Wednesday 25 February 2009

Brian Bromberg - Jaco (2002)

Come on, Come Over
Continuum
Teen Town
Remark You Made
Portrait of Tracy
Three Views of a Secret
Chicken
Tears
Slang
Come on, Come Over, Teen Town.

Brian Bromberg (arranger, acoustic & electric basses, programming); Bill Champlain (vocals); Dan Higgins, Larry Williams, Bob Mintzer, Eric Marienthal (saxophone); ... Full DescriptionGary Grant, Jerry Hey (trumpet); Andy Martin (trombone); USC Symphony Orchestra (strings); Tom Zink (piano, keyboards, programming); Jeff Lorber (electric piano, keyboards, programming); Gregg Mathison (Hammond B-3 organ); Gannin Arnold (guitar); Derrick "D Lok" Walker, Joel Taylor (drums); Chris Wabich (steel drums); Alex Acuna (percussion).

This is a logical tribute album from one great bassist ( Brian Bromberg ) to another ( Jaco Pastorius ). The front of the CD purposely resembles Pastorius ' debut recording and the program features six Pastorius songs (including two versions apiece of 'Come on, Come Over' and 'Teen Town' ), Joe Zawinul 's 'A Remark You Made,' the R&B standard 'The Chicken,' and Bromberg 's 'Tears.' A master at tapping his bass and equally skilled on electric and acoustic basses, Bromberg also has the ability to sound a bit like Pastorius when he wants. This excellent tribute set uses different personnel and instrumentations on each selection and shows off the many sides of Pastorius , both as a bassist and as a composer. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

Monday 23 February 2009

Terje Rypdal - Rarum Vol VII: Selected Recordings (2002)

01.Silver Bird is Heading for the Sun
02.Transition
03.Waves
04.The Curse
05.Double Concerto; Für Zwei Elektrische Gitarren und Sinfonieorchester; Op. 58: Teil 2
06.Over Birkerot
07.I Disremember Quite Well
08.The Return of Per Ulv
09.Tough Enough
10.Ornen
11.The Hunt
12.Chaser
13.Mystery Man.

Terje Rypdal (keyboards, synthesizer, guitar); Palle Mikkelborg (flugelhorn, keyboards); Odd Ulleberg (French horn); Torbjorn Sunde (trombone); Pete Knutsen (electric piano, Mellotron); Brynjulf Blix (organ); Allan Dangerfield (keyboards); Ronni Le Tekro (guitar); Sveinung Hovensjo, Bjorn Kjellemyr (bass); Jon Christensen, Audin Kleive (drums, percussion); Svein Christiansen (drums); Riga Festival Orchestra.

Stuart Nicholson wrote in the BBC Music magazine of the ":rarum" series: "... selected by the artists themselves, this series is of enormous importance in revealing the breadth of each artist's work, as much for the converted as the unconverted .
Recorded between 1971 & 1994. Includes liner notes by Terje Rypdal.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
This is part of ECM Records "Rarum" series.

Charles Mingus - The Great Concert Of Charles Mingus (1964)

CD 1
1 A.T.F.W. (Art Tatum Fats Waller)
2 Presentation of Musicians: Johnny Coles' Trumpet
3 So Long Eric
4 Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk
5 Fables of Faubus.
CD 2
1 Sophisticated Lady
2 Parkeriana
3 Meditations of Integration (Or for a Pair of Wire Cutters).

Charles Mingus- bass; Eric Dolphy- flute, alto sax, bass clarinet; Clifford Jordan- tenor sax; Jaki Byard- piano; Dannie Richmond- drums; Johnny Coles- trumpet.

By Germein Linares.

The aptly titled The Great Concert of Charles Mingus is an April '64 Paris performance by one of the bassist's all-time great bands. Featuring Eric Dolphy on reeds and flute, Clifford Jordan on tenor saxophone, Jaki Byard on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums, this two-disc set is the definitive, track-by-track performance of the concert. An earlier CD version of this event had an altered track order, less music, and inferior sound quality compared to this release.

The concert itself has eight tracks, with Byard's solo tribute to Art Tatum and Fats Waller on "A.T.F.W." starting the show. On this previously unreleased track, Byard's skills are impressive in his imitation of these two titans. The concert continues with Mingus presenting the musicians as well as Johnny Coles' trumpet. Coles had fallen ill on stage two nights earlier from a perforated gastric ulcer, remaining hospitalized for the duration of the tour. The missing trumpet parts caused Mingus to rethink the orchestration on several of these tunes and delay this concert for a day. The band, as heard here, responds skillfully to the challenge, yielding over two hours of excellent, at times transcendent, jazz.

The high praise starts with "So Long Eric," Mingus' rousing farewell to the departing Dolphy (he remained in Europe while the rest of the group returned to America). Covering nearly 22 minutes, the song is a constant churn of solos and group interactions presenting straightahead and free jazz motions in remarkably seamless movements. More than any other composer in jazz, Mingus sought a common ground between the music's rich past and its expectant future. The resulting art from these urges, as on "Parkeriana" and the awesome "Meditations on Integration," yielded masterpieces. The Charlie Parker dedication, for example, marries several of Bird's bebop riffs to various differing tempos so as to gain a fresh, up to date, perspective of his music, or as Mingus tells the audience, "to recapture many of the feelings some of us had for Charles Parker." Placed in such a constant stream, Parker's works come through as diverse and monumental, which, of course, they were.

The true summation of Mingus' compositional powers, though, comes on the finale. After letting the Parisian audience know of his displeasure with the blatant racism and hate of his native land, he and the whole band jump into the intricate workings of "Meditations on Integration." Again, past, present and future make appearances as the tune evolves from a slight jaunt to an incredible, multidimensional force. When Mingus goes solo on "Sophisticated Lady," he is nearly as charming, with a minimalist skirting of the melody proving to be as effective, if more poetic, than the usually recognized theme.

Tragically, Dolphy would pass away two months after this concert from a diabetic shock. Performing on one his final outings, Dolphy is wonderful to hear within the rich Mingus tapestry. An all around remarkable jazz document, The Great Concert of Charles Mingus is one of last year's better reissues.

Tommy Flanagan – Giant Steps (In Memory of John Coltrane) (1982)

1.Mr. P.C.
2.Central Park West
3.Syeeda''s Song Flute
4.Cousin Mary
5.Naima
6.Giant Steps.




Tommy Flanagan - piano, George Mraz - bass, Al Foster - drums.

Pianist Tommy Flanagan's playing seems to be more direct, edited and stronger as he gets older; certainly his reemergence in the mid-'70s as a solo artist produced his strongest work. Giant Steps, was a Feb. '82 tribute to John Coltrane with super backing from bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster...This set was particularly inventive; it was Coltrane's music, but it drinks of its own spirit. You won't listen for the familiar Trane solos, but you will listen! ~ Bob Rusch, Cadence, All Music Guide.

Thelonious Monk - Monk (1964)

1.Liza
2.April in Paris
3.Children's Song
4.I Love You (Just One Way To Say)
5.Just You, Just Me
6.Pannonica
7.Teo.



Thelonious Monk (piano); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Larry Gales, Butch Warren (bass); Frankie Dunlop (drums).

The Thelonious Monk Quartet of 1964 is well featured on this excellent set. Easily recommended to Monk fans, this set is just further proof that he never made an unworthy recording.

Bill Evans - Trio' 64

01.Little Lulu
02.Sleepin' Bee
03.Always
04.Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
05.I'll See You Again
06.For Heaven's Sake
07.Dancing in the Dark
08.Everything Happens to Me
09.Little Lulu [Alternate Take 1][*]
10.Little Lulu [Alternate Take 2][*]
11.Always [*]
12.I'll See You Again [*]
13.My Heart Stood Still [*]
14.Always (Breakdown) [*]
15.I'll See You Again (Breakdown) [*]
16.My Heart Stood Still [*].


TRIO 64 contains 8 bonus cuts*, comprising all the alternate takes found on the COMPLETE BILL EVANS ON VERVE box set.

Digitally remastered using 20-bit technology by Suha Gur (Polygram Studios).

The conservatism that some perceive ... Full Descriptionin the music of Bill Evans is countered by the fact that his records almost always flew in the face of trends. When making his own recordings he was not a hard bopper, did not jump on the soul-jazz train and never threw song structure out the window. A chamber musician who just happened to dig jazz, Evans proved that formalism and sensitive pianistic touch had a place in music that swung.

Bassist Gary Peaock comes up with consistently resourceful ways to push the time and tune along without resorting to straight walking. On drums, the irrepressible Paul Motian brings an enthusiam for tongue-in-cheek rhythmic toying that is contagious and evident throughout the CD. Interplay amongst these three on standards and oddities is highly personal without sacrificing the kinetic energy essential to great jazz. All in all there is a palpable geniality to this sesson recorded on one day in December '63. It is Evans and company in a decidedly extroverted, somewhat lighthearted mode. What other serious jazz musician would put "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" in their set and yield such felicitous results?

This is part of the Verve Master Edition series.

Recorded at Webster Hall, New York, New York on December 18, 1963. Includes liner notes by Fred Hersch and Jack Maher.

Personnel: Bill Evans (piano); Gary Peacock (bass); Paul Motian (drums).
Producer: Creed Taylor.
Reissue producer: Michael Lang.

The Quincy Jones Big Band - Live In Paris Circa 1960

1.Birth of a Band
2.Everybody's Blues
3.Mornin'
4.Tickle Toe
5.Stockholm Sweetnin'
6.I Remember Clifford
7.Walkin'.



Phil Woods,sax; Poter Kilbert,sax; Jerome Richardson,sax;
Budd Johnson,sax; Sahib Shihab,sax;
Leonard Johnson,trumpet; Benny Bailey,trumpet;
Clark Terry,trumpet; Floyd Stadifer,trumpet;
Jimmy Cleveland,trombone; Ake Persson,trombone;
Melba Liston,trombone; Quentin Jackson,trombone;
Julius Watkins,french horn;
Pattie Bown,piano; Buddy Catlett,bass;
Joe Harris,drums; Les Spann,guitar,flute;
Feb.14,1960, Paris.

In late 1959, 26-year-old trumpeter/arranger Quincy Jones was engaged to conduct a jazz band for a musical called Free and Easy, the songs for which were written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. The unusual intention was to tour Europe before coming to Broadway, but the show never finished its engagement in Paris, closing down amid recriminations and stranding the cast and the orchestra. Though Arlen’s biographer, Edward Jablonski, states that only Jones came out of the situation well, touring Europe successfully with the band, Jones remembers things differently, calling the experience one that brought him closer to contemplating suicide than any other. Eventually, Jones was forced to disband the group, but he first fulfilled the show’s engagement at the Alhambra Theatre, and this album, originally issued as a bootleg disc, was recorded at the final performance. This is not the music from the abortive musical, but rather a set of Jones originals and jazz standards. The band, which features such notable figures as Clark Terry and Phil Woods, is accomplished, and the music is performed in the mold of the Ellington and Basie bands, albeit with the flair that Jones was even then showing as an arranger. This is not really the historic find Jones seems to think it is, but it isn’t a vanity release either. It’s a curio, with some fine blowing from a band that often seems directionless.AMG

George Benson - The Other Side of Abbey Road (1969)

1.Golden Slumbers/You Never Give Me Your Money
2.Because/Come Together
3.Oh! Darling
4.Here Comes the Sun/I Want You (She's So Heavy)
5.Something/Octopus's Garden/The End.




Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey in October & November 1969.

Personnel: George Benson (guitar); Sonny Fortune (alto saxophone); Jerome Richardson (tenor saxophone); Don Ashworth (baritone saxophone); Mel Davis, ... Full DescriptionBernie Glow, Marvin Stamm (trumpet, flugelhorn); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Wayne Andre (trombone, euphonium); Phil Bochner (flute, oboe); Hubert Laws, Jerome Richardson (flute); Raoul Poliakin, Max Pollikoff (violin); Emmanuel Vardi (viola); George Ricci (cello); Herbie Hancock, Ernie Hayes, Bob James (piano, organ, harpsichord); Ron Carter, Gary Jemmott (bass); Idris Muhammed, Ed Shaugnessy (drums); Ray Barretto, Andy Gonzalez (percussion).

Just three weeks after the U.S. release of the Beatles' swan song, Abbey Road, Creed Taylor ushered George Benson into the studio to begin a remarkably successful pop-jazz translation of the record (complete with a parody of the famous cover, showing Benson with guitar crossing an Eastern urban street). It is a lyrical album, with a hint of the mystery and a lot of the cohesive concept of the Beatles' original despite the scrambled order of the tunes. Benson is given some room to stretch out on guitar, sometimes in a bluesy groove, and there are more samples of his honeyed vocals than ever before (oddly, his voice would not be heard again by record-buyers until he signed with Warner Bros.). Don Sebesky's arrangements roam freely from baroque strings to a full-throated big band, and Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Fortune, and Hubert Laws get some worthy solo space. Yet for all its diversity, the record fits together as a whole more tightly than any other George Benson project, thanks to his versatile talents and the miraculous overarching unity of the Beatles' songs. One wonders if the Fab Four liked it, too.

Friday 20 February 2009

George Russell - New York, N.Y. (1958)



1.Manhattan
2.Big City Blues
3.Manhattan-Rico
4.East Side Medley: Autumn In New York / How About You
5.A Helluva Town.




Art Farmer, Joe Ferrante, Ernie Royal, Joe Wilder (tp)
Tom Mitchell, Frank Rehak (tb)
Bob Brookmeyer (vtb)
Hal McKusick (as)
Phil Woods (as, fl, cl)
John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Al Cohn (ts)
Sol Schlinger (bass sax)
Bill Evans (p)
Barry Galbraith (g)
Milt Hinton (b)
Charlie Persip (d)
George Russell (arr, comp)
Jon Hendricks (narrator).

Bob James - Urban Flamingo (2006)

01.Choose Me
02.Miles a Head
03.Skidaway
04.Urban Flamingo
05.Lay Down With You
06.Fresh Start
07.Make It More Blue
08.Bobary Coast
09.Endless Time
10.Wingapo.

Personnel: David McMurray, Hilary James, Nathan East, Ron Otis, Wayne Gerard.

Credits: Backing Vocals - Bridgette Bryant (tracks: 9) , Hilary James (tracks: 5) , Kevin DiSimone (tracks: 5)
Bass - Al Turner (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6 to 8, 10) , James Genus (tracks: 2) , Nathan East (tracks: 9)
Drums - Billy Kilson (tracks: 2) , Louis Pragasm (tracks: 9) , Ron Otis (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6 to 8, 10)
Engineer - Ken Freeman (tracks: 1, 3 to 10) , Peter Dale (tracks: 2)
Flute - David McMurray (tracks: 3)
Guitar - Jack Lee (tracks: 9) , John Pondel (tracks: 5) , Perry Hughes (tracks: 1, 3, 7, 8) , Wayne Gerard (tracks: 4, 10)
Guitar [Acoustic] - Earl Klugh (tracks: 6)
Keyboards - Kevin DiSimone (tracks: 5)
Lead Vocals - Hilary James (tracks: 5) , Nathan East (tracks: 9)
Other [Er-hu] - J.J. Ma (tracks: 9)
Piano, Keyboards - Bob James
Producer - Bob James (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 10) , Jack Lee (tracks: 9) , Michael Colina (tracks: 5) , Phil Ramone (tracks: 5)
Saxophone [Alto] - David McMurray (tracks: 1)
Saxophone [Tenor] - David McMurray (tracks: 3)

For Urban Flamingo, his first studio album in quite awhile, Bob James has gone back to doing it the way he used to do it. While his recent smooth/contemporary leaning projects have been collections of slickly produced, tightly written songs, this one recalls the sound of his great 70s and 80s recordings. Lengthy tracks featuring lots of extended soloing that weaves in and out of James’ trademark melody lines - catchy songs and fragments that sound fresh and familiar at the same time. That’s what created the crossover appeal of signature releases like the groundbreaking “Touchdown.” They lured “non-jazzers” into listening to improvisational music because the framework for the improvisation was so catchy. Over the years he has tossed in a few songs like that between more radio friendly fare. Now we get a whole CD. It’s a brilliant, enjoyable, and very eclectic listening experience.

Karizma - Dream Come True (1983)



1.Ire
2.I Want You So
3.Heavy Resin
4.Dream Come True
5.I've Been Played The Fool Again
6.Blues For Ronnie
7.Say You Will
8.Lonely Nights
9.Coritt Van Brauer.


The long awaited re-release of the first Karizma CD originally released in 1983. Featuring: David Garfield, David Paich, Steve Lukather, Tim Pierce, Tom Scott, Jeff Porcaro, Carlos Vega, Neil Larsen and many more.The group “Karizma” ... Full Descriptionis no stranger to music audiences all over the world. Founded in 1975 by keyboardist David Garfield, “Karizma” has delighted music lovers of all ages with its innovative jazz-fusion sound expertly blended with exotic world beats.In addition to founder David Garfield, band members have included Vinnie Colaiuta, Michael Landau, Carlos Vega, and Lenny Castro who have all gone on to become some of the most respected and sought after musicians in today’s competitive music industry. The band’s musical style has paved the way for and influenced many bands such as “The Rippingtons” who have followed in their footsteps. The music has been mostly instrumental, but three of the CD’s feature guest vocals by James Felix and Phil Perry. Over the years, noted guest musicians that have recorded with “Karizma’ have included Michael Brecker, Tom Scott, Jeff Porcaro, Nathan East, Steve Lukather, Neil Larsen, and David Paich.Playing to standing room only crowds in the clubs of L.A. including the world famous Baked Potato, “Karizma” has established a loyal following that continues to expand around the globe. They have released six CD’s to date with their best-selling “Document” featured as one of the Top 10 Fusion CD’s in Japan. The band has toured the world extensively including performances in Europe (2000, 2004) and Japan (1987, 1991, 2002, 2005) and were featured artists at the 2000 Modern Drummer Festival in New York.“Karizma’ most recently completed their much anticipated and highly successful 30th Anniversary Tour in Japan. Playing to sold-out audiences for five nights in a row (some of which were recorded for future release), the fans proved that the sound and appeal of the band is timeless.Currently the band is preparing to record and release a brand new studio project featuring many of its favorite members as well as some new and exciting up and coming talents in the tradition of the band.

Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention - Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970)



1.WPLJ (Four Deuces)
2.Igor's Boogie, Phase One
3.Overture to a Holiday in Berlin
4.Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich
5.Igor's Boogie, Phase Two
6.Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown
7.Aybe Sea
8.Little House I Used to Live In
9.Valarie.


Jimmy Carl Black - Percussion, Drums
Roy Estrada - Bass, Vocals
Gabby Furggy - Vocals
Bunk Gardner - Horn, Wind
Lowell George - Guitar
Don "Sugarcane" Harris - Violin, Vocals
Don Preston - Bass, Piano, Keyboards
Jim Sherwood - Guitar, Vocals, Wind
Art Tripp - Drums
Ian Underwood - Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Wind
Frank Zappa - Organ, Guitar, Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer.

REVIEW
by François Couture
Burnt Weeny Sandwich is the first of two albums by the Mothers of Invention that Frank Zappa released in 1970, after he had disbanded the original lineup. While Weasels Ripped My Flesh focuses on complex material and improvised stage madness, this collection of studio and live recordings summarizes the leader's various interests and influences at the time. It opens and closes on '50s pop covers, "WPLJ" and "Valarie." "Aybe Sea" is a Zappafied sea shanty, while "Igor's Boogie" is named after composer Igor Stravinsky, the closest thing to a hero Zappa ever worshipped. But the best material is represented by "Holiday in Berlin," a theme that would become central to the music of 200 Motels, and "The Little House I Used to Live In," including a virtuoso piano solo by Ian Underwood. Presented as an extended set of theme and variations, the latter does not reach the same heights as "King Kong." In many places, and with the two aforementioned exceptions in mind, Burnt Weeny Sandwich sounds like a set of outtakes from Uncle Meat, which already summarized to an extent the adventures of the early Mothers. It lacks some direction, but those allergic to the group's grunts and free-form playing will prefer it to the wacky Weasels Ripped My Flesh.

Airto Moreira - Samba de Flora (1989)

 

1.Parana - Airto Moreira, Moreira, Airto
2.Samba de Flora - Airto Moreira, Alonzo, Tite Curet
3.La Puerta - Airto Moreira, Demetrio, Luis
4.Dedos - Airto Moreira, Fattoruso, Hugo
5.Yanah Amina - Airto Moreira, Duke, George
6.El Fiasco - Airto Moreira, Elliott, Jeff
7.Mulambo - Airto Moreira, Florence, Jaime
8.Latin Woman - Airto Moreira, Nass, Larry.




Tony Moreno - Drums
Angel "Cachete" Maldonado - Percussion, Conga
Flora Purim - Vocals, Producer
Michael Shapiro - Bass, Producer
David Tolegian - Flute, Saxophone
Luis Munoz - Percussion
Bruce Bigenho - Keyboards
Larry Nass - Guitar
Rafael Jose - Vocals
Jill Avery - Vocals (Background)
Laudir DeOliveira - Percussion
Rolando Gingras - Trumpet
Kei Akagi - Synthesizer
Giovanni Hidalgo - Percussion, Bongos
Roland Bautista - Guitar
Randy Tico - Bass
Don Alias - Percussion
Airto Moreira - Percussion,Drums,Vocals,Flute (Wood),Producer, Main Performer,Conga
Dominic Camardella - Keyboards
Frank Colon - Percussion, Berimbau
Jeff Elliott - Trumpet,Arranger,Horn,Flugelhorn
Joe Farrell - Piccolo
Alphonso Johnson - Bass
Keith Jones - Bass
Jorge Dalto - Piano,Keyboards,Arranger
Raul de Souza - Trombone.

Robert Fripp String Quintet - The Bridge Between (1993)

01.Kan-Non Power (4:02)
02.Yamanashi Blues (2:41)
03.Hope (5:32)
04.Chromatic Fantasy (1:37)
05.Contrapunctus (2:18)
06.Bicycling to Afghanistan (3:22)
07.Blue (5:35)
08.Blockhead (3:19)
09.Passacaglia (7:09)
10.Threnody for Souls in Torment.



Robert Fripp (guitar, frippertronics)
Trey Gunn (grand stick)
Bert Lams (acoustic guitar)
Hideyo Moriya (acoustic guitar)
Paul Richards (acoustic guitar, fuzz e-bow guitar)

Thursday 19 February 2009

Ralph Towner - Solstice Sound and Shadows (1977)





Distant Hills
Balance Beam
Along The Way
Arion
Song Of The Shadows




Ralph Towner 12-string and classical guitars, piano, French horn
Jan Garbarek soprano and tenor saxophones, flute
Eberhard Weber bass, cello
Jon Christensen drums.

Ralph Towner is in fine form on this set of five tracks, the first of which, "Distant Hills," is an Oregon standard from the band's Vanguard period. Towner's compositions shine with their subtlety and grace. The playing here by Towner and a group of other ECM artists is what made the label so noteworthy: It is full of elegance and aplomb and the musicians are as aware of space as they are of what fills it. There are no excessive solos in the improvisational sections no matter how long the tracks are. "Distant Hills" and "Balance Beam" are both over ten minutes in length but remain collaborative; compositional structure is given due consideration in the plot and expression of a particular player's solo. Towner, at least at this point in his career, and again much later, was a master of understatement. His sonic intentions were to allow his works to occur to the listener in process rather than be recognizable immediately. They develop, even the shorter pieces, over time and musical motif; modal structures seemingly appear from the ether though they had been in the making from the first measures. Also, rhythmic considerations are modular in Towner's works and Jon Christensen is the perfect drummer for executing them. Jan Garbarek's playing was just beginning to take on its melodic, contoured style incorporating folk melodies from his and other native lands into his playing -- though his tone was and is unchanged. And Eberhard Weber and Towner have near telepathic communication between them. His basslines and cello phrases hang like ghosts in the air unmoving in the stillness, allowing Towner's guitars to puncture them and move them along into different modes of expression and tonality. This is a very solid date by a group of musicians who could be nearly invisible as individuals in order to put a tune through its paces if that's what it took; a very fine effort. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide.

Notorius En Vivo - Machline - Herrera - Lapouble (2004)

01.All this blues here
02.On green dolphin street
03.Mira eres
04.No le pregunten a nadie
05.Milestones
06.You don´t know what love is
07.Hi en La Paz
08.I´m gettingsentimental over you
09.Smile
10.Esto es lo que hay.



Norberto Machline ( piano)
Alejandro Herrera ( bajo y contrabajo)
Pocho Lapouble ( bateria).

Montevideo




1.EXPRESSO
2.EL TRAVAJO
3.TRAVELLING IN LIFE
4.LIGHT HOUR
5.MEETING WITH ALPHA AND OMEGA
6.MORE OR LESS.




Montevideo for SweDisc Japan from 1978.
Hans Olsson - Keyboards/Salomon Helperin-Horns/Ulf Wakenius-Guitar/Jan Forslund-Saxes/Mikael Anderson-Drums,Percussion/Thomas Fantokurtos-Bass.

A real obscurity and a first in the blogosphere.Keeing with the Swedish theme a nice bit of Scandinavian fusion with a latin twist via Japan.
The bass player's been listening to Pastorius big time while the rest of the band seem to be in Weather Report territory with a helping of Spanish guitar plus some candomble/latin elements.
Check out the massive bass driven percussion and chants of "El Travajo" and the samba sounds of "Light Hour".

Sunday 15 February 2009

Michal Urbaniak - Code Blue 1995

01. Y Note
02. Moonlight
03. Kookoo's Nest
04. I Want To Know Your Name
05. Urban Express
06. Code Blue Urban Express
07. Frantic Lover
08. Song of a Space People
09. I Just Love You
10. Blues For Pinky



Michal Urbaniak - violin, keyboards
Lenny White - drums, percussion, keyboards
Bernard Wright - keyboards, vocals, synthetizers, drum machines
Billy Spaceman Patterson - guitars on (5)
Stephen Fox - guitars on (1 and (8)
Nicki Richards - vocals on (4)
Joachim Joggi Smith - keyboards on (2)
Matthew Radziejewski - funky pick on (1)
Bob Baldwin - drum programming and keyboards on (8)


"Once Poland's most promising import in the jazz-rock 1970s, Michal Urbaniak's chief value in retrospect was as a fellow traveler of Jean-Luc Ponty, a fluid advocate of the electric violin, the lower-pitched violectra, and the lyricon (the first popular, if now largely underutilized wind synthesizer). Like many Eastern European jazzmen, he would incorporate elements of Polish folk music into his jazz pursuits, and his other heroes range from the inevitable Miles Davis to Polish classicist Witold Lutoslawski. His electric violin was often filtered with a gauze of electronic modifying devices, and on occasion, he could come up with an attractively memorable composition like "Satin Lady."
Urbaniak began playing the violin at age six, followed by studies on the soprano and then tenor saxophones. His interests in jazz developed chronologically from Dixieland to swing to bop as he grew up, and he studied at the Academy of Music in Warsaw while working in various Polish jazz bands and playing classical violin. In 1965, he formed his own band in Scandinavia with singer Urszula Dudziak (later his wife), returning to Poland in 1969 to found Constellation, which included pianist Adam Makowicz. Having won a scholarship to the Berklee School upon being voted Best Soloist at the 1971 Montreux Jazz Festival, Urbaniak made the U.S. his home in 1973. He soon formed a popular jazz-rock group called Fusion, recording for Columbia and Arista in a Mahavishnu Orchestra/Ponty fashion, with Dudziak adding darting, slippery scat vocals. This group lasted until 1977, and Urbaniak's profile would never be as high again, although he performed with Larry Coryell in 1982-83, led the new electric group Urbanator in the 1990s, and has performed and recorded in other styles ranging from bop to free jazz."

Saturday 7 February 2009

Charles Mingus - The Clown (1957)




1.Haitian Fight Song
2.Blue Cee
3.Reincarnation of a Lovebird
4.The Clown.






Charles Mingus (bass), Curtis Porter (alto,tenor saxes), Jimmy Knepper (trombone),
Wade Legge (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums).

The Clown is an album by Charles Mingus recorded and released in 1957. The follow-up to 1956's Pithecanthropus Erectus, it further established Mingus' reputation as one of jazz music's premiere band leaders.
Though perhaps best-known for featuring the improvised narration of Jean Shepherd, it is considered by many to be one of Mingus's major works as well as being arguably his most diverse.

Tete Montoliu - Catalonian Fire (1974)



Sweet Georgie Fame
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
Blues For Perla
Falling In Love With Love
Old Folks
Au Privave
Body And Soul.




Albert Tootie Heath (drums); Tete Montoliu (piano); Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass).

Leonard Feather Presents Bop (1957)

01.Little Benny 3:37
02.Be-Bop 2:39
03.Lemon Drop 2:50
04.Ornithology 4:16
05.Anthropology 4:45
06.Salt Peanuts 3:01
07.Groovin' High 2:46
08.Shaw 'Nuff 3:27
09.Now's the Time 7:07
10.Hot House -11.52nd Street Theme.



George Wallington - Piano
Phil Woods - Sax (Alto)
Idrees Sulieman - Trumpet (1-5)
Thad Jones - Trumpet
Curly Russell - Bass
Denzil Best - Drums (1-5)
Art Taylor - Drums.

Enrico Rava - Quotation Marks (1974)

1.Espejismo Ratonera
2.Short Visit To Malena
3.Sola
4.San Justo
5.Water Kite
6.Quotation Marks/Naranjales
7.Melancolia De Las Maletas.

Enrico Rava: trumpet
Jeanne Lee: vocal
John Abercrombie: guitar
David Horowitz: piano / synthesizer
Herb Bushler: bass
Ray Armando: percussion
Jack DeJohnette: drums
Warren Smith: marimba / percussion
Recorded in New York, December 1973 at Blue Rock Studios.

Enrico Rava: trumpet
Finito Bingert: tenor sax / flute / percussion
Rodolfo Mederos: bandoneon
Ricardo Lew: guitar
Matias Pizarro: piano
El Negro Gonzales: bass
Nestor Astarita: drums
El Chino Rossi: percussion
Recorded in Buenos Aires, April 1974 at Audion Studio.
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Friday 6 February 2009

Lalo Schifrin - Bossa Nova Groove (1962)

01.Mima
02.Samba Para Dos
03.Tel Eco Teco No.2
04.Lolita Marie
05.Ceu E Mar
06.Whispering Bossa Nova
07.Boato
08.Chora Tua Tristeza
09.Poema Do Adeus
10.O Apita No Samba
11.Chega De Suadade
12.Bossa Nova Em Nova York
13.O Amar E A Rosa
14.O Menno Decse O Morro
15.Menina Feja
16.Ouca
17.Samba De Lima Nota So
18.Patinho Feio.

Ornette Coleman - Friends and Neighbors: Live at Prince Street



1.Friends and Neighbors [Vocal Version]
2.Friends and Neighbors [instrumental]
3.Long Time No See
4.Let's Play
5.Forgotten Songs
6.Tomorrow.





Ed Blackwell - Drums
Ornette Coleman - Trumpet, Violin, Sax (Alto)
Charlie Haden - Bass
Dewey Redman - Sax (Tenor).

Elements

Elements - Illumination (1988)



Bassist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb have been longtime friends, starting with their days at the University of Miami in the early '70s and continuing during their period with Pat Metheny (Egan was in the guitarist's group from 1978-1980, while Gottlieb stayed until 1983). They formed Elements in 1982, which, from its start, also included Bill Evans on soprano and tenor and keyboardist Clifford Carter; guitarist Steve Khan, keyboardist Gil Goldstein, several percussionists, saxophonist David Mann, and other players have been guests. Their music (documented on Philo, Antilles, Hip Pocket, Novus, GRP, Bluemoon, and Wavetone) is a quiet and thoughtful form of fusion, filled with subtle creativity.

Hymnalayas
Walk In
Mandala
Illumination
The Seeker
1000 Words
Go Ahead Stan
Sunken Cathedral.

Mark Egan: Bass, keys, programming
Danny Gottlieb: Drums & percussion
Bill Evans: Sax
Clifford Carter: Keys
Steve Khan: Guitar
Stan Samole: Guitar.

Wes Montgomery

Wes Montgomery - Groove Brothers (1960-1961)



01.D-Natural Blues (Monterey Blues)
02.June In January
03.Buddy's Tune
04.Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
05.Jingles
06.Jeannine
07.Snowfall
08.Angel Eyes
09.Barbados
10.This Love Of Mine
11.On Green Dolphin Street
12.You Don't Know What Love Is
13.Beaux Arts

Wes Montgomery (Guitar);
Buddy Montgomery (Piano, Vibraphone);
Monk Montgomery (Bass);
Paul Humphrey, Larance Marable (Drums).

Los Casal

Los Casal - Fusion Celta (2005)



01.Héroe Local (Mark Knophler)
02.Lord Mayo (Tradicional)
03.Tributo (Daniel Escanellas)
04.Sueña y Corre (Juanjo Casal)
05.The Grey Selchie (J.Walters, Trad.)
06.El vals de Iain y Keeley (Bob Worrall), Troy´s Wedding (Colin Magee), Rory Gallagher (Gordon Duncan)
07.El Muelle de Perth (Murray Blair)
08.Ternuras (Juanjo Casal)
09.10 de la Mansa (Juanjo Casal)
10.Dos Lunas sobre Montevideo (Bob Worrall), Good Drying (R.S. MacDonald)
11.Para M.C. (Enzo Forte Casal)
12.Theme for the Greenlands (Dan Ar Braz).

JuanJo Casal - guitarra
Juancho Casal - batería
Enzo Forte Casal - bajo
Daniel Escanellas - vientos
Martín Casal - guitarra eléctrica
Andrés Bentancourt - gaita escocesa.

Thursday 5 February 2009

Freddie Hubbard

Freddie Hubbard - The Baddest Hubbard (1972)



1.Red Clay
2.In A Mist
3.First Light
4.Here's That Rainy Day.


Herbie Hancock
Ron Carter
Billy Cobham
George Benson
Keith Jarrett
Airto
Hubert Laws
Jack De Johnette.

Walter Malosetti

Walter Malosetti - Relax (2005)


01.Julian Rhythm
02.Relax
03.Stardust
04.Madrid
05.Pepi I
06.Struttin' With Some Barbecue

07.Neco Blues
08.The Things Are Getting Better
09.Struttin' With Some Barbecue
10.The Last Time
11.Rosetta
12.Out Of Nowhere

Walter Malosetti - Guitarra lider
Ramiro Penovi - Guitarra ritmica
Pepi Taveira - Batería
Santiago de Francisco - Saxofono tenor
Mariano Otero - Contrabajo
Javier Malosetti - Bajo electrico.

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Sérgio & Odair, Badi e Família Assad

Sérgio & Odair, Badi e Família Assad - Um songbook brasileiro (2007)




Disc:I
01. Baião Malandro - Egberto Gismonti
02. Baião de Gude - Paulo Bellinati
03. Asa Branca - Luiz Gonzaga & Humberto Teixeira
Ai que saudade d'ocê - Vital Farias
04. The being between - Badi Assad & Jeff Young
05. Jóia - Caetano Veloso

06. Oriente - Gilberto Gil
07. Todo o sentimento - Chico Buarque & Cristóvão Bastos
08. Ondas - Clarisse Assad
09. Ad lib - Clarice Assad
10. Casa Forte - Edu Lobo

Disc:II
11. Ápice - Rodrigo Assad
12. O Silêncio das estrelas - Lenine & Dudu Falcão
13. Seu Jorge e Dona Icá - Sérgio Assad & Badi Assad
14. Bachianas nº 5 (intro) - Heitor Villa-Lobos
As rosas não falam - Cartola
15. Doce de cocô - Jacob do Bandolim
16. Chove lá fora - Tito Madi
17. Gosto que me enrosco/ Jura - Sinhô
18. Rosa - Pixinguinha
19. Medley de sambas
Lamentos - Pixinguinha & Vinícius de Moraes
Cai dentro - Baden Powell & Paulo César Pinheiro
Se acaso você chegasse - Lupicínio Rodrigues & Felisberto Martins
Linha de passe - João Bosco, Aldir Blanc & Paulo Emílio
Morena de Angola - Chico Buarque
O que vier eu traço - Alvaiade & Zé Maria.


Família Assad
Odair Assad - violão
Sérgio Assad - violão
Badi Assad - violão, voz e percussão corporal
Clarice Assad - piano, voz e baixo
Rodrigo Assad - voz e violão
Carolina Assad - voz
Camille Assad - voz
Angelina Assad - voz
Jorge Assad - bandolim.

Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa - Trance-Fusion (1988-2006)




01.Chunga's Revenge
02.Bowling on Charen
03.Good Lobna
04.A Cold Dark Matter
05.Butter or Cannons
06.Ask Dr. Stupid
07.Scratch & Sniff
08.Trance-Fusion
09.Gorgo
10.Diplodocus
11.Soul Polka
12.For Giuseppe Franco
13.After Dinner Smoker
14.Light Is All That Matters
15.Finding Higgs' Boson
16.Bavarian Sunset.

Adrian Belew - Guitar (Rhythm), Terry Bozzio - Drums, Paul Carmen - Sax (Alto), Sax (Baritone), Sax (Soprano), Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums,
Warren Cuccurullo - Guitar (Rhythm), Bruce Fowler - Trombone, Walt Fowler - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Keyboards, Mike Keneally - Guitar (Rhythm), Keyboards, Ed Mann - Percussion, Marimba, Vibraphone, Electronic Percussion, Tommy Mars - Keyboards, Bobby Martin - Keyboards, Kurt McGettrick - Clarinet (Contrabass), Sax (Baritone), Sax (Bass), Kerry McNabb - Engineer, Patrick O'Hearn - Bass, Scott Thunes - Bass, Mini Moog, Edgard Varèse - Author, Chris Wackerman - Drums, Electronic Percussion, Denny Walley - Slide Guitar, Ray White - Guitar (Rhythm), Ike Willis - Guitar (Rhythm), Albert Wing - Sax (Tenor), Peter Wolf - Keyboards, Dweezil Zappa - Guitar, Frank Zappa - Guitar, Arranger, Producer, Engineer, Gail Zappa - Art Direction, Cover Art Concept, Text, Allan Zavod - Keyboards.

Kotikoski/Kleutgens/Colaiuta/Tavaglione

Kotikoski/Kleutgens/Colaiuta/Tavaglione - Cave Men (2002)




01.5 for Eddie
02.Make No Mistake
03.Country
04.Time Sensitive
05.Antti Goes to War
06.Sanctuary
07.Cave Men
08.Sitar
09.Off the Record
10.The Word's Out.


Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums
Jörg Kleutgens - Bass, Bass (Acoustic), Piccolo Bass
Antti Kotikoski - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Steve Tavaglione - Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), EWI, Sound Design.

Steve Tavaglione

Steve Tavaglione - Blue Tav (1997)




01.Kenya Dig It
02.Cathalina
03.Sue-She
04.Black Cadillac
05.Burning, The
06.Uncle Oil
07.Rapture
08.Blue Tav
09.Tsunami
10.Burning, The (Reprise)



Steve Tavaglione (saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, EWI); Allan Holdsworth, Michael Landau, Kevin Chokan (guitar); Mike O'Neil (nylon-string guitar); Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugelhorn); John Beasley (piano); David Garfield (keyboards, keyboard programming, drum programming); David Goldblatt (keyboards); John Pena (bass instrument); Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Lenny Castro, Michael Fisher (percussion).

Tuesday 3 February 2009

Beledo

Beledo - Montevideo Jazz Dreams (2007)




1.Entre Laberintos
2.Fugue On A Blue Note
3.Wild Shore Ride
4.Another Tomorrow
5.Late Show
6.The Truce Of Cufre
7.Way Back
8.Funland Blues
9.Boathouse Riff.

Beledo piano, guitar.
Jorge Camiruaga vibraphone on tracks (1, 3, 4, 6, 8).
Stefon Harris vibraphone on tracks (2, 5, 7, 9).
Andy Middleton tenor and soprano saxophones.
Randy Brecker trumpet.
Chris Komer french horn.
David Finck upright bass.
Mark Walker drums (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8),
vocal drums (1).
Manolo Badrena drums, and percussion on (5, 9),
vocals (9), percussion (1).
(Beledo Web)

Monday 2 February 2009

Gary Willis

Gary Willis - No Sweat (1997)



01.No Sweat
02.Knothead
03.The Everlasting Night
04.Stagger
05.Liquified
06.Easy Street
07.'til the Cows Come Home
08.Knothead II
09.Ancient Promise
10.Hymn.


Dennis Chambers - Drums
Scott Kinsey - Keyboards
Steve Tavaglione - Saxophone, EWI
David Torn - Mastering
Gary Willis - Bass, Producer.

Stuart Hamm

Stuart Hamm - Kings Of Sleep (1989)





1.Black Ice
2.Surely the Best
3.Call of the Wild
4.Terminal Beach
5.Count Zero
6.I Want to Know
7.Prelude in C
8.Kings of Sleep.







STUART HAMM- basses
JONATHAN MOVER- drums
SCOTT COLLARD- keyboards
AMY KNOLES- percussion
HARRY CODY- guitar
BUZZY FEITEN- guitar (1,6).