John Coltrane joins forces with Thelonious Monk in this live set from 1957 whose master was lost for almost fifty years. Coltrane plays over Monk’s incredibly complex compositions confidently and Monk plays off him in rare style — two giants of jazz having a riveting conversation, making this recording absolutely essential.

Grade: A++.

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Joe Henderson plays magnificent tribute to the great Billy Strayhorn on this essential recording that features his tenor with a variety of accompaniment. Wynton Marsalis, Stephen Scott, Christian McBride, and Gregory Hutchinson join him, playing a spectacular set of Strayhorn’s classics. Henderson’s stunning unaccompanied Lush Life rendition closes an amazing set.

Grade: A+.

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Rodrigo Garcia writes and directs this charming vignette piece that centers around the lives of nine women and tells seemingly unrelated short stories about each. Well-acted with a cast full of stars, the disparate parts mesh together well as the women struggle to deal with a range of issues.

Grade: B.

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Young lions, Roy Hargrove (trumpet), Christian McBride (bass), and Stephen Scott (drums), collaborate on an interesting and very accessible album that primarily features the music of Charlie Parker. Unusual combinations of the musicians allow for fresh interpretations of bebop classics. Each of the songs is well-selected and superbly played.

Grade: A-.

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Eric Dolphy makes his debut as a leader in this memorable set of tunes that includes three of his own charts. Freddie Hubbard lends his trumpet to the sound that begins the push from bop into the avant-garde. Dolphy’s flute really hits the spot in Glad to Be Unhappy.

Grade: B+.

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The legendary Tito Puente fronts an all-star Latin jazz group of the best soloists on the planet in this absolutely smouldering set from 1992. Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito d’Rivera, Mongo Santamaria, Hilton Ruiz, and Dave Valentin lay down the law with extended solos on this unbelievable set of standards.

Grade: A++.

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Buddy DeFranco collaborates with virtuoso Terry Gibbs in a fun set of up tempo and mostly unfamiliar songs, including a few original charts. DeFranco’s exceptional agility on the clarinet blends well with Gibbs’ astonishing chops on the vibes. The two leaders sound like they’re having a blast on this date.

Grade: A.

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Herbie Mann fronts an interesting group of talented musicians who play a few obscure standards. Mann’s flute blends nicely with other underrepresented instruments. Oscar Pettiford lends his bass on this beautiful set and the conversation between the guitar, trombone, bass clarinet, and flute make this a memorable, incredibly engaging, record.

Grade: A-.

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Eric Dolphy was far too great a musician to be insulted by the release of this musically excellent, but horrifyingly low quality recording. The sound quality of this 2000 release is completely inexcusable. There are so many far better recordings of Dolphy available. Leave this unlistenable disc at the store.

Grade: D-.

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The legendary tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson pays a perfect tribute to the incomparable Antonio Carlos Jobim in this unforgettable set of bossa nova gems. Henderson leads two separate rhythm sections, joining such stars as Herbie Hancock and Oscar Castro-Neves. This accessible set is perfect for aficionados and casual listeners alike.

Grade: A+.

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