HEAD ON (1971) is the most ambitious and adventurous work in Bobby Hutcherson's discography. Though the composer/bandleader/vibraphonist did contribute one tune ("Mtume"), HEAD ON mostly features the ambitious compositions and arrangements of Todd Cochran, who also plays piano on the session. The resulting music is dense and polyrhythmic, and bracing, drawing parallels to Miles Davis's BITCHES BREW and other first wave fusion albums. Cochran arranges for the 18-piece group here with a mad scientist's zeal but still manages to create precise orchestral textures. Elements of chamber music and funk abound, and Hutcherson's clear, cool marimba and vibraphone work shimmers throughout. This release marks the album's first appearance on CD, giving Hutcherson fans reason to rejoice.

These 26 sides originally issued under the name of trumpeter Joe Morris have a lot going for them, but the main reason to get yourself a copy of this disc and play it really loud for the entire neighborhood is the continued presence of young Johnny Griffin blowing tenor sax like there's no tomorrow. On six sides cut for the Manor label in 1946, Griff cuts up in the manner of Lockjaw Davis, hammering away with abandon. Although the adventuresome electric guitarist is unidentified, he sounds like he might be George Freeman, who was present on the Atlantic sessions of December 1947. Here the bop element has set in a bit further, mingling powerfully with the R&B energies. Morris sings once in a while, scatting almost alarmingly on the rowdy opus simply called "Wow" and screaming like a banshee at the beginning of "Applejack." Beginning in September of 1948 the jazz players really start to file in -- Elmo Hope, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones -- and every early modern jazz enthusiast will want to dive in and paddle around in these old Atlantic and Decca recordings. Check out Philly Joe's percussion and Griff's inspired improvising on "Tia Juana." Joe Morris blew fine trumpet and was a capable vocalist, but what makes this reissue so exciting is the presence of Johnny Griffin and a small pack of guys who were each getting ready to revolutionize the art of jazz. ~ arwulf arwulf

Producer, arranger, and engineer David Axelrod made his mark with Cannonball Adderley, Lou Rawls, and the Electric Prunes. Song of Innocence made critics turn their heads in its day, regarding it as a visionary curiosity piece; today it's simply a great, timeless work of pop art that continues to inspire over three decades after its initial release. EMI. 1999.

Forgotten Streets of St. Petersburg came out in 2005 as a celebration of TriO's 20th anniversary, but the music was actually recorded in late 1998. Tuvan singer Sainkho Namtchylak had collaborated with this horn trio back in the late '80s (their work together and apart is documented on the box set Golden Years of the Soviet New Jazz, Vol. 3). This performance thus marked a reunion of sorts. There is only one recording date given, but the album seems to be pieced together from various performances: acoustics change drastically from one short track to the next, and so do the sound quality and the tape hiss levels. Some pieces, which seem to have been recorded in a church, have terrible sound, despite the obvious quality of the music -- they even begin and end with the distinct sounds of someone manning the tape recorder. Therefore, this album is clearly for the fans. That being said, there is some thrilling music to be heard. With her voice, Sainkho can match any of TriO's many horns. They interact on a deeply moving level, especially when playing dirges like the title track. TriO also get a few jazzier tunes and Sainkho throws in a few solo throat singing pieces that make it definitely worthwhile to overlook the audio shortcomings ("Seven Corners, Wind" is stellar). This is a strange release coming from Leo, a label usually paying a lot of attention to sound quality. With its abrupt (accidental?) tape edits, Forgotten Streets of St. Petersburg sounds more like a collection of archival recordings (or even bootlegs) from the early '80s than something recorded in 1998. ~ Fran‡ois Couture