Regular blog readers here will know of my not-so-secret love for late '50s and early-to-mid '60s jazz, to say nothing of my similar passion for the awesome sleeve designs on the Blue Notes and Impulses of the day.

A new batch of reissues is always reason for celebration for me and six new Blue Notes quench the thirst this month. Alas, I haven't yet seen or heard a new reissue of Hank Mobley's "Another Workout," so I'll have to blab about that later.

In the meantime, I'll tell you about the five sitting right here.

There are two each from trumpeters Lee Morgan (pictured above) and Donald Byrd -- both veterans of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers late '50s incarnations -- and one from saxman Ike Quebec, who for years was Blue Note's artist liaison and A&R guy.

Quebec was a survivor from another era and so his ability to shine on mellow standards was no surprise. On "It Might As Well Be Spring," recorded in 1961, the tenor man is backed by veteran bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Al Harewood. Young organist Freddie Roach -- who himself recorded a string of underrated Blue Note dates -- adds depth and color on the Hammond. This is smoky club jazz and perfect for a romantic dinner.

There's nothing especially challenging in this batch of reissues, but Morgan's two 1957 dates: "The Cooker" and "City Lights" are hard bop gems and along with de rigeur sidemen like bassist Paul Chambers, drummers Philly Joe Jones and Art Taylor, each session featured a rarer horn.

Trombonist Curtis Fuller -- another Blakely alum -- shines on "City Lights," along side Morgan and alto and tenor man George Coleman. The tender and able Ray Bryant -- then just 25 -- also makes a relatively rare Blue Note appearance.

Baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams spices up "The Cooker," which dishes up a rollicking reading of Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia" as well as two takes of Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things."

Adams also plays his bari sax on Byrd's 1961 "Royal Flush," which gets a boost from still-emerging pianist Herbie Hancock and flawless drummer Billy Higgins. The session marked the end of Byrd and Adams' partnership but the start of the Higgins pairing with bassist Butch Warren, a rhythm section that would fuel numerous fine Blue Note sessions for the next few years.

Finally, Byrd's label debut "Off to the Races," recorded in 1958, is a straight up hard bop date with the stellar Wynton Kelly on piano and Adams again in the front line, alongside Byrd and the great alto player Jackie McLean, who died earlier this year.

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