From 1969, this first collaboration with Harold Land — questing but chilled post-bop — is probably the best.
Steeped in the compositions of Joe Chambers, the closer Pompeian is a tour de force; opening as a waltz, detouring into moody marimba.

Extended, with dubs.

Stone-classic, good-riddance disco. A masterpiece.

Lee Morgan, Duke Jordan, Bobby Timmons… plus three expert Latin percussionists… and outstanding contributions by Barney Wilen, on both tenor and soprano saxophones.

An excellent, fresh set from 1966.
The intriguing lineup includes George Bohannon, Willie Bobo, Charles Lloyd, and Jimmy Woods. Larry Coryell stretches out with bluesy pungency, on his recording debut. Archie Shepp plays wicked piano on his own boogaloo composition, For Mods Only. The track Thoughts features ‘arguably Richard Davis’ best solo on record’, according to the Penguin Guide.
‘Verve by Request’.

Scintillating hard bop. Young Donald with Messengers Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Doug Watkins, and Joe Gordon.
Originally released by Tom Wilson’s shoestring Transition label in 1955. The same label which released Sun Ra’s and Cecil Taylor’s first records; the same Tom who produced Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel, Freak Out! and The Velvet Underground & Nico .

Featuring Grant Green, and engineered by Rudy van Gelder, in the manner of classic Blue Note organ jazz, this is an ‘underappreciated gem’, according to AllMusic. Leo Wright plays a blinder.
Here is a lovely photo of drummer Pola Roberts performing in the fifties. Nice name, the Pixie Bongo 4 Jewel’s.
Pola and Gloria had an all-women band together in the early sixties. George Coleman is Gloria’s old man.
‘Verve by Request’.

‘At the Immanuel United Church of Christ on November 25, 1979. This is the eighth in a series of eleven concerts recorded at the church. This month saw the Arkestra stretching out at blissful heights — the half hour of Carnival is worth the price of admission alone, but the same could be said for the monumental Nation Rising, and the deep take on Roberto Miranda’s Faith. The groove kicks off with Horacio and doesn’t let up the whole concert.’

‘The eleventh and final concert recorded by Tom Albach at Immanuel United Church of Christ, here is one of the greatest Arkestra live recordings
‘Brimming with intense energy throughout, it culminates in the 1-2 punch of a blazing Leland’s Song followed by a fragile rendition of Tapscott’s As A Child, featuring Adele Sebastian performing her favorite Tapscott composition.
‘This one is not to be missed.’

Melting, copybook Lovers Rock from 1977.
Willie Lindo, Harold Butler Robbie Lyn and co at Federal. Marcia Griffiths on backing vocals. A classy Waiting In Vain.

Barney ‘Blair’ Perry was the Blackbyrds’ guitarist for their first two albums. He wrote the mighty Walking In Rhythm. Here he is in 1978 with another killer piece of jazzed-up, how-we-roll, funky disco; massive on the two-step scene.

‘An affectionate update on the sort of tightly arranged hard-bop album that was a specialty of the Blue Note label from the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s. Frank Lowe has developed a thoughtfully muscular approach to the tenor saxophone that’s exceptionally resourceful and personal, and his bandmates… are similarly animated by both an exploratory bent and a love for the hard-bop tradition. This is Mr. Lowe’s finest album to date’ (New York Times).

Killer, jostling lineup: Don Cherry, Grachan Moncur, Geri Allen, Charnett and Charles Mofffett.
‘Don has one of his best outings for years, bright, warmly antagonistic and full of melody. Moncur plays as well as ever, varying his slide positions and embouchure to just this side of multiphonics’ (Penguin Guide).
Warmly recommended.