Though her career stretched from the '30s to the '80s and she's widely considered possibly the greatest female jazz singer or all time, Ella Fitzgerald will probably forever be best known for a mid-'50s collection of albums collectively called the Songbooks, where she devoted entire albums to the works of such composers as Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington. THE BEST OF THE SONGBOOKS: THE BALLADS is one of the many compilations based on these recordings, and one of the best. From its beautiful, informative packaging to its gorgeously remastered sound, this 16-track, 64-minute collection treats the material with the respect it deserves. The material, of course, is first-rate, wall-to-wall standards from Johnny Mercer's wistful "Laura" to Ellington's sly "Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me." Fitzgerald's performances are equally outstanding, as are the mostly big-band arrangements. This is as good as jazz ballad collections get.

Terasima Records presents Jazz Bar 2020. Enrico Pieranunzi Trio, Niels Lan Doky, Harry Allen, Chad Lawson Trio, Dag Arnesen, Jan Harbeck Quartet and many others.

Along with Holdsworth, this amazing performance features Allan playing with his Trio, featuring the late Dave Carpenter on bass and Gary Novak on drums, who also contributes to the liner notes for this release. The performance of Warsaw Summer Jazz Days '98 was beautifully recorded, filmed, and originally aired on Polish Television. The sound quality of both the audio and video is amazing and was digitally re-mastered from the original tapes.

The double album features the guitar legend live at the 11th annual Jarasum International Jazz Festival in Gapyeong-Gun, South Korea, on 5 October 2014.

Danish bassist Jesper Thorn has come to be known for his deeply personal, introspective, soul-searching sound through which he strives to untangle his innermost thoughts and conflicts. A followup to his award-winning 2020 release ‘Boy’, ‘Dragør’ dives into his complex feelings towards the town by the same name in which he grew up. The third album under his own name, it’s set to release on September 29th on April Records.

On their latest album the internationally acclaimed Jussi Fredriksson Trio shares musical anecdotes on the beautiful yet vulnerable Archipelago Sea. The trio’s rooted new sound is ecologic and warm in nature.

After three acclaimed ECM recordings with Louis Sclavis (Sources, Salt and Silk Melodies, and Characters on a Wall), each of them attesting his improvisational resourcefulness, French pianist Benjamin Moussay was invited to record a solo album. Promontoire is the result, a thoughtful, reflective and profoundly lyrical album that is both a strikingly original statement and an admirable addition to ECM’s distinguished solo piano series. Produced by Manfred Eicher, and recorded at Studios la Buissonne in January 2019.

The two LP editions recorded at this Paris concert were the last examples of Bill Evans' playing to be released at the time. With bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joe La Barbera, Evans had one of the strongest trios of his career, as can be heard on such pieces as Edition One's "My Romance," "I Loves You, Porgy," and "Beautiful Love." The close communication between the players is reminiscent of Evans' 1961 unit with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian.

The unforgettable sound of Sarah Vaughan is captured in this collection of essential recordings. From the swinging hits, "Lullaby Of Birdland" and "It's Crazy", to her best-loved recordings, including "Misty" and "Broken-Hearted Melody", this album highlights Vaughan's impeccable phrasing, emotional depth and remarkable range. Whether backed by a trio or a full orchestra, singing hits of the day or jazz standards, every track serves to remind us why Sarah Vaughan is still known as 'The Divine One'.

The timeless artistry of Billie Holiday is something that every generation gets to discover for themselves. The iconic songs on this collection showcase Holiday's unique ability to infuse every lyric with unparalleled emotion and depth. With her distinctive voice and incomparable phrasing, Holiday remains an enduring performer and a powerful influence on generations of musicians. Great Women Of Song is a testament to Holiday's profound legacy and an essential addition to any music collection.

This Savoy CD is a duplicate of the original LP although it lacks the fine liner notes included on the Arista/Savoy 1978 LP. The four selections (which unfortunately total under 34 minutes) are excellent, particularly a fun version of Horace Silver's blues "Opus De Funk" in which vibraphonist Milt Jackson, flutist Frank Wess and pianist Hank Jones have a long tradeoff. The quintet (which also includes bassist Eddie Jones and drummer Kenny Clarke) swings nicely throughout the three blues and lone ballad ("You Leave Me Breathless"). This is not essential, but it is enjoyable music.