The Original Jazz Classics series kicks off its next chapter with three albums that catch great artists early—when direction was still open and possibilities felt wide. Arriving April 24, 2026, these reissues return to recordings from 1957–1960 that document jazz in motion: The Young Lions (self-titled), Lee Morgan’s Introducing Lee Morgan, and Bobby Timmons’ This Here Is Bobby Timmons.
Each album tells a different story, but they share a common thread: musicians stepping forward, testing ideas, and shaping voices that would soon help define the sound of modern jazz. Whether through collective experimentation, sheer instrumental confidence, or deeply personal influence, these records capture moments when nothing felt settled—and everything felt possible.
Available on 180-gram vinyl and in 192/24 hi-res digital audio, each title features AAA lacquers cut directly from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, pressed at RTI, and housed in tip-on jackets that faithfully recreate the original artwork.
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THE YOUNG LIONS: A COLLECTIVE AT THE CROSSROADS
Recorded in 1960, The Young Lions brought together a remarkable lineup: Wayne Shorter, Frank Strozier, Lee Morgan, Bobby Timmons, and Bob Cranshaw, with Louis Hayes and Albert Heath alternating on drums. Though the group would only record once under this name, the album captures a pivotal moment—when hard bop’s familiar language began opening up to new ideas.
The name, borrowed from Irwin Shaw’s WWII novel, carries both confidence and intent. Shorter’s compositions, including “Seeds of Sin” and “Scourn’,” drive the session with focus and swing, while the group’s interplay feels strikingly democratic. No one dominates; everyone contributes.
Cannonball Adderley set the tone in his liner notes, opening with the blunt line: “We are living the era of the glorification of mediocrity.” It reads less like a provocation than a mission statement. Heard today, The Young Lions still sounds like a band pushing forward together, committed to substance, clarity, and momentum.
LEE MORGAN: INTRODUCTION AS DECLARATION
When Introducing Lee Morgan appeared in 1957, the title understated the reality. At just 18 years old, Morgan already sounded assured—bold, precise, and unmistakably himself. Supported by Hank Mobley’s quintet, the album presents Morgan not as a curiosity, but as a fully engaged voice within the group.
The playing is direct and confident. “Hank’s Shout” highlights Morgan’s technical fire, while “P.S., I Love You” shows his control of tone and pacing. The influence of Clifford Brown is easy to hear, but it never overwhelms Morgan’s own phrasing, which already hints at the emotional intensity and edge that would define his later work.
Morgan’s career would burn bright and brief, but this album remains a thrilling document of the moment it all began—focused, swinging, and full of promise.
BOBBY TIMMONS: FINDING A VOICE AS A LEADER
Released in 1960, This Here Is Bobby Timmons marked the pianist’s first album as a leader, following key roles with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and the Cannonball Adderley Quintet. While Timmons was already respected as a composer and sideman, this debut puts his musical personality front and center.
Raised in the church, Timmons brought gospel’s call-and-response energy into hard bop, grounding sophistication in feeling. You hear it immediately on the title track, and again on “Dat Dere,” where warmth and groove carry the tune forward with ease.
AllMusic later described the album as capturing Timmons at the "peak of his creativity." To that end, songs such as the cool, call-and-response “Moanin’” would live on, recorded first by Art Blakey (his recording inducted into the GRAMMY® Hall of Fame) and later finding life in proper song form (with lyrics from Jon Hendricks) by, most notably, Sarah Vaughan.
CONTINUING THE OJC LEGACY
Originally launched in 1982 and reintroduced by Craft Recordings in 2023, Original Jazz Classics has long been a trusted guide through jazz history—combining audiophile-level sound with thoughtful curation. With more than 850 titles drawn from the Prestige, Riverside, Contemporary, Milestone, and related catalogs, the series continues to make essential recordings accessible without dulling their impact.
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