Craft Recordings’ acclaimed Original Jazz Classics (OJC) series opens the new year with a trio of essential albums—capturing jazz at its most expressive, intimate, and exhilarating. Returning in early 2026 are From All Sides by Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete and Full House by Wes Montgomery (arriving February 27, 2026), alongside Alone in San Francisco by Thelonious Monk (March 13, 2026).
Together, these three titles showcase distinct voices and settings—studio collaboration, solo introspection, and live performance—each revealing a different dimension of jazz history.
Available on 180-gram vinyl and in 192/24 hi-res digital audio. Each edition features AAA lacquers cut from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI, and tip-on jackets faithfully replicating the original artwork.
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VINCE GUARALDI & BOLA SETE’S FROM ALL SIDES
Recorded in 1964, From All Sides documents the second collaboration between beloved pianist Vince Guaraldi and Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete, whose partnership began during a residency at San Francisco’s Trois Couleurs club. The result is a relaxed, joyful fusion of West Coast jazz, bossa nova, and Afro-Brazilian rhythm—music that feels both exploratory and effortlessly inviting.
The album drifts from a feather-light reading of “The Girl from Ipanema” to the spirited gallop of “Ballad of Poncho Villa,” with Guaraldi and Sete’s intuitive interplay guiding every turn. Longtime listeners will recognize melodic ideas that later surfaced in Guaraldi’s Peanuts work, including early versions of “Menino Pequeno da Bateria” and “Choro,” which would reappear in new forms later in the decade.
THELONIOUS MONK’S ALONE IN SAN FRANCISCO
Recorded over two days in 1959, Alone in San Francisco captures Thelonious Monk in a rare solo setting—performing without an audience or ensemble. Stripped of all support, Monk reveals the full range of his touch, timing, and imagination, resulting in one of the most intimate recordings in his catalog.
The album moves fluidly between originals and standards, opening with a buoyant reading of “Blue Monk” before settling into the off-kilter elegance of “Ruby, My Dear.” Two takes of “There’s Danger in Your Eyes, Cherie” highlight Monk’s improvisational instincts, shifting between quiet meditation and playful abstraction.
Upon its original release, DownBeat observed that the album revealed “several of the many faces of this remarkable musician.” More than sixty years later, it remains a singular window into Monk’s creative mind.
WES MONTGOMERY’S FULL HOUSE
Recorded live on June 25, 1962, at Berkeley’s Tsubo coffee house, Full House finds guitarist Wes Montgomery at a creative peak. Backed by tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin and the Wynton Kelly Trio—pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb—the performance balances finesse with raw, forward momentum.
Montgomery’s lyrical restraint shines on “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” while the hard-charging swing of “Blue ’N’ Boogie” and the Latin-inflected groove of “Cariba” showcase the group’s dynamic range. Anchored by an engaged live audience, Full House remains one of Montgomery’s most accessible and exhilarating recordings.
THE OJC TRADITION
For decades, Original Jazz Classics has stood as a trusted standard for collectors and listeners alike—preserving essential jazz albums with audiophile-grade care while keeping them accessible for new generations. Follow @originaljazzclassics for more from the OJC archive, upcoming releases, and stories from the catalog.