David Murray - Jug-A-Lug (1995)

01.Jug-A-Lug
02.Ornette
03.The Desegregation Of Our Chidren
04.A.A.LIB
05.Acoutic Octo Funk
06.18-H
07.I Don't Want It
08.Morning Song.

David Murray – bass clarinet & tenor saxophone
Kahil El’Zabar - percussion
Darryl Jones - bass
Darryl Thompson - guitar
Robert Irving – organ, synthesizer
Bobby Broom - guitar
Toby Williams – drums
Olu Dara - cornet.

Diego Urcola - Viva (2005)

Trumpeter Diego Urcola put together something truly special for 2006's VIVA. A standard session featuring Urcola's bright, bold horn sound and formidable chops would be reason enough to celebrate, but the all-star team of sidemen the artist rounded up is an added bonus. Saxophonist/clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, sax man Jimmy Heath, bassist Avishai Cohen, and vibes/marimba player Dave Samuels are among the luminaries on board here, and the group holds forth on the Latin-inflected numbers and the straight-ahead swing. Packed with superior playing and lively, percolating energy, VIVA is one of the best Latin jazz bets of 2006.

Personnel: Diego Urcola (trumpet); Paquito D'Rivera (clarinet, saxophone); Jimmy Heath (saxophone); Conrad Herwig (trombone); Edward Simon (piano); Avishai Cohen (upright bass); Antonio Sanchez (drums); Pernell Saturnino (percussion).

Recording information: 2005.

01.Tango Azul
02.Viva
03.Afroraffo
04.El Camino
05.Blues For Jimmy
06.40/40
07.Sound For Sore Ears
08.Adios Nonino
09.Gringo Dance
10.Emilia.

Dino Saluzzi - 100 Años RCA Victor

Saluzzi and the bandonion. Saluzzi and Argentinian music.

This great musician comes us from the province of Salta, one of the richest grounds for the Argentinian folklore. He shines by his talent of musicien, but also by his so particular style and sublimates, by his manner of offering his bandonion to us.
One of the most important artist for many bandoneonists.
When he plays tango he is within the limits of the contemporary classical music. The variations he prints and produce leaves the tango its traditional space, giving probably a more universal coloratura.
In this Cd he offer to us, with his particular way to do music, a fantastic pieces from the repertory of the Argentinian folklore.
This Cd belong to an excellent collection, by the songs chosen, the organization of the repertoire, and technical quality.

Titles:
La carpa de Don Jaime - Viva Jujuy - Nostalgias santiagueñas - Al jardin de la Republica - Estando lejos de Salta - La algarrobera - La amorosa - Chacarera del santiagueño - Desdeñosa - Tacita de plata - La negra alegre - La añera - La humilde - Naranjitay - Hasta otro dia - Son qo'nati - Misachico - El condor pasa.

Astor Piazzolla - Double Best Collection

CD 1

01. Libertango
02. Amelitango
03. L’evasion
04. Buenos Aires Hora Cero
05. Anos De Soledad
06. Los Pajaros Perdidos
07. Bandoneon
08. Zita
09. Adios Nonino
10. Balada Para Mi Muerte
11. Balada Para Un Loco

CD 2

01. Suite Punta Del Este (Intro-choral-fugue)
02. Adios Nonino
03. Mumuki
04. Verano Porteno
05. Chin Chin
06. Libertango.

Billy Cobham - Fruit From The Loom (2007)

01.Cat in the Hat
02.Zanzibar Breeze
03.Samba Du Militaiesstrasse
04.Crosswind
05.Eggshells Still On My Head
06.Spectrum
07.Florianapolis
08.Thoughts from Okuta
09.Faia
10.Sweet Bocas
11.Clitter Clatter.

"Fruit From The Loom" is the first release from drummer Billy Cobham (under his own name) since the1998 release "Focused". It is intended to be the first of four releases in this music series in which Cobham will be revisiting the music he has created throughout his career as well as re-connecting with the musicians who helped him create his past sonic offerings. Some of the pieces he has re-worked for this release are Spectrum, Crosswinds, and the Grammy-nominated Zanzibar Breeze. Among the old friends Billy has invited to appear on this recording are: Ernie Watts (sax), Dave Samuels (vibraphone, marimba), Guy Barker (trumpet), Victor Bailey (bass), Brian Auger (organ) and guitarists Dean Brown & Jean-Marie Ecay. Past and current members of Culture Mix, Cobham's multi-national quintet round out the supporting cast. They include Stefan Rademacher (bass), Junior Gill (steel pan), Marco Lobo (percussion) and Christophe Cravero (piano). String flavors also color several of the tunes with violinists Johan Renard and Aurelien Guyot. Five members of the explosive Nigerian percussion ensemble, Okuta Percussion join Billy in a rhythmic tour-de-force on "Thoughts from Okuta". Some of the more recent compositions by Billy Cobham finally make their appearance on this studio recording like "Florianopolis", "Clitter Clatter", "Eggshells Still On My Head" and "Cat in the Hat". And of course, no Cobham solo album would be complete without a solo piece from the master himself which he calls "Sambu du Militairstrasse". As an added bonus, Mr. Cobham has personally hand signed every copy. This CD is currently only available at his concerts and thru Audiophile Imports.

Dave Valentin - Tropic Heat (1994)

1.My Favorite Things
2.Sweet Lips
3.Don Q
4.Danzon for My Father
5.Mr. Evil
6.Bello Amanecer
7.Sam's Groove
8.Tasty Mango
9.Sangria.

Flutist Dave Valentin's 16th album for GRP is one of his best. His regular group (a quartet with pianist Bill O'Connell, bassist Lincoln Goines, and drummer Robbie Ameen) is augmented by two percussionists and an excellent seven-member horn section that consists of the reeds of Dick Oatts, Mario Rivera, and David Sanchez; trombonist Angel "Papo" Vasquez; and three trumpeters, including Charlie Sepulveda. All of the horns get their opportunities to solo and the result is a particularly strong Latin jazz session. Valentin continues to grow as a player and he cuts loose on several of these tracks. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

Bill Bruford - Gradually Going Tornado (1979)

The Bill Bruford band's third and final album finds Bill and the boys going out on more stylistic limbs than ever before. The incorporation of bassist Jeff Berlin's deadpan vocals bring a decidedly more song-based orientation to the mix, while ... Full DescriptionDave Stewart's keyboards, and the band's arrangements overall, flirt with experimentation on the periphery of rock and jazz.

"Gothic 17" makes ample use of Stewart's strident, klaxon-like synths, as Bruford's intense rhythmic thrust propels the whole group into the stratosphere, accompanied by Berlin's Alice In Wonderland arcing streams of consciousness. "The Sliding Floor" uses all manners of trilling keyboards, prog rock drums and sheets of guitar noise to enlighten the few unaware of Bruford's illustrious past. Containing a daunting collection of brazen electronic sounds and time-skewed percussive somersaults, the third time for the Bruford clan was indeed a charm, resulting in one of the great unsung (and underrated) fusion albums of the early '80s.

Recorded at Surrey Sound, Surrey, England in October & November 1979.

Personnel: Bill Bruford (drums, cymbals); Jeff Berlin (vocals, electric bass); Barbara Gaskin, Amanda Parsons (vocals); John Clark (guitar); Georgie Born (cello); Dave Stewart (keyboards).

Bob James & David Sanborn - Double Vision (1986)

1.Maputo
2.More Than Friends
3.Moon Tune
4.Since I Fell For You
5.It's You
6.Never Enough
7.You Don't Know Me.

Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Steve Gadd - Drums
Eric Gale - Guitar
Paul Jackson, Jr. - Guitar
Bob James - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards, Engineer, Performer, Rhythm Arrangements, Synthesizer Arrangements
Al Jarreau - Vocals
Marcus Miller - Bass
David Sanborn - Saxophone.

Review by Scott Yanow

This combination works quite well. Poppish keyboardist/arranger Bob James joins with electric bassist Marcus Miller, drummer Steve Gadd, guitarist Paul Jackson, percussionist Paulinho da Costa, and (on two songs) guitarist Eric Gale to accompany the distinctive and always soulful altoist David Sanborn. Sanborn caresses the strong melodies, mostly originals by James and Miller, and plays well with guest vocalist Al Jarreau on "Since I Fell for You." One of the best recordings ever released under James' name (Sanborn gets co-billing) and a big seller.

Art Taylor - a.t,'s delight (1961)

1.Syeeda's Song Flute
2.Epistrophy
3.Move
4.High Seas
5.Cookoo And Fungi
6.Blue Interlude

Art Taylor Drums
Wynton Kelly Piano
Stanley Turrentine Tenor Saxophone
Dave Burns Trumpet
Paul Chambers Bass
Carlos "Potato" Valdes Conga

Original 1961
Reissue by Michael Cuscuna.

Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Reese & The Smooth Ones (1969)

1 Reese/The Smooth Ones, Pt. 1 (Mitchell) 20:02
2 Reese/The Smooth Ones, Pt. 2 (Mitchell) 20:57

Beautiful work from the Art Ensemble -- and one of their undisputed classics! The record features some of the most perfectly realized moments the band ever cut to wax, with a blend of whimsical multi-instrumental improvisation, and a strong sense of the spiritual tradition in jazz. The album features one long piece -- "Reese & The Smooth Ones" -- and it's a stunning array of spontanteous instrumentation, with a jagged sound that never stops reinventing itself!

Lester Bowie- Trumpet, Drums (Bass), Flugelhorn, Horn, Multi Instruments

Joseph Jarman- Clarinet, Flute, Guitar, Conga, Gong, Marimba, Oboe,Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Whistle (Human),Multi Instruments, Bells, Vibraphone, Siren

Roscoe Mitchell - Clarinet, Flute, Conga, Cymbals, Gong, Sax (Alto),Sax (Bass), Sax (Soprano), Whistle (Human) Drums (Steel), Multi Instruments, Bells, Logs, Siren

Malachi Favors - Bass, Multi Instruments
Famoudou Don Moye- Drums.

Carla Bley,Andy Sheppard,Steve Swallow - Songs With Legs (1995)

Recorded live in France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Turkey and England in May 1994.

SONGS WITH LEGS was recorded live in Europe in '94 and, though billed collectively, is ostensibly the work of Carla Bley's. Saxophonist Andy Sheppard has been on all of Bley's big band recordings since the late 80's; bass guitarist Steve Swallow has been a regular Bley collaborator for decades. As with all of Bley's work, LEGS is characterized by the writing and arranging--and by the springboards that both provide for the well-chosen soloists.
Five of the six compositions are Bley's, with the remaining piece being her arrangement of Monk's "Misterioso." At this point in her career, Bley was not only able to draw from her own impressive repertoire but also to reconfigure and reconstruct any of those works as she saw fit. Her strength as a pianist has grown along with her skills as a writer and arranger. The songs themselves always take the fore, and all of the soloing feels like a tidy reconsideration of the music's themes--like finding secret pockets in a new pair of pants.

Full performer name: Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow.
Personnel: Carla Bley (piano); Andy Sheppard (soprano & tenor saxophones); Steve Swallow (bass).

Bitter Funeral Beer Band - Live in Nürnberg (1984)

01 - Darafo
02 - Funeral Dance - part 1
03 - Bitter Funeral Beer
04 - Funeral Dance - part 2
05 - Gahu
06 - Blekete.

Release date october 16.
By 1984 the Bitter Funeral Beer Band had further improved their handling of the combination of the west african, nordic and improvisational elements in Bengt Berger's music. The band had been joined by Liselotte Norelius on percussion, Kalle Eriksson on trumpet, Thomas Gustafsson on saxophones and Thomas Huhn on electric bass and percussion.
This is a live concert recorded by Bayerischer Rundfunk for radio and TV in Nürnberg.

The band:
Bengt Berger, Ko-Gyil (Lo-Birifor funeral xylophone), Atsimevu (Ewe master drum);
Anita Livstrand, Ko-Gyil, voice, percussion;
Liselotte Norelius, percussion;
Thomas Mera Gartz,percussion, tenor sax;
Sigge Krantz, acoustic and electric bass, guitar, percussion;
Thomas Huhn, electric bass, percussion
Matthias Helldén, cello, percussion;
Tord Bengtsson, violin, guitar, percussion;
Thomas Gustafsson, soprano sax, tenor sax, percussion;
Björn Hellström, bass clarinet, flute, percussion;
Ulf Wallander, soprano sax, tenor sax, percussion;
Jörgen Adolfsson, soprano sax, alto sax, percussion;
Tommy Adolfsson, trumpet, percussion;
Kalle Ericsson, trumpet, percussion.

Andrew Hill - Time Lines

While recording for Blue Note in the 1960s, composer and pianist Andrew Hill released some of the most forward-thinking and meticulously constructed albums of the post-bop era. The intelligence and daring that characterized those albums still inhabits Hill's recordings, as 2006's TIME LINES attests.
Flanked by a fine quartet (a bassist, drummer, trumpeter, and the multi-talented Greg Tardy on tenor sax, clarinet, and bass clarinet), Hill still reels off witty, elliptical piano lines that bring together modal music and free jazz with strains of traditional bop structure. Packed with both fine compositions and playing all around, TIME LINES shows that Hill is still capable of making works of quiet, incisive brilliance.

Personnel: Andrew Hill (piano); Greg Tardy (clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Charles Tolliver (trumpet); John Hebert (upright bass); Eric McPherson (drums).

Recording information: Bennett Studios, Englewood, NJ (2005).

Jack Wilkins - Windows (1973)

Biography by Scott Yanow
A superior, slightly underrated improviser, Jack Wilkins has proven on his infrequent recordings as a leader that he ranks near the top. Wilkins, who studied with John Mehegan early on, learned vibes, piano, and classical guitar,but has stuck to jazz guitar throughout his career. He gained a strong reputation during his long association with
Buddy Rich. Since then, he has recorded as a sideman with Jack DeJohnette, Eddie Gomez, Phil Woods, Harvie Swartz, and the Brecker Brothers, among others. But it is his own recordings for Mainstream, Music Masters, CTI,and especially his pair of essential Chiaroscuro albums in 1977 (the single CD Merge reissued all of the music
except one song) that allow one to hear what a talented player Jack Wilkins has always been.

Bill Goodwin - Percussion, Drums
Michael Moore - Bass, Guitar (Bass)
Jack Wilkins - Guitar.

Alphonso Johnson - Spellbound (1977)

1.Summer Solstice
2.Follow Your Heart
3.Bahama Mama
4.Nomads
5.Moonlight Conversations
6.Face Blaster
7.Feelings Are (the Hardest Worlds To Say)
8.Earthtales Suite: Intro. Winter Solstice/i. Release From .

Alphonso Johnson - Bass (Electric), Composer, Drums, Drums (Steel), Fretless Bass, Lyricist, Main Performer, Producer, Stick, Synthesizer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Bayete - Vocals (Background)
Clyde Criner - Arp 2600, Arp Omni, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Mini Moog, Piano, Piano (Electric), Piano (Grand), Synthesizer
David Igelfeld - Chimes, Conga, Cymbals, Drums, Electronic Percussion, Gong, Handbells, Percussion, Wind Chimes
Kevin Shrieve - Guitar, Guitar (12 String), Guitar (Electric)
Pat Thrall - Guitar.

Herbie Mann & Joao Gilberto - Recorded in Rio de Janeiro (1965)

01.Amor Em Paz (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius De Moraes)
02.Desafinado (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca)
03.Bolinha De Papel (Geraldo Pereira)
04.Insensatez (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
05.Maria Ninguem (Carlos Lyra)
06.O Barquinho (Roberto Menescal/Ronaldo Boscoli)
07.Samba Da Minha Terra (Dorival Caymni)
08.Rosa Morena (Dorival Cyammi)
09.Consolacao (Baden Powell)
10.One Note Samba (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca)
11. Bim Bom (Joao Gilberto).
12. Deve Ser Amor (Baden Powell/Vinicius de Moraes).

Herbie Mann (Flute and Alto Flute)
Joao Gilberto (Guitar and Vocals)
Antonio Carlos Jobim (Arranged, Piano and Vocals)
Baden Powell (Guitar).

Nice, more light than emphatic Afro-Latin and jazz mixture by flutist Herbie Mann and composer/vocalist Joao Gilberto.
The two make an effective team, with Gilberto's sometimes sentimental, sometimes impressionistic works effectively supported by Mann's lithe flute solos.

Sonny Sharrock - Highlife (1990)

1.No More Tears
2.All My Trials
3.Chumpy
4.Highlife
5.Kate (Variations on a Theme by Kate Bush)
6.Venus: Upper Egypt
7.Your Eyes
8.Giant Steps.

Charles Baldwin - Bass
Lance Carter - Drums
Sonny Sharrock - Guitar, Arranger, Producer
Dave Snider - Korg Synthesizer, Korg M1
Abe Speller - Drums.

Review by Steve Huey

Highlife was Sonny Sharrock's first studio album in three years, and it bore witness to several slight modifications in the guitarist's approach. Gone were bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummer Pheeroan akLaff, who had moved on to other projects; they were replaced by Charles Baldwin and Lance Carter, respectively, who joined additional drummer Abe Speller. Dave Snider's Korg synthesizer also makes its studio debut (he had appeared on the Live in New York set), which immediately makes the overall ensemble sound simultaneously brighter and tinnier. Even past the added timbre of the keyboards, Sharrock seems to be searching for ways to push his music forward, as he begins going farther afield for material and revisiting his past in the process. In addition to three full-fledged originals, he covers two traditional folk songs, the West African standard "Highlife" (learned in one of his earliest gigs with drummer Babatunde Olatunji) and the Harry Belafonte-associated "All My Trials"; he adapts several themes from Kate Bush's prog pop hit "Wuthering Heights" into "Kate"; and he returns to his legendary appearance on Pharoah Sanders' Tauhid album with a medley of two Sanders themes, "Venus/Upper Egypt." It's fascinatingly eclectic, but the results are undercut to a degree by all the keyboard polish, which tends to rob Sharrock's most furious licks of a certain element of danger (even if it does occasionally bring out his more playful and spiritual sides). In the end, Highlife is something of a transitional album, catching Sharrock in the midst of figuring out where to take his music next, yet that searching quality makes it a compelling listen for fans.

Herbie Mann - Today! (1965)

01.Today (Herbie Mann/Oliver Nelson) 3:46
02.The Creole Love Call (Duke Ellington) 4:58
03.Don't Say I Didn't Tell You So (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) 3:48
04.Arrastao (Edu Lobo/Norman Gimbel) 4:13
05.The Mooche (Duke Ellington/Irving Mills) 4:16
06.If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody (Rudy Clark) 3:50
07.Yesterday (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) 3:38
08.The Night Before (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) 4:58.

Herbie Mann (Flute and Alto Flute)
Oliver Nelson (Arranged and Conducted)
Jimmy Owens (Trumpet)
Jack Hitchcock (Trombone)
Joseph Orange (Trombone)
Dave Pike (Vibraphone)
Earl May (Double Bass)
Bruno Carr (Drums)
Carlos "Patato" Valdes (Percussion).

Review by Scott Yanow

Flutist Herbie Mann has always had wide interests in music. For this hard-to-find LP he is joined by three brass, vibraphonist Dave Pike, bassist Earl May, drummer Bruno Carr and percussionist Patato Valdes (with arrangements by Oliver Nelson) for a wide-ranging program that includes two Beatles songs, a selection from Burt Bacharach and two ancient pieces by Duke Ellington ("Creole Love Call" and "The Mooche"). In general Mann plays quite well but there is little memorable about this generally commercial effort.

Richie Cole - Alive! At The Village Vanguard (1982)

1.Punishment Blues
2.Body And Soul
3.Samba De Orfeu
4.Yardbird Suite
5.Alto Acres (Live Spiral)
6.Red Top.

Bass - Marshall Hawkins
Drums - Scott Morris
Engineer - Dave Hewitt*
Guitar - Bruce Forman
Piano - Bobby Enriquez
Producer [Audio & Video] - Ben Sidran
Reissue Producer [Album Release] - Michael Cuscuna
Saxophone [Alto] - Richie Cole (tracks: A1 to B1, B3)
Notes:
Recorded live at The Village Vanguard- NYC on June 24, 1981.

Review by Scott Yanow

Richie Cole is in top form on this Muse LP as he is on virtually all of his recordings for that label. Cole had a strong quintet at the time (with guitarist Bruce Forman, the "Wildman" Bobby Enriquez on piano, bassist Marshall Hawkins and drummer Scott Morris) and together they play some wild bebop on such songs as "Punishment Blues," "Samba De Orfeu" (an Enriquez feature), "Yardbird Suite" and "Alto Acres" (which ironically finds Cole switching to tenor). Cole also comes up with some fresh ideas on "Body and Soul," making this an album well worth searching for.

Ernie Watts - Reaching Up (1993)

01.Reaching Up
02.Mr. Syms
03.I Hear a Rhapsody
04.Transparent Sea
05.The High Road
06.Inward
07.You Leave Me Breathless
08.Sweet Lucy
09.Angel's Flight
10.Sweet Solitude.

For this quartet set with pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Charles Fambrough, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Ernie Watts definitely came to play. Virtually all of his solos are high powered and even his ballad statements are filled with clusters of passionate notes. Trumpeter Arturo Sandval has two appearances and makes the music even more hyper. In addition, the rhythm section keeps the proceedings consistently stimulating. The main focus on these standards and originals is generally on Watts' tenor, and even though there isn't all that much variety, this CD is a strong example of his jazz talents.

Abraham Laboriel - Dear Friends (1993)

01.Quote, Unquote
02.And I Do
03.Holidays
04.Look at Me
05.Goyo
06.Dear Friends
07.Samba 7
08.My Joy Is You
09.Simple Self
10.Arroyo.

Alex Acuña - Percussion, Drums
Justo Almario - Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Morgan Ames - Vocals (bckgr)
Philip Bailey - Vocals
Larry Carlton - Guitar
Bill Champlain - Vocals (bckgr)
Tamara Champlain - Vocals (bckgr)
Bill Champlin - Vocals (bckgr)
Luis Conte - Percussion
Clydene Jackson Edwards - Vocals (bckgr)
Steve Gadd - Drums
Dave Grusin - Piano
Don Grusin - Keyboards
Paul Jackson, Jr. - Guitar
Al Jarreau - Vocals
Jim Keltner - Drums
Darlene Koldenhoven - Vocals (bckgr)
Abe Laboriel Jr. - Drums
Abraham Laboriel - Guitar (Acoustic), Bass, Guitar, Arranger, Vocals
Kate Markowitz - Vocals (bckgr)
Greg Mathieson - Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, Assistant Engineer
Dean Parks - Guitar
Joe Sample -Piano
Carmen Twillie - Vocals (bckgr)
Ernie Watts - Saxophone
Frank Zottolik - Keyboards.
Recorded at Ocean Way (1-5,10) and Studio 56 (6-9), Los Angeles,
additional recording at Goldmine Studio, Los Angeles, USA.

Hot on the heels of sax player Justo Almario's 'Heritage' comes Koinonia bassist Abraham Laboriel's wonderful solo debut. His dear friends include guitarists Larry Carlton and Dean Parks, drummers Alex Acuna, Steve Gadd and Jim Keltner, keyboardists Don Grusin, Greg Mathieson and Joe Sample, horn players Justo Almario and Ernie Watts, and vocalists Bill Champlain and Al Jarreau - and what a wonderful sound they make. Abe wrote or co-wrote eight of the 11 cuts and their feel is very West Coast jazz, from the funky rhythms of "Holidays" and "Goyo" to the title track and "My Joy Is You". Abe is a very generous frontman, refusing to hog the spotlight - unlike many who embark on solo projects - and ensuring his fellow musicians have lots of space to demonstrate their skills too. However, this European CD comes with a bonus the American edition doesn't have - a previously unreleased live Koinonia track, "Los Mios (My Own)", recorded in 1984 during the band's Scandinavian tour that was released as the live 'Celebration' album. Produced by drummer Bill Maxwell, "Los Mios" is a musical tour de force, an extraordinary workout by the six musicians before an enraptured Swedish audience. In many respects it is the real highlight of 'Dear Friends' and well worth tracking down. 'Dear Friends' is a consummate jazz album which complements Almario's 'Heritage' beautifully. Immaculate and quite superb.

Herbie Mann - Yardbird Suite (1957)

1.Yardbird Suite
2.Here's That Mann
3.One For Tubby
4.Squire's Parlor
5.Who Knew
6.Opicana.

Herbie Mann (Flute and Tenor Saxophone)
Phil Woods (Alto Saxophone)
Eddie Costa (Piano and Vibes)
Joe Puma (Guitar)
Wendell Marshall (Double Bass)
Bobby Donaldson (Drums).

Recorded in the great year of music and especially jazz 1957 Herbie Mann at the time was gaining momentum as a premier flute player, but was a very competent tenor saxophonist.

Teamed here with the great alto saxophonist Phil Woods and criminally underrated vibraphonist Eddie Costa, Mann has found partners whose immense abilities and urbane mannerisms heighten his flights of fancy by leaps and bounds. Add to the mix the quite literate and intuitive guitarist Joe Puma, and you have the makings of an emotive, thoroughly professional ensemble. The legendary bass player Wilbur Ware, who in 1957 was shaking things up with the piano-less trio of Sonny Rollins and the group of Thelonious Monk, further enhances this grouping of virtuosos on the first two selections. Ware spins thick, sinuous cables of galvanized steel during the Mann penned swinger "Green Stamp Monsta!" with the front liners trading alert phrases, and into his down-home Chicago persona, strokes sly, sneaky blues outlines surrounding Mann's tenor and the alto of Woods in a lengthy jam "World Wide Boots." Bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Bobby Donaldson step in for the other six selections, with three originals by Puma set aside from the rest. "One for Tubby" (for Brit Tubby Hayes) has Mann's flute in a gentle tone as Woods and Costa chirp away while keeping the melody going. The midtempo bopper "Who Knew?" (P.S.; the phrase was coined long ago before its contemporary hipness) is shaded by Costa and deepened by the colorful saxes, and the excellent "Opicana," is a complex and dicey chart, showing the most inventive side of this group and Puma's fertile imagination. You also get the quintessential bop vehicle "Yardbird Suite" with the classic flute and vibes lead spurred on by the alto talkback of Woods. An early version of the enduring, neat and clean bop original "Squire's Parlor" from the book of Woods in inserted. Costa's "Here's That Mann," brims with swing and soul from the perfectly paired, harmonically balanced saxes, demonstrably delightful as the horns, especially the celebrated altoist, step up and out. This is not a complete reissue from the original Savoy LPs The Jazz We Heard Last Summer and Yardbird Suite. As is, this is a solid document of all of the participants' burgeoning skills, and increasing cache as modern jazz masters. - by Michael G. Nastos, AMG.

Flora Purim - That's What She Said (1976)

1.Look Into His Eyes
2.Juicy
3.Hidden Within
4.You on My Mind
5.What Can I Say?
6.Love's the Way I Feel 'Bout Cha
7.That's What She Said
8.You Are My Heart.

Recorded at Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California in 1976. Includes liner notes by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel includes: Flora Purim (vocals); George Duke (arranger,conductor, Fender Rhodes piano, ARP synthesizer, Moog synthesizer); Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); Oscar Brashear (trumpet); George Bohanon (trombone); Ernie Watts (flute); Hugo Fattoruso (ARP synthesizer); Jay Graydon, David T. Walker (guitar); Byron Miller, Alphonso Johnson (electric bass); Leon Ndugu Chancler (drums); Airto Moreira (bongos, congas, percussion).

George Cables Quartet - Beyond Forever (1994)

1.Lost Dreams
2.Round Midnight
3.Phantom of the Islands, The
4.Beyond Forever
5.I Fall in Love Too Easily
6.Thermo
7.Love Song
8.Evidence
9.Little B's Poem.

George Cables (piano)
Joe Locke (vibraphone)
Santi Debriano (bass)
Victor Lewis (drums).

Jack DeJohnette - Sorcery (1974)

1.Sorcery #1
2.The Right Time
3.The Rock Thing
4.The Reverend King Suite
5.Four Levels Of Joy
6.Epilog.

Jack DeJohnette (C-melody saxophone, keyboards, drums); Michael Fellerman (trombone, metaphone); Bennie Maupin (bass clarinet); John Abercrombie, Mick Goodrick (guitar); Dave Holland (bass).

For this 1974 release, Jack DeJohnette adopted a two-guitar lineup of John Abercrombie and Mick Goodrick. Bassist Dave Holland and DeJohnette make a formidable rhythm section and play with incredible propulsion and grace. The album was recorded in the era following Miles Davis' BITCHES BREW (both Holland and DeJohnette worked with Davis), and the title track evokes similar moods, especially with DeJohnette's additional work on the electric piano, Bennie Maupin on bass clarinet, and Michael Fellerman on trombone. SORCERY reflects this era of exuberant experimentation in other ways: one track utilizes chanted vocals ("The Right Time") while another sounds just like what the title declaims ("The Rock Thing"). At this point, no two Jack DeJohnette albums were heading in the same stylistic direction.

Recorded at Willow, New York in March 1974 and at Bearsville Studio, Bearsville, New York in May 1974.

Steve Turre - Sanctified Shells (1992)

01.Exploration
02.Gumbo
03.Africian Shells: First Interlude-Strength
04.Macho (Para Machito)
05.Africian Shells: Second Interlude-The Dream
06.Beautiful India
07.Toreador
08.African Shells: Third Interlude-Happiiness
09.Sanctified Shells
10. Spirit Man.

Clinton Anderson - Trombone
Ignacio Berroa - Drums, Timbales, Bells
Milton Cardona - Percussion, Conga, Guitarron, Claves, Shaker, Guiro, Shakere
Kimati Dinizulu - Percussion, Djembe, Gome, Krin, Sankofa Akyene
Robin Eubanks - Trombone, Shells
Dizzy Gillespie - Trumpet
Andrew Gonzalez - Bass
Andy Gonzalez - Bass, Claves
Renaldo Jorge - Trombone, Maracas, Shells
Douglas Purviance - Trombone, Trombone (Bass)
Herlin Riley - Drums, Shells, Cowbell
Badal Roy - Tabla
Charlie Sepulveda - Trumpet
Claude Thomas - Djun-Djun, Jun-Jun
Carmen Turre - Castanets
Steve Turre - Trombone, Horn, Bells, Shells, Shaker, Kudu Horn.

Trombonist Steve Turre's second instruments are shells, and they're just that--large conch shells with minimal modifications to turn them into musical instruments. He first played them publicly with Roland Kirk's band in the 1970s, and they represent a deep spiritual connection for him, reaching to the origins of music making and tapping into a universal connection. Their sound is at once unearthly and deeply rooted in human experience, hollow yet full, and their special resonance is explored to telling effect by Turre and his company of doubling trombonists, as they shift back and forth between familiar and exotic idioms. The music ranges from the heady funk of "Gumbo" to the raga of "Beautiful India" and the sizzling rhythms of the Afro-Cuban powerhouse "Macho." --Stuart Broomer.

Bennie Wallace - The Fourteen Bar Blues (1978)

1.Chelsea Bridge
2.Trinkle Tinkle
3.Vicissitudes
4.Broadside
5.The Fourteen Bar Blues
6.Green & Yellow
7.Yard 'N' Newk
8.Flamingo.

Bennie Wallace (Tenor Saxophone)
Eddie Gomez (Double Bass)
Eddie Moore (Drums).

Tenor-saxophonist Bennie Wallace's debut as a leader features the adventurous tenor in a trio with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Eddie Moore. This CD has five Wallace originals (including the title cut and "Yard 'N Newk" which borrows aspects of Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins) plus melodic interpretations of "Chelsea Bridge" and "Trinkle Tinkle" and a warm rendition of "Flamingo." Even at the near-start of his career, Bennie Wallace's sound, style and approach were fully formed. - by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Jack Dejohnette, Foday Musa Suso - Music From The Hearts Of The Masters (2006)

1.Ocean Wave
2.Ancient Techno
3.Rose Garden
4.Worldwide Funk
5.Kaira
6.Mountain Love Dance
7.Party
8.Voice Of The Kudrus
9.Sunjatta Keita.

Jack DeJohnette - Drums
Foday Musa Suso - Kora.

By John Kelman

For drummer Jack DeJohnette's second project on his fledgling Golden Beams Productions record label, he moves from the Asian subcontinent south to Africa for a series of duets with master Gambian kora player Foday Musa Suso. While Music from the Hearts of the Masters is, in its own way, as hypnotic as DeJohnette's first release on his label, the meditative Music in the Key of OM, it's also more actively engaging and extroverted.

At first glance the conventional drum kit and the 21-string lute/harp-like kora would appear to make strange bedfellows, especially given that, for the most part, both DeJohnette and Suso work within the traditions that they are most comfortable with. DeJohnette's intuitive sense of swing pervades, while Suso's melodic and harmonic ideas clearly come out of the African folk traditions that comprise his roots. Still, what makes this programme of mostly improvised music—other than two traditional tunes and one Suso composition, everything is credited to both artists—so compelling is that both players are not only looking for common ground, but finding it as well.

This should come as no surprise, given that Suso has a larger musical reach that has seen him in collaboration with artists including Kronos Quartet, Phillip Glass, and Herbie Hancock. In fact, Suso takes a step further, bringing the kora into the 21st Century by utilizing subtle sound processing, as well as more overt use of looping technology to create layers of sound that give the duo a considerably fuller sound. Equally, DeJohnette's reputation and purview may be more firmly rooted in the jazz world, but that's by no means a narrowing definition; it takes a broad world view to work with artists as diverse as Alice Coltrane, Bill Laswell, Wadada Leo Smith, and Keith Jarrett.

But while both artists look for a nexus point, neither is prepared to completely give up his own disposition, making Music from the Hearts of the Masters a unique experience. Suso's kora is so richly textured that it's hard not to be drawn in, while DeJohnette's groove-laden kit work creates an equally inviting space. And while most of the improvisations are based around simple changes, often established by Suso and then looped in order to allow him to layer additional melodies on top, both DeJohnette and Suso are keen listeners who find ways to bridge the seemingly disparate stylistic gaps.

The inherent simplicity of Music from the Hearts of the Masters belies the virtuosity of both DeJohnette and Suso, but it's exactly that level of sophistication that allows the two to make what might appear a self-limiting proposition such a success. A sense of innocence and joy makes this album a spiritual partner with DeJohnette's more introspective Music in the Key of OM. With Golden Beam Productions, DeJohnette is clearly exploring avenues that he'd be less likely to visit with the major labels, and that's good news indeed.

Carla Bley - Tropic Appetites (1973)

01.What Will Be Left Between Us And The Moon Tonight
02.In India
03.Enormous Tots
04.Caucasian Bird Riffles
05.Funnybird Song
06.Indonesian Dock Sucking Supreme
07.Song Of The Jungle Stream
08.Nothing.

Cello, Double Bass, Bass - Dave Holland
Drums, Percussion - Paul Motian
Lyrics By - Paul Haines
Music By - Carla Bley
Producer - Carla Bley , Michael Mantler
Recorded By [Julie Tippetts] - Frank Owen , Richard Elen
Recorded By, Mixed By - Eddie Korvin
Saxophone [Tenor], Percussion - Gato Barbieri
Trumpet, Trombone [Valve] - Michael Mantler
Violin, Viola - Toni Marcus
Voice - Julie Tippetts
Voice, Clarinet, Clarinet [Bass], Saxophone [Soprano, Baritone, Bass], Tuba - Howard Johnson (3)
Voice, Recorder, Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet, Organ, Marimba, Celesta, Percussion - Carla Bley
Notes: Recorded September 1973 through February 1974, Blue Rock Studio, New York.
Julie Tippetts recorded November 1973, Island Studios, London.
Mixed February and March 1974, Blue Rock Studios, New York.

Carles Benavent y Josemi Carmona - Sumando (2006)

01.Sencillito
02.La Garza
03.Dama
04.Skely
05.Soleo
06.Amic Joan
07.El Galleta
08.Okinawa
09.Lupenado
10.Lupeando II.

Carles Benavent and Josemi Carmona have locked themselves up in a recording studio and have recorded "Sumando", a happy encounter between flamenco and jazz. Each of them contributes what he has learnt during a long musical career; the end product are nine songs that do not stray from the rhytmic pattern or the emotion of flamenco. Chick Corea and Diego are featured as special guest artists.
"Sumando" (Adding) is the first joint work by Carles Benavent and Josemi Carmona. The jazz bass player and the guitarist of Ketama have brought together their wide-ranging musical experiences to bring to life a flamenco-jazz record. It features nine themes that were composed and performed by themselves, with the accompaniment of other renowned musicians, from both the jazz and flamenco scenes, among whom those who stand out are Chick Corea and Diego el Cigala.
In "Sumando", the bass and guitar are the protagonists of this happy coming together. However, these instruments and musicians are backed by other musicians such as Jorge Pardo (flute), Tino di Geraldo (drum kit), Juan Carmona Jr. (percussion), Bandolero (palmas, rhythmic hand-clapping) and Piraña (percussion). Moreover, Carles Benavent also plays the Ebow, keyboards, mandola and cittern; and Josemi Carmona plays the flamenco guitar, the acoustic guitar, the mandola and palmas.
Benavent and Carmona contribute everything they have learnt during their long musical careers to "Sumando". Carles started to open up new horizons for current Spanish music in the 1970s with the band Música Urbana. Since then, he has become a reference on the jazz and flamenco-jazz scenes. His works have had an international repercussion through his cooperation with Miles Davis, Paco de Lucía, Quincy Jones and Chick Corea.
Josemi Carmona possesses all the flamenco flavour of the Habichuelas and contributes all the baggage from his time in Ketama. And Josemi was able to add the experience of his encounters with international musicians like Toumani Diabate, Danny Thompson, Michel Camilo, Cheb Khaled and Caetano Veloso, among others, to the cross-breeding that Ketama’s flamencoised salsa pop already represented. Furthermore, "Sumando" is Josemi’s first recording work after Ketama.

Steve Turre - Rhythm Within (1995)

1.Funky T
2.Morning
3.Since I Fell for You
4.Rhythm Within
5.Twilight Dreams
6.All Blues
7.Montuno Caracol
8.Body and Soul
9.African Shuffle.

Milton Cardona - Conga, Shaker, Guiro
Stanton Davis, Jr. - Trumpet
Jimmy Delgado - Timbales, Shaker, Cowbell
Kimati Dinizulu - Drums (African), Claves, Shaker, Diddley Bow
Akua Dixon - Conductor
Robin Eubanks - Shell Choir
Jon Faddis - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Andy Gonzalez - Bass
Herbie Hancock - Piano
Jamal Haynes - Shell Choir
Aaron Johnson - Shell Choir
Frank Lacy - Shell Choir
Victor Lewis - Drums
Douglas Purviance - Trombone (Bass), Shell Choir
Rufus Reid - Conductor
Pharoah Sanders - Sax (Tenor)
Steve Turre - Trombone, Arranger, Shells, Liner Notes
Rudy Van Gelder - Engineer, Mastering, Mixing
Britt Woodman - Trombone.

Review by Scott Yanow

Trombonist Steve Turre obviously put a lot of work into this CD for each of the nine selections has its own purpose and the personnel changes on every cut. Turre doubles on the conch shells and on a few numbers utilizes a "shell choir"; in addition there are often three percussionists, other notable trombonists (including Britt Woodman, Frank Lacy and Robin Eubanks) and such guest soloists as trumpeter Jon Faddis, tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and pianist Herbie Hancock. With highlights including "Funky-T," Yusef Lateef's "Morning," "Since I Fell for You" (a Woodman feature) and "All Blues," this is a particularly memorable and well-conceived set, one of Turre's best.

Bill Frisell - Lookout for Hope (1987)

Shot at 2009-05-0901.Lookout for Hope
02.Little Brother Bobby
03.Hang Dog
04.Remedios the Beauty
05.Lonesome
06.Melody for Jack
07.Hackensack
08.Little Bigger
09.The Animal Race
10.Alien.

Joey Baron - Drums
Kermit Driscoll - Bass
Bill Frisell - Guitar (Acoustic), Banjo, Guitar (Electric), Performer
Hank Roberts - Cello, Vocals, Voices.

Review by Michael G. Nastos

Bill Frisell's early work even in its retrospectively rawest form holds all of the values that he has evinced through his entire career. Country and eastern sounds merge with a signature sky church electric approach that is unique unto only himself. Lookout for Hope -- his first recording for the ECM label -- brands Frisell as a visionary, a virtuoso, and a fusioneer of many sounds that set him far apart from labelmates Pat Metheny, John Abercrombie, and Terje Rypdal. While both Frisell and Rypdal give giant kudos to Jimi Hendrix, there is a sense of peace and serenity that puts soulfulness on a different plane. Cellist Hank Roberts and bassist Kermit Driscoll have much to do with giving Frisell his head, weaving similar silver sounds in and through him. Then add Joey Baron's deft, precise, and colorful drumming to put the exclamation point on Frisell's new approach to improvised music. Where the haunting, ringing, rocking, strident sound of Hendrix is resurrected and modernized during the title selection, "Hang Dog" has the Afro-Asian minimalist resonance of Steve Reich accented in 7/8 time by Frisell's banjo. Nods to Ornette Coleman's puzzle-pieced surety on the peppy head arrangement of "The Animal Race" and the twangy, witty, cartoonish take of Thelonious Monk's "Hackensack" brands Frisell a true maverick and individualist. At its best, east and west merge someplace in between during the memorably beautiful overdubbed and echoing sounds on "Lonesome," while the slight yet sincere expectation evinced on "Animal Prints" is the seamless and alluring alchemy of natural, spiritual, and ethereal. With Lookout for Hope, Bill Frisell is not so much setting trends and fashion as he is establishing a fresh sound, utterly unique from all others, and laying a foundation for many things to come.

Flora Purim - Butterfly Dreams (1974)

1. Dr. Jive (Part 1)
2. Butterfly Dreams
3. Dindi
4. Summer Night
5. Love Reborn
6. Moon Dreams
7. Dr Jive (Part 2)
8. Light As A Feather.


Flora Purim - vocals
Joe Henderson - flute, tenor saxophone
George Duke - electric & acoustic piano, clavinet, synthesizer
David Amaro - electric & acoustic guitar
Ernie Hood - zither
Stanley Clarke - electric & acoustic bass
Airto Moreira - drums, percussion.

Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim brought a unique approach to her art that profoundly altered the nature of vocalization. She expands the basic techniques of vocalise--where every syllable is phrased like a note played on a reed or brass instrument--to include world music. On the title track her voice shifts, like a chameleon, from an exotic bird camouflaged by the jungle of husband Airto Moreira's percussion effects to a soothing delivery more reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto. By the time she sings "Dindi" in Portugese, her style so encompasses the content that the shift of language sounds perfectly natural. On "Dr. Jive" she dives into a dense fusion of Latin jazz powered by Stanley Clarke's inspired bass and some of the best keyboarding in George Duke's career. Joe Henderson delivers a stellar performance on tenor sax and flute, to boot. --John Swenson

Mongo Santamaria - Fuego (1972)

Crazy Lady
Don't Step On My Tears
Chambique
Teminha Pra Bebe
Last Tango In Paris
Besame
Springtime
Malcolm X
Fingers.

Mongo Santamaria Leader & Congas
Luis "Perico" Ortiz Trumpet, flugelhorn, and flute
Justo Almario Tenor sax and flute
Bill Saxton Alto and baritone sax, flute
Jose Madrid Piano
William Allen Bass
Tony Sanchez Drums and timbales
John Blake Violin on "Last Tango In Paris"
Claudio Roditi Trumpet
Julio Julito Collazo Bass drum, vocals
Bobby Porcelli Flute solo
Elliot Randall Electric guitar
Marty Sheller Güiro
Johny Pacheco Bongo bell
Marcelino Guerra Coro
Justo Betancourt Coro.

This early-1970s outing by revered Afro-Cuban conga player Mongo Santamaria belies its title, FUEGO (which translates from Spanish as "fire"), in presenting a relatively laid-back set of Latin-tinged jazz tunes. "Besame" saunters along at an ... Full Descriptioneasy-going pace, and the horn-laden "Chambique" moves even more slowly, creating a wonderfully hypnotic, but not terribly energetic, vibe. Listeners wanting to hear more from this era are advised to seek out the excellent Santamaria compilation THE BEST OF THE FANIA YEARS.

Bill Laswell - Improvised Music New York (1981)

Recorded live at the Kitchen, September 18, 1981
Recorded by Martin Bisi
Derek Bailey : guitar; Fred Frith : guitar; Sonny Sharrock : guitar; John Zorn : horns; Bill Laswell : bass; Charles K. Noyes : percussion.


Note : This album was intended to be released as a Material album, but couldn't due to contractual obligations.

This is a live recording of a performance by the New York avant-garde group Material. Due to legal complications, the name "Material" was not allowed to be used on this release, as well as there being no song titles. It's an early performance (Sep. 18, 1981) only for the most open-minded listeners, for the group sticks to aggressive experimental noise which follows no musical conventions at all. Sometimes the group creates some fascinating moments (especially on track 2), but otherwise this is largely enerving, though occasionally amusing (Noyes' percussion intro on track 7). This features interesting abstract cover art by Thi-Linh Le.

Bruce Forman - Still of the Night (1991)

1.In the Still of the Night
2.Sea Sweet
3.My Ideal
4.Cherokee
5.Embraceable You
6.I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
7.Oh, Lady Be Good
8.Collapso
9.Bluesalizer.

Review by Scott Yanow
This CD serves as a perfect introduction to the appealing bop-based style of guitarist Bruce Forman. Accompanied by bassist John Clayton and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath, Forman is heard in top form on such numbers as "In the Still of the Night," "Cherokee," "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" and "Lady Be Good"; in addition, he contributed three diverse originals. Recommended to fans of straight-ahead jazz guitar.

Mick Goodrick - Biorhythms (1990)

1.In Praise of Bass Desires/Thramps
2.H. D. & L.
3.Falling Grace
4.Something Like That Kind of Thing
5.Biorhythms
6.Groove Test
7.Bl'ize Medley:Not Soon Forgotten/Her Manic-Manner Moods/Double Helix
8.What's the Point
9.I'll Never Forget.

Mick Goodrick - Guitar
Harvie Swartz - Bass
Gary Chaffee - Drums.
Recorded by Walter Quintus at Studio Zerkall, Germany, October 1990.