Acoustic Sounds Series
View all titles that are currently live on store here.
April 26, 2024
Gerry Mulligan – Night Lights (1963)
Beautiful, laid-back ballad collection from the cool jazz saxophonist, first released on the Philips label.
May 10, 2024
Kenny Burrell – Guitar Forms (1965)
Produced by Creed Taylor, this acclaimed recording sees the guitarist play with a quintet, adding Gil Evans’ orchestra on five of the nine tracks.
May 24, 2024
Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges – Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play The Blues (1959)
This session showcases Ellington’s remarkable skills as a blues pianist, but the focus lies on one of his favorite sidemen on alto saxophone.
May 31, 2024
Diana Krall – The Look of Love (2001)
One of the Canadian singer’s most successful albums. These recordings of classic love ballads with the London Symphony Orchestra sound absolutely timeless.
June 14, 2024
Billie Holiday – Body and Soul (1957)
Late Lady Day album, released just a year after “Lady Sings The Blues”, and supported by a stellar band including Ben Webster on tenor saxophone.
June 28, 2024
Johnny Hodges – Blues A-Plenty (1958)
Laid-back blues session from the legendary saxman with his septet, featuring Ben Webster on tenor and Roy Eldridge on trumpet.
July 5, 2024
Diana Krall – When I Look In Your Eyes (1999)
The Grammy-winning fifth album from the acclaimed singer, featuring a selection of standards and the orchestral arrangements of producer Tommy LiPuma.
July 12, 2024
Sonny Stitt – Blows The Blues (Verve, 1960)
At the end of 1959, Stitt recorded three excellent quartet sessions for Verve with pianist Lou Levy, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Mel Lewis. This is arguably the best one.
July 26, 2024
Gerry Mulligan & Ben Webster – Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (1960)
Legendary meeting of two acclaimed swing and bop legends. Must-have for fans of either musician and classic jazz in general.
August 16, 2024
Sonny Rollins – East Broadway Run Down (1967)
Rollins’ last album before a six-year hiatus. Mostly a trio session with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, this is one of the rare recordings where the saxophonist incorporated elements of free jazz.
August 30, 2024
Stan Getz – Sweet Rain (1967)
A true classic, produced by Creed Taylor. The quartet here includes Chick Corea, Ron Carter and Grady Tate. This is peak Getz!
September 6, 2024
Nina Simone – Nina Simone in Concert (1964)
Her first album for the Philips label, these live recordings from Carnegie Hall in New York City include some of Simone’s most politically outspoken work.
September 20, 2024
Sarah Vaughan – Sassy (1956)
This is just peak Sarah Vaughan, recorded with Hal Mooney and his orchestra, originally released on the EmArcy label. Classic vocal jazz from one of the best to ever do it.
September 27, 2024
Diana Krall – All For You: A Dedication To The Nat King Cole Trio (1996)
A tasteful tribute album from the acclaimed Canadian singer and pianist.
October 11, 2024
Chet Baker – Baker’s Holiday (1965)
Here the trumpeter and vocalist records a set of songs which are in some way associated with Billie Holiday, interpreting them in his inimitable style of West Coast Cool.
October 25, 2024
Mel Tormé – Tormé (Verve, 1958)
His first album for Verve sees the singer, actor and entertainer recording a set of classic showtunes with Marty Paich as arranger and orchestra conductor.
November 1, 2024
Ben Webster – Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson (1960)
Classic recording of the saxophonist backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio. Must-have not just for Webster fans but for jazz lovers in general.
November 15, 2024
Ben Webster – See You At The Fair (1964)
The revered tenor saxophonist’s final recording in America before his permanent move to Europe.
December 6, 2024
Jimmy Smith – The Cat (1964)
Smith on the Hammond B-3 organ with big band arrangements by Lalo Schifrin. Classic recording, produced by Creed Taylor.
December 13, 2024
Jimmy Smith – Root Down (1972)
Includes the title song which was sampled in a Beastie Boys track of the same name. This live recording sees the organ master diving into funk-rock fusion with a young band.
Verve By Request
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April 26, 2024
Chico Hamilton – The Dealer (1966)
The drummer and bandleader brought some young talent to this session, among them guitarist Larry Coryell and Archie Shepp with a rare appearance on piano.
Gloria Coleman feat. Pola Roberts – Soul Sisters (1963)
An underappreciated gem from the organist, featuring not just Pola Roberts on drums, but Grant Green on guitar and Leo Wright on alto saxophone.
May 10, 2024
Kenny Burrell – A Night at the Vanguard (1959)
One of the best live recordings of the modern jazz guitarist in his prime, together with bassist Richard Davis and drummer Roy Haynes.
Sam Lazar – Space Flight (1960)
Organist Sam Lazar’s promising debut album, originally released on the Argo label, featuring a young Grant Green on guitar.
June 7, 2024
Alice Coltrane – A Monastic Trio (Impulse, 1968)
Her debut as a leader was a tribute to her husband John, who had passed the year before. Landmark avant-jazz with Alice on piano and harp, and Pharoah Sanders on woodwinds.
Charlie Haden – The Golden Number (1977)
An essential album of four duets, originally released on the Horizon label. The bassist’s partners here are Don Cherry, Archie Shepp, Hampton Hawes, and Ornette Coleman.
July 12, 2024
Dizzy Gillespie – The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie (1959)
A mellow, melodic session with the iconic trumpeter’s sextet featuring pianist Junior Mance, Les Spann on flute and guitar, and the latin percussion of Chino Pozo.
Oscar Peterson – A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra (1961)
The Oscar Peterson trio with Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums) pays swinging hommage to Ol’ Blue Eyes and his songs.
August 9, 2024
Pharoah Sanders – Thembi (1971)
A true classic of spiritual jazz, Sanders presents a set of serene, ambient pieces, with Lonnie Liston Smith for the first time on Fender Rhodes.
Elvin Jones & Richard Davis – Heavy Sounds (1968)
This advanced hard bop session by the rhythm section of drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Richard Davis also features Frank Foster on guitar and Billy Greene on piano.
September 13, 2024
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers (1961)
Strong performance by the iconic hard bop group, extended to a sextet for the first time. Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter and Bobby Timmons all in top form.
Freddie Hubbard – The Body & The Soul (1964)
Excellent performances by the trumpeter with an orchestra and string section, and a post-bop septet featuring Eric Dolphy, Wayne Shorter, and Reggie Workman.
October 18, 2024
Luis Gasca – For Those Who Chant (1972)
Gasca was a talented trumpeter of fusion and latin jazz who recorded a handful of stellar albums during the 1970s before disappearing from the scene. This might be his best recording.
Chet Baker – Blood, Chet And Tears (1970)
Accessible, melodic vocal jazz from one of the purveyors of West Coast Cool.
November 8, 2024
Johnny Hartman – I Just Dropped By To Say Hello (1964)
Hartman in peak form. The second of three albums the singer recorded for the Impulse! label, this followed the classic “John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman”.
Coleman Hawkins Quartet – Today And Now (1963)
The exceptional tenor man with a mixture of gentle, moody ballads and bluesy mid-tempo pieces. The album includes a round mix of standards, originals and some lesser-known titles.
December 6, 2024
Tony Williams Lifetime – Emergency! (1969)
The influential debut double album by the drummer’s jazz fusion trio, with John McLaughlin on guitar and Larry Young on organ. One of the first albums to fuse modal jazz and progressive rock.
Jack Kerouac – Readings by Jack Kerouac on the Beat Generation (1960)
Third and final spoken word album by the great beat poet, this time without musical accompaniment, but with a strong sense of rhythm and melody in Kerouac’s vocal performance.