditations on Integration.” The core quintet of this record (Lonnie Hillyer, Charles McPherson, Jackie Byard, Dannie Richmond, and the man himself) played together (with variations depending on availability) from 1964-1970. Mingus named another record with them, “My Favorite Quintet”. Without Eric Dolphy this music is more mainstream than The Great Concert, but very flexible and free within its chosen context. This stands with that album and Live at Antibes as some of the best live performances of Mingus during this era.
Location and Date Recorded – 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival
Personnel – Charles Mingus (bass, piano), Lonnie Hillyer (trumpet), Charles McPherson (alto saxophone), Jaki Byard (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums) – On track 8 – Bobby Bryant, Melvin Moore (trumpet), Lou Blackburn (trombone), Red Callender (tuba), Buddy Colette (flute, piccolo, alto saxophone), Jack Nimitz (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone), John Handy (tenor saxophone)
Must Hear Tracks – “Orange Was the Color of Her Dress” (McPherson solo), “In a Sentimental Mood” (Hillyer solo), “I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good” Mingus solo), “A Train” (Handy solo)
Available Formats and Dates – 2-LP on 4-12
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Artist – Thelonious Monk
Album –Live at the It Club
Label -Candid
Overview—This is a reissue of the original 1982 recording, not the 1988 version, which has more tracks. This is the classic Monk quartet, a well-oiled machine by this point, that played three short sets on each of their two nights at the It Club. Tracks were omitted or edited for the 1982 release. The 1998 “complete” reissue includes the music as it was played, with a few exceptions.
Location and Date Recorded – Released posthumously. Recorded on 10-31 and 11-1, 1964, at the “It” Club in Los Angeles, CA
Personnel – Thelonious Monk (piano), Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone), Larry Gales (bass), Ben Riley (drums)
Must Hear Tracks – These are all Monk classics. You may want to center in on those less well-known: “Blues Five Spot,” “Gallop’s Gallop,” and “Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are”
Available Formats and Dates – 2-LP on 4-12
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Artist – Wes Montgomery Wynton Kelly Trio
Album –Smokin’ in Seattle: Live at The Penthouse
Label -Resonance
Overview –This was captured live on April 14 and 21, 1966, less than a year after Wes and Wynton’s classic 1965 live album, Smokin’ At The Half Note. Smokin’ In Seattle features bassist Ron McClure (Charles Lloyd, Joe Henderson) and the legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb. Back by popular demand from RSD 2017, this recording is getting a second pressing with new front and back cover artwork.
Highlights of Booklet – Zev Feldman, Pat Metheny. Paul de Barros, DJ Jim Wilke, Ron McClure, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron
Location and Date Recorded – 4-14 and 4-21, 1966 at The Penthouse in Seattle, WA
Personnel – Wes Mongomery (guitar), Wynton Kelly (piano), Jimmy Cobb (drums)
Must Hear Tracks – “If You Could See Me Now,” “Not a Tear,” “Sir John,” ‘West Coast Blues”
Available Formats and Dates – LP on 4-12
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Artist – Gerry Mulligan and Thelonious Monk
Album – Mulligan Meets Monk
Label – Craft
Overview—This was during a period when Thelonious Monk was just making his name while Gerry Mulligan was firmly established. This is a study in contrasts between Mulligan’s smoothness and the angular, edgier, jagged Monk. Mulligan seems to enjoy his ability to improvise, while Monk tends to play a more supportive role.
Location and Date Recorded – 1957
Personnel – Thelonious Monk (piano), Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone), Wilbur Ware (bass), Shadow Wilson (drums)
Must Hear Tracks – “’Round Midnight,” “Straight, No Chaser,” “Rhythm-a-ning”
Available Formats and Dates – April 12, 1 LP (mono)
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Artist – Pharoah Sanders
Album –Izipho Zam (My Gifts)
Label -Strata East/Mack Avenue
Overview – Recorded in 1969, not long after the more famous Karma (Impulse!) two years after John Coltrane’s passing, and released in 1973 on Strata-East, the album features a 13-member ensemble (as opposed to nine on Karma), including Sonny Sharrock, Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart, and Leon Thomas. Blending Eastern influences with expansive jazz, Sanders’ spiritual jazz is highlighted with “Prince of Peace,” showcasing Thomas’ unique yodeling vocals, exploring dissonance and harmony with West African percussion and meditative chants. In that sense, it is much like Karma but free (as were all Strata-East recordings) of the constraints of a major label. Believe it or not, this is far more intense than the former.
Highlights of Booklet – Liner notes by Harmony Holiday
Location and Date Recorded – 1-14, 1969 Englewood Cliffs, NJ; released in 1973
Personnel – Pharoah Sanders (tenor saxophone, flute, percussion, vocals), Howard Johnson (tuba), Sonny Fortune (alto saxophone, flute), Lonnie Liston Smith (piano), Sonny Sharrock (guitar), Cecil McBee (bass), Sirone (Norris Jones) (bass0, Billy Hart (drums), Chief Bey (African drums), Nat Bettis (percussion), Tony Wiles (percussion), Leon Thomas (percussion, vocals)
Must Hear Tracks – Like many Sanders’ music at the time, these are lengthy tracks; only three of them. “Prince of Peace” is a must as it features Leon Thomas. The percussive heavy title track runs to 28 minutes.
Available Formats and Dates – LP on 4-12
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Artist – Archie Shepp and the Full Moon Ensemble
Album –Live at Antibes
Label -LMLR
Overview – This album has been out of print for 55 years, and although a double LP, there are only two tracks, “The Early Bird” and “Huru,” each running close to 49 minutes. Some of Shepp’s most complimentary, least-structured material ever is here. Shepp is democratic, spreading the contributions around, woven together in a vibrant tapestry of sound, but with less of the structuring righteous concepts of some of Archie’s other work – especially his sides for Impulse. Shepp had been experiencing some new freedoms on the French scene of the late ’60s – even more so than in the US avant outfield – and you can hear him taking flight here with a like-minded group of players.
Highlights of Booklet – Liner notes by Kevin le Genre
Location and Date Recorded – Live at Antibes – Juan les Pins Jazz Festival,7-18, 1970
Personnel – Archie Shepp (tenor saxophone, piano, recitation), Clifford Thornton (trumpet, piano, shehnai), Alan Shorter (flugelhorn), Joseph Dejean (guitar), Beb Guerin (bass), Claude Decloo (drums)
Available Formats and Dates – 2-LP on 4-12
Upcoming Titles from Blue Note and Strata East
Artist – Kenny Burrell with Art Blakey
Album –On View at the Five Spot Cafe: The Complete Masters
Label -Blue Note
Overview – Part of Blue Note’s Tone Poet Vinyl Series. This hard bop summit featured the well-established guitarist with top-level players, including Art Blakey and Bobby Timmons. Producer Joe Harley says, “This has long been one of my favorite live jazz albums…There’s such a deep and relaxed vibe, these guys were obviously familiar with each other’s playing and very at-ease on the gig.”
Highlights of Booklet –Burrell with Don Was, Syd Schartz
Location and Date Recorded – The Five Spot Cafe, NYC on 8-25,1959
Personnel – Kenny Burrell (guitar), Tina Brooks (tenor saxophone), Bobby Timmons (piano), Roland Hanna (piano on “Beef Stew Blues”), Ben Tucker (bass), Art Blakey (drums)
Must Hear Tracks – “The Takeoff,”” Beef Stew Blues,” ”Swingin,’”” Lover Man” and the first version of “Birk’s Works”
Available Formats and Dates – 3-LP, 2-CD ,and digital issued on 4-11
Artist – Stanley Cowell
Album –Musa: Ancestral Streams
Label -Strata East/Mack Avenue
Overview – It is a landmark album in jazz, celebrated for its intimacy and innovation as it blends jazz with classical, African, and Eastern influences. Cowell’s pioneering use of electric and acoustic piano expands the instrument’s expressive range, creating a deeply personal and spiritual experience. Musa: Ancestral Streams is a cornerstone of the Strata-East discography, reflecting the label’s commitment to artistic freedom and genre-defining works. It not only highlights Cowell’s extraordinary vision as a musician but also exemplifies Strata-East’s role in championing boundary-pushing, artist-produced records
Highlights of Booklet –Liners by Nate Chinen
Location and Date Recorded – NYC 1974
Personnel – Stanley Cowell (piano)
Must Hear Tracks – “Equipoise,” “Prayer for Peace”
Available Formats and Dates – LP, CD, and digital on 4-25
Artist – Charley Rouse
Album –Two Is One
Label -Strata East/Mack Avenue
Overview – This may well be the epitome of Strata East in allowing the musician the freedom he sought. Charlie Rouse’s Two Is One fuse sophisticated soul jazz with post-bop and spiritual influences while highlighting stellar collaborations with guitarists George Davis (I.e., “In a Funky Way”) and Paul Metzke, Cal Scott on electrified cello and the unmistakable Stanley Clarke on electric bass (I.e., “Two Is One”). It was a rather unique album during the advent of jazz-rock fusion. There’s a heavy presence of African percussion, somewhat akin to the Pharaoh Sanders albums of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, so in that sense, it’s ahead of its time. The most expressive Rouse has long been identified with The Thelonious Monk Quartet and, for many, will sound unrecognizable in this session.
Highlights of Booklet – Liners by Syd Schwartz
Location and Date Recorded – NYC 1974
Personnel – Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), George Davis (tracks 1,3,5) and Paul Metzke (tracks 2,4,5) on guitar, Calo Scott (electrified cello), Martin Rivera (tracks 1 & 3) and Stanley Clarke (tracks 2, 4 & 5) on bass, David Lee (drums), Azzedin Weston (congas on tracks 1 &3) and Airto Moreira (percussion (tracks 2, 4, 5)
Must Hear Tracks – “In a Funky Way,” “Two Is One,” “In His Presence Searching”
Format – LP, CD and digital on 4-25
Artist – Charles Tolliver & Music Inc.
Album –Live at Slugs’, Volume I & II
Label -Strata East/Mack Avenue
Overview – Tolliver’s Music. Inc., this powerhouse quartet, was making some of the most vital and intense music of the time, vital acoustic jazz during a period dominated by fusion. You’ve learned through previous releases from Slugs that it brought out the best in these musicians. This has become an iconic album in jazz history, featuring the two co-founders, Tolliver and Cowell, of the artist independent Strata East. Music rarely gets this explosive. Few trumpeters are/were as fiery as Tolliver.
Highlights of Booklet –Liners by Marcus J. Moore
Location and Date Recorded – Slugs Saloon, NYC, 1970
Personnel – Charles Tolliver (trumpet), Stanley Cowell (piano), Cecil McBee (bass), Jimmy Hopps (drums)
Must Hear Tracks – “Drought,”” Spanning,” “Our Second Father (Dedicated to the Memory of John Coltrane)”
Available Formats and Dates – 2-LP, CD, and digital with 41 minutes of bonus material on 4-25
Strata-East: The Legacy Begins is a sampling of the four Strata-East albums, and it is already available as a digital-only anthology since 2-21, 2025. Artists included are Billy Harper, Clifford Jordan, Stanley Cowell, Charles Tolliver & Stanely Cowell, Charles Tolliver & Music Inc., Shamek Farrah, Charlie Rouse, Pharaoh Sanders, The Heath Brothers feat. Stanely Cowell, Cecil Payne. Cecil McBee, Charles Brackeen, Harold Vick, John Hicks, John Gordon, and more.
OTHER JAZZ and JAZZ ADJACENT TITLES
| Artist | Title | Label | Format |
| Chet Baker | Almost Blue +2 | Slow Down Sounds | 12 inch |
| Count Basie Compilation | The Best of the Roulette Years | Rhino | LP |
| Blue Note Compilation | Alts and Outs | Blue Note | LP |
| Astrud Gilberto | That Girl from Ipanema | Friday Music | LP |
| Vince Guaraldi | Jazz Impression of a Boy Named Charlie Brown (Alternate Takes) | Craft | LP |
| Fathead Newman & Ellis Marsalis & Cornell Dupree | Return to the Wide Open Spaces | SteadyBoy | LP |
| Gil Scott Heron | Moving Target | LMLR | LP |
| Giles Peterson | Presents International Anthem | International Anthem | 2-LP |
| Sun Ra | Stray Voltage | Modern Harmonic | 2-LP |
| Sun Ra | Nuits de la Fondation Maeght (Deluxe Ed.) | STRUT | 6-LP |
