This label seems full of nice surprises -- definitely leans a bit straight-ahead/young lion for my taste, but has a good sound and a lot of good players. Don't actually own anything, but they're on emusic now.
loved this label when i was in college. off the top of my head, here are some criss cross records that i listened to a lot and have fond feelings for:
mel rhyne, 'mel's spell' (great organ trio shit with peter bernstein and kenny washington)
herlin riley, 'cream of the crescent' (great tunes, herlin is amazing, wynton kills it)
billy drummond, 'dubai' (two saxes/bass/drums)
conrad herwig/brian lynch, 'que viva coltrane' (non-corny salsa arrangements, great brass playing)
seamus blake, 'four track mind'
clarence penn, 'penn's landing'
ralph peterson, 'the art of war'
― Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 21:24 (fourteen years ago) link
Yeah, that does look good. And it's the kind of thing I feel like I keep finding out about on Criss Cross -- oh, it's a record I've never heard of featuring the entire Brad Mehldau trio, etc.
i also love that they've had the same website for as long as i can remember, and it's fun to bounce around their indices seeing who played on who's record.
― Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 21:33 (fourteen years ago) link
looks like fresh sound new talent is still around too, as far as under-the-rader labels that do contemporary jazz stuff. they have a lot of artists in common, though my sense is that fsnt is more adventurous.
― Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 21:41 (fourteen years ago) link
ten years pass...
I know unperson posted about it, but I only just learned that the label owner (Gerry Teekens) passed away a few months ago, RIP. Some of these records are honestly up there with my fave jazz records ever.
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 17 January 2020 18:46 (four years ago) link
It's not up on their website yet, but I know of at least one upcoming release (can't remember by whom right this minute), so I guess his kids are keeping the label rolling for a little while longer.
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Friday, 17 January 2020 18:53 (four years ago) link