Blue Note Vinyl & CDs

Review: Dutch-born American jazz pianist and composer Gerald Clayton is back with a sixth album, his second on Blue Note. Ones & Twos is another exploration of jazz, hip-hop, neo-soul and raw improvisation that is all rooted in a deep conceptual framework. Featuring standout collaborators like Joel Ross, Elena Pinderhughes, Kendrick Scott and Kassa Overall, the album moves effortlessly from groove to abstraction and is inspired by turntablism, which is why Clayton created two sets of tracks that can play individually or simultaneously, blurring the line between harmony and dissonance. As rich as the sonics are, there is also real philosophical intent here, making it both a visceral and cerebral listen with layered commentary on collaboration, coexistence and creativity.

Review: Super cool jazz cat Dexter Gordon's 1963 album Our Man in Paris marked his first release from Europe and is often regarded as the final bebop album. The saxophonist gathered a quartet featuring bebop legends Bud Powell on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums and they played alongside French bassist Pierre Michelot to record this timeless work at CBS Studios in Paris. The album is defined by Gordon's commanding saxophone with the intricate rhythms of bebop that take you right back to a precise moment of musical history which marked a significant transition in jazz. It remained a defining work in Gordon's career.

Review: Sonny Rollins made his Blue Note debut in 1949 with Bud Powell, but returned as a leader in 1956 with Volume 1. This album showcases classic Rollins so has plenty of hard-swinging originals and a tender ballad that perfectly offer up his powerful sound and boundless improvisational skills. The quintet includes Donald Byrd, Wynton Kelly, Gene Ramey and Max Roach who all support Rollins in creating a dynamic blend of jazz. This record solidified Rollins' reputation as a leading figure in the genre, and that is still true to this day.

Review: American jazz drummer Tony Williams rose to acclaim as a member of Miles Davis' so-called 'Second Great Quintet'. He later went on to pioneer jazz fusion with the group and formed his own outfit, the Tony Williams Lifetime. In 1986 he released 'Civilization', which marked a triumphant return to Blue Note and a great window into his visionary approach to jazz. Leading a stellar acoustic quintet with Wallace Roney (trumpet), Billy Pierce (sax), Mulgrew Miller (piano) and Charnett Moffett (bass), Williams served up a dynamic set of original compositions that pulse with intensity and technical brilliance, as well as emotional depth, while taking post-bop tradition into new relays. Each player brings sharp improvisational insight, but it's Williams' explosive yet precise drumming that anchors the session.