FREDDIE HUBBARD — Breaking Point! (1964) RM | RVG Edition Series | Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Immediately after leaving Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard formed his own quintet and set the modern jazz world on its collective ear with this incredible album. Beyond hard bop and into early creative territory, Hubbard explored a sonic deliverance based on his fiery personality and a refusal to stand still or be satisfied with standardized phrasings and nomenclature. His effective teaming with the unique alto saxophonist James Spaulding and pianist Ronnie Mathews is particularly telling, as this set of Hubbard originals and one from drummer Joe Chambers constitutes some of the most powerful jazz music of this time period. The expansive style of Andrew Hill is identifiable especially during the title track, with the piano of Mathews leading a startling charge of several short and swift mini-theme clarion bursts, moving into calypso. This is one of the more astonishing pieces ever conceived in modern music. "Blue Frenzy" and "D Minor Mint" both display uncanny original themes within mainstream frameworks, bearing the stamp of Hubbard's fierce approach to post-Dizzy Gillespie-type trumpet. The former piece is an easy 24-bar blues activated into cool constraints via the style of Horace Silver but fired up by the antics of Mathews, while the latter track sports a chatty melody, humorously cackling onward. "Far Away" is the most intriguing piece rhythmically and sonically, moving from 6/4 and 3/4 to 12/6, again similar to Andrew Hill's harmonic concept with Spaulding's piquant flute accenting a hip, agile melody. The pure energy Hubbard injected into this ensemble, and the sheer originality of this music beyond peers like Miles Davis and Lee Morgan, identified Hubbard as the newest of new voices on his instrument. Breaking Point has stood the test of time as a recording far ahead of mid-'60s post-bop, and is an essential item for all listeners of incendiary progressive jazz. [Some reissues offer alternate takes of "Blue Frenzy" and the pretty Joe Chambers composition "Mirrors," wavering via Spaulding's flute, a reaching-for-the-stars ballad that has become a standard.] Michael G. Nastos

Tracklist :
1.    Breaking Point  10:15
Composed By – F. Hubbard
2.    Far Away
Composed By – F. Hubbard
3.    Blue Frenzy  6:22
Composed By – F. Hubbard
4.    Blue Frenzy (Alternate Take)  3:15
Composed By – F. Hubbard
5.    D Minor Mint 6:22
Composed By – F. Hubbard
6.    Mirrors  6:04
Composed By – J. Chambers
7.    Mirrors (Alternate Take)  3:19
Composed By – J. Chambers
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Flute – James Spaulding
Bass – Eddie Khan
Drums – Joe Chambers
Engineer [Recording] – Rudy Van Gelder
Liner Notes – Leonard Feather
Piano – Ronnie Matthews
Producer – Alfred Lion
Reissue Producer [Produced For Release] – Michael Cuscuna
Transferred By [Digital Transfer] – Ron McMaster
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard 

ERIC DOLPHY — Muses (2013) MONO | Historical Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Marshmallow release in its Historical Series features Eric Dolphy's previously unreleased studio recordings from the so-called "Douglas Sessions," supposedly produced by Alan Douglas who was an A&R man for United Artists. Some materials from these sessions have been released over the years from several different labels, including the album Conversations from the FM label and Iron Man from the Douglas label.
Tracks 1 and 3-5 are previously unreleased alternate takes from these sessions, and Track 2 is a newly discovered tune that was supposedly "rejected" and therefore thought to have been erased. The album opens with two stunning duo performances by Dolphy and bassist Richard Davis. Their interplay is intimate and at times telepathetic. "Iron Man" and "Mandrake" are played by a quintet featuring Woody Shaw on trumpet and Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone. "Love Me" is a searing alto sax solo performance by Dolphy.
Tracklist :
1    Alone Together 12:07
Written-By – A. Schwartz
2    Muses 8:48
Written-By – E. Dolphy
3    Iron Man 8:27
Written-By – E. Dolphy
4    Love Me 3:39
Written-By – V. Young
5    Mandrake 4:18
Written-By – E. Dolphy
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 3 to 5)
Bass – Eddie Khan (tracks: 3), Richard Davis (tracks: 1, 2, 5)
Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 1, 2)
Drums – J.C. Moses (tracks: 3, 5)
Trumpet – Woody Shaw (tracks: 3, 5)
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson (tracks: 3, 5)
Recorded in New York, July 1st (1,2), July 3rd or 4th, 1963.

CHARLES LLOYD - Discovery! (1964-2014) RM | Jazz Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Charles Lloyd's recorded debut as a leader was made while he was a member of the Cannonball Adderley Sextet. Doubling on tenor and flute, Lloyd teamed up with pianist Don Friedman, either Eddie Khan or Richard Davis on bass, and Roy Haynes or J.C. Moses on drums. This out of print LP has among its highlights "Little Piece" (dedicated to Booker Little), "Days of Wine and Roses," "Sweet Georgia Bright," and the initial full-length version of "Forest Flower." Lloyd's Coltrane-inspired sound was already in place, and his flute playing was becoming distinctive. The music is essentially melodic but advanced hard bop, a strong start to an important career. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Forest Flower    7:53
Written-By – C. Lloyd
2    How Can I Tell You?    5:15
Written-By – C. Lloyd
3    Little Peace    6:31
Written-By – C. Lloyd
4    Bizarre    4:19
Written-By – C. Lloyd
5    Days Of Wine And Roses 5:52
Written-By – H. Mancini, J. Mercer
6    Sweet Georgia Bright    5:44
Written-By – C. Lloyd
7    Love Song To A Baby    5:55
Written-By – C. Lloyd
8    Ol' Five Spot    6:34
Written-By – C. Lloyd
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Khan (pistas: 1, 4, 5, 8), Richard Davis (pistas: 2, 3, 6. 7)
Drums – J.C. Moses (pistas: 2, 3, 6. 7), Roy Haynes (pistas: 1, 4, 5, 8)
Piano – Don Friedman
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Charles Lloyd

JOE HENDERSON — Our Thing (1963- 2000) RM | RVG Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joe Henderson's second recording as a leader features a very strong supporting cast: trumpeter Kenny Dorham (one of Henderson's earliest supporters), pianist Andrew Hill, bassist Eddie Khan, and drummer Pete La Roca. Together they perform three Dorham and two Henderson originals, advanced music that was open to the influence of the avant-garde while remaining in the hard bop idiom. The up-tempo blues "Teeter Totter" contrasts with the four minor-toned pieces and, even if none of these songs became standards, the playing is consistently brilliant and unpredictable. Even at this relatively early stage, Joe Henderson showed his potential as a great tenorman. Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1 Teeter Totter   8:33
Written-By – Joe Henderson
2 Pedro's Time 10:05
Written-By – Kenny Dorham
3 Our Thing 5:36
Written-By – Joe Henderson
4 Back Road 6:20
Written-By – Kenny Dorham
5 Escapade 8:05
Written-By – Kenny Dorham
6 Teeter Totter (Alternative Take) 7:10
Written-By – Joe Henderson
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Khan
Drums – Pete La Roca
Piano – Andrew Hill
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trumpet – Kenny Dorham