This Saturday, April 20, is Record Store Day — an annual retail extravaganza designed to “celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store.” For jazz fans, it has become a reliable date on the calendar for the release of archival discoveries in deluxe vinyl packages. That’s largely thanks to the passionate, unflagging effort of producer Zev Feldman, who has a hand in a staggering 10 RSD releases this year.
They include European tour recordings from some of the leading names in jazz, like Sonny Rollins and Yusef Lateef, and nightclub tapes from American clubs, featuring the virtuoso classicist Art Tatum and the farsighted vanguardist Sun Ra. We couldn’t let this windfall go without commentary, so the jazz team at WRTI has listened to all of these extraordinary albums and brought you some insights. (Pay close attention and you’ll note that there are actually 11 albums under consideration here.)
For those who don’t listen on a turntable, you’ll just have to be a little patient: each of these albums will soon be available on CD, and most will be provided to streaming services. And even if you aren’t rushing to your local record store this weekend, we thought you’d want to know what’s out there. Keep listening to our jazz programming at WRTI, because some of this music will definitely find its way to the airwaves.
Cannonball Adderley, Burnin’ in Bordeaux / Poppin’ in Paris (Elemental Music, 2 LPs each)
Cannonball Adderley is known for his dynamic sax playing, but on Burnin’ in Bordeaux, he exceeds the usual expectations. This previously unissued recording from 1969 has the complex flavor of a fine wine, sometimes with a slightly bitter taste to balance the palate. Cannonball connects with the audience through fast, complex runs and emotive phrasing, expanding the boundaries of tunes like “Work Song” and “Sack O’ Woe.” His interaction is in unison with band members who are all free and unhindered by space or time. This is a significant addition to his track record.
Poppin’ in Paris is another newly released recording, from 1972. Here Adderley seems to step back from his usual strong, forceful presence to deliver a more reserved yet still vibrant recording. The performance — with his brother Nat Adderley on cornet, Joe Zawinul on piano, Victor Gaskin on bass and Roy McCurdy on drums — highlights his remarkable ability to communicate with his alto saxophone, delivering solos that dig into the soul with an expressive flavor that’s always charismatic, exemplifying his stature as a masterful performer. (Maurice Browne)
Chet Baker & Jack Sheldon, In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album (Jazz Detective, LP)
This never-before-heard set from Zev Feldman’s Jazz Detective label dates from 1972. It features a pair of California’s cool-toned legends, Chet Baker and Jack Sheldon — both playing trumpet, and divvying the singing. Baker is getting back in the game after being sidelined from a tragic assault six years earlier. Sheldon is getting better known from a TV gig on The Merv Griffin Show. A trio featuring Dave Frishberg at the piano gives a hip touch to this appealing session. (Bob Craig)
Yusef Lateef, Atlantis Lullaby: The Concert From Avignon (2 LP, 2 CD)
This previously unheard 1972 performance by multi-reedist and flutist Yusef Lateef, mastered from an ORTF Radio broadcast, features a rhythm section of fellow legends: Kenny Barron on piano, Bob Cunningham on bass, and Albert “Tootie” Heath on drums. The 2-LP set includes mesmerizing tracks like Barron’s “A Flower” and the standard “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You.” Packaged with essays and rare photos, it honors Lateef's enduring jazz legacy, fully endorsed by his estate. (Bobbi I. Booker)
Shelly Manne & His Men, Jazz From The Pacific Northwest (Reel to Real, 2 LPs)
If you want to get to jazz's coolness on another level, check out Shelly Manne and His Men on Jazz from From the Pacific Northwest. Having recorded with the likes of jazz greats such as Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Stan Kenton and Barney Kessel, Manne was a drummer at the heart of the west coast sound. Shelly Manne and his Men — among them, trumpeter Conte Condoli and pianist Hampton Hawes — take you on a musical trip with performances from the very first Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958 and two performances at The Penthouse club in Seattle in ‘66. (David Ortiz)
Brother Jack McDuff, Ain't No Sunshine: Live in Seattle (Reel to Real, 2 LPs)
The legend of organist Jack McDuff is colorful and unabashed, as often attested by those who knew and saw him up close. In many cases, his best-known studio recordings push memorable group cohesion ahead of organ pyrotechnics. This Seattle set from 1972 is a true revelation that captures McDuff's well-oiled working ensemble plus the unrestrained ferocity of its leader. Hear the rumbling McDuff right away on "Theme From Electric Surfboard," the set’s opening tune. (Greg Bryant)
Sonny Rollins, Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings (Resonance, 4 LPs or 3 CDs)
Sonny Rollins — the true Saxophone Colossus. Here he is in his truest form on Freedom Weaver: The 1959 European Tour Recordings: daringly adventurous, rhythmically free, and stunningly melodic. Rollins shines in a patented chordless trio format that gives him the space to be one of jazz’s greatest improvisers. Bassist Henry Grimes and a series of drummers — Pete La Roca, Joe Harris and the pioneering Kenny Clarke — prove the perfect complement to Rollins during these live takes. If you love A Night at the Village Vanguard, which also happens to be out this month in a special vinyl edition, Freedom Weaver is a must-listen. (Josh Lee)
Sun Ra, Sun Ra at the Showcase: Live in Chicago (Jazz Detective, 2 LP or 2 CD)
Sun Ra at the Showcase: Live in Chicago features performances captured during two dates in 1976 and 1977, and it sounds phenomenal. The two-disc release features a stellar lineup joining Sun Ra, including tenor saxophonist John Gilmore, singer June Tyson and the alto saxophonist and soon-to-be-centenarian Marshall Allen, performing classic Sun Ra repertoire and more. (J. Michael Harrison)
Art Tatum, Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings (Resonance, 3 CDs)
“On a scale of 1 to 10, [Art] Tatum kept the dial on a steady 11.” That’s pianist Michael Weiss in the extensive liner notes for this aptly named three-disc set, sourced from tapes made at the Blue Note club in Chicago some 70 years ago. But what’s striking about the set, beyond the trademark piano prestidigitation, is the fond and flexible rapport Tatum has with guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart, a working trio at the time. Finessing all manner of standards, and even taking requests, these musicians fashion white-hot genius into an engaging and approachable form. (Nate Chinen)
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Live in France: The 1966 Concert in Limoges (Deep Digs, 2 LPs)
Live in France offers a nuanced listen to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, years after the effusive and charismatic sound that inspired Elvis, Little Richard and early rock ‘n’ roll. By the time of this 1966 concert in Limoges, France, she’s wiser but not wizened. When Tharpe implores “please bring back those happy days” on “Give Me That Old Time Religion,” there’s wistfulness in the plea. She still brings the heat on “Didn’t It Rain,” and deftly at the piano during an animated “Up Above My Head I Hear Music in the Air.” Her Barney Kessel jazz model guitar has a rich pillow tone that makes a nice match to Sister Rosetta’s act of contrition, especially in “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” She knew sin and redemption, but she could still make you believe. (Josh Jackson)
Mal Waldron / Steve Lacy, The Mighty Warriors: Live in Antwerp (Elemental Music, 2 LP or 2 CD)
Four legendary musicians — pianist Mal Waldron, soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille — united on stage in celebration of Waldron’s 70th birthday, in September of 1995. Their shared fondness for Thelonious Monk’s music is represented with two of his compositions, in a set that also dips into the avant-garde. Among the highlights: Lacy’s “Longing” and a gorgeous piano solo Waldron plays at the close, titled “Variations on a Theme by Cecil Taylor.” (Courtney Blue)
For more information on Record Store Day, be sure to visit the official website.