I hope you are all enjoying the summer. And for those who live in the United States, happy 4th of July!

Today I'd like to introduce a wonderful independent jazz label, BluePort Jazz. I sell CDs and SACDs from Japan in my store, and BluePort is the second "exception" to this rule after the Straight Ahead Records. BluePort is truly exceptional because it was founded by my friend, prolific writer, educator, audio guru and recording engineer Jim Merod.

Typically, Jim records "live" on location and mixes everything "live to 2-track" in a high resolution digital format (24-bit, 96kHz). Top-notch equipment is used in the mastering, and his partner Steve McCormack -- yes, of The Mod Squad and McCormack Audio fame -- lends his hands and ears. The result for the listener is an honest and vivid facsimile of a live event that may contain some flaws -- in Jim's words "warts and all" -- but is invariably exciting and often stunning.

You may not be familiar with all the musicians in the BluePort catalog, but they are well-known local heroes to jazz fans on the West Coast. I am very proud to provide another outlet for this wonderful little label whose CDs are sometimes hard to find. Check out the introductory nine titles below and if you like what you hear, by all means order away!

Various Artists / BluePort Jazz Sampler
This is a great place to start if you want to get to know BluePort. This sampler contains nine cuts selected from eight albums and a couple of unreleased materials.

Allen Smith Quartet / Cornucopia
A veteran trumpeter well-known in San Francisco made his debut album as a leader in 1998. Warm, sophisticated and swinging!

Steve Situm / Live at the Plush Room
A moving comeback stage of a San Francisco singer who after 25 years recovered from a damaged vocal cords.

Chris Colangelo / 2 Trios + 1 Live!
A stunning maestro's powerful and resonant bass sound is perfectly captured in this swinging set. One of my personal favorites!

Dale Fielder Quartet / Romance Serenade
Active in the San Diego area, Fielder wields different saxophones effectively and shows his compositional skills in this alternately romantic and swinging outing.

Jaime Valle / Vital Signs
After an open heart surgery, the San Diegan guitarist came back with a vengeance! Joyful and exuberant, this Latin jazz album will surely light up your day!

Carl Saunders Sextet / Live in San Francisco
The brilliant LA trumpeter descended on the famed Union Square on a windy day, and performed a lyrical and impressive set filled with well-arranged, well-executed gems. One of my personal favorites!

Noel Jewkes Quartet / If and When the Stars...
Another great musician from San Francisco, Jewkes hits all the right notes on fast, swinging numbers and gives exemplary ballad performances. His "Body and Soul" is amazing!

John Hicks Trio / Sunshower
The consummate pianist, who passed away in 2006, left this beautiful and romantic album with his West Coast trio. Careful listeners will be rewarded with his understated, quietly brilliant pianism.

Coming soon...
- Latest Venus CDs featuring Ken Peplowski, Scott Hamilton, David Hazeltine, Steve Kuhn, Stefano Bollani and Giovanni Guidi!
- A new release from Straight Ahead Records: Niel Larsen's "Orbit" featuring Roben Ford! Audiophile "Emerald" CD