Jeanne Lee & Ran Blake – The Newest Sound Around (Clear)

While studying at Bard College, a liberal arts facility in upstate New York, pianist Ran Blake and singer Jeanne Lee began working together as a duo, their astounding debut The Newest Sound Around edging into Third Stream territory. Unjustly overlooked at its time of issue in 1962, the album has loping hazy jazz odes like “Laura,” solo ventures for Blake such as “Church On Russell Street,” and one-off takes of “Summertime,” “Evil Blues,” and “Blue Monk.” Variety is the spice of life on this intriguer, yet everything is delivered in the duo’s own tenor, yielding an intriguing slice of early ’60s mood jazz, ripe for rediscovery. Clear vinyl, numbered edition.