Back catalogue: All genres

Review: A match made in heaven, set up by Capitol Records and now Decca, between two of the foremost tenor saxophonists of their era. A snapshot of a fabled but singularly monumental day in jazz history - October 16, 1597 - Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster documents the day the two musicians crossed paths and subsequently jammed it out in the annals of Capitol's studio, based in Hollywood. Made in the fallout of the same session recorded for Hawkins' own The Genius Of Coleman Hawkins, an with a rhythm section led by Oscar Peterson, the album brings a large ensemble cast to this dialectic meeting of minds, and is a deeply affecting anachronism.

Review: Decca Records, a champion of British jazz and particularly the homegrown talent of the 50s, 60s and 70s, continues its exploration of those eras. Curated by Mark Baxter, this is the perfect entry point for those unfamiliar with the virtuoso saxophonist, flautist, vibraphonist and composer Hayes, gathering ten tracks originally recorded for the Fontana label between 1961 and 1969 and answering to the question "Where do I start with Tubby Hayes?" Hayes was a significant figure in British jazz, a multi-instrumentalist and composer whose work spanned various styles, from hard bop to modal jazz. This collection showcases the breadth of his talent, highlighting key moments from his prolific period with Fontana. It's a chance to hear Hayes at his peak, demonstrating his technical prowess and his distinctive musical voice. Here, seasoned jazz aficionados are offered a curated selection of familiar favorites, perhaps revealing new nuances with fresh ears. But its primary purpose is to introduce new listeners to Hayes's brilliance and by focusing on a specific era and label, the compilation offers a coherent taste of Hayes's evolution throughout the 60s

Review: Released in 1964, groundbreaking hard bop classic Breaking Point! marked a departure for trumpet legend Freddie Hubbard. Having established himself with The Jazz Messengers, this album showed him breaking out as a player with some daring and expressive playing that went full tilt into modal sequences and rapid fire notes that shook up the state of play and showed new possibilities for jazz as the 60s progressed. In its position between wild experimentation and tradition, it retains musical form which makes the edgier angles go down very smoothly indeed. You can see why this would be a candidate for Decca's Tone Poet series - Hubbard's expression has rarely been matched, in composition or execution.

Review: Bobby Hutcherson was one of the greatest vibraphone and marimba players in jazz, and he left behind a staggering legacy. By 1965 he was already recording his first album as bandleader for Blue Note, and just three years later he recorded Stick-Up!, his fifth for the label and one of his all time finest. Decca clearly agree as they now present the album again in their Tone Poet series. Backing Hutcherson up is Joe Henderson on tenor sax, McCoy Turner on piano, Billy Higgins on drums and Herbie Lewis on bass, and in that ensemble you get a golden example of post bop perfection.