Gateway - Homecoming (1994)

01.Homecoming (12:39) [Dave Holland]
02.Waltz New (8:29) [John Abercrombie]
03.Modern Times (7:26) [Dave Holland]
04.Calypso Falto (7:42) [John Abercrombie]
05.Short Cut (6:08) [John Abercrombie]
06.How's Never (7:30) [Dave Holland]
07.In Your Arms (5:44) [Dave Holland]
08.7th D (9:25) [Jack DeJohnette]
09.Oneness (7:45) [Jack DeJohnette].


John Abercrombie (guitar)
Jack DeJohnette (piano, drums, snare drum)
Dave Holland (double bass).
Recorded at Power Station, New York in December 1994.

The whole Gateway is an incredible thought of jazz rock, even by hitting the feathery gloss of a pragmatic essential quality (the first two albums are Abercrombie's classics, beyond most arguable feelings) rather than that of an incontestable strength and punditry, even by being produced by a master's personal guild, despite of a trio that masterly stands up with a profound texture and with several common artistic points that ravel everything in a natural way, and even considering the ideals of jazz-rock, rhythmic improvisation and dark melody beating out a tap, as oppose to John Abercrombie's other different styles, such as the color jazz, the sweet ambiances, the inner groove or the fashionable experimentations of tastes and sound. Breathing out all the differences, there is nonetheless a pleasure principle which, within the 70s Gateway, created beautiful jazz, rigorous excellent motives and contemplating steady emotions (from the very first notes, on some pieces), and which now, within these equally equitable 90s, makes out two more worthy, joyful or purely pleasant, interactive moments.
Gateway therefore surpasses expectations, pleases the mood, disguises art into joy, and poetry into jumping frets, it commodes the touch of jazz inside the nebulosity of plash rock, beats the odds of creativity since it doesn't weight more than a mild-paced work, and finally reflects the artists that are John Abercrombie (guitar, composer and mastermind), Dave Johnson (bassist and deep guru) and Jack DeJohnette (percussive artisan of outstanding, also outlandish maturity. Even if some other albums and creations might be more warm or more of a favorite taste, Gateway is put as a kind of a supreme expression, definitely of high standards, and is made out as an impression of happy music, sleepy art, kind charms and nebulous jazzy visions. It is an adventure of crunch-less class. In The Moment is deeply admirable, having obscurant moves, precise tastes, experimental moves. But Homecoming, which actually is the album that re-initiated the Gateway effort into the 90s, has an equally pleasant performance of ablative "pure jazz".
Close to a brilliant shape, a sliding interpretation, a moody mixture of sorrow and heavy notes and to different values being expressed in different ways, Gateway: Homecoming 's watery emphasis has strong reasons for which to be an unpredictable burst of jazz mastering and rock looping, the trio supplying some free skills and hard experienced jams, a good part of them being - in an actually relaxed color - intense. The best things that happen in the album are the moments of poetic music or virulent energy, attractive improvisations or calm coups of indifferent jazz tones. The guitar streaming is one of the fittest (but in The Moment it will have even better "pitches"), its motto purifying fade impressions, its cold color acting a smashing sound. The album is only a bit overlooked when it comes to truly powerful and original shapes, otherwise it has art, the old-recipe jazz trio fundament, and a reasonably subtle simplicity.
Even if it's probably not the frankest creation from the Gateway entire project, Homecoming's rust-modern jazz hasn't got the slightest of a jest within, it has a developing fruit of compassion, music and inner freshness. A good choice, an interesting listening, a deep concept right where it seems absent, a light of "new music" right where you think the classic Gateway gets too much related; well brought-up album, with crisp beliefs.

prog archives.com

Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um (1959)

01.Better Git It In Your Soul
02.Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
03.Boogie Stop Shuffle
04.Self-Portrait in Three Colors
05.Open Letter to Duke
06.Bird Calls
07.Fables of Faubus
08.Pussy Cat Dues
09.Jelly Roll
10.Pedal Point Blues
11.GG Train
12.Girl of My Dreams.

John Handy — alto sax, clarinet, tenor sax
Booker Ervin — tenor sax
Shafi Hadi — tenor sax, alto sax
Willie Dennis — trombone
Jimmy Knepper — trombone
Horace Parlan — piano
Charles Mingus — bass, piano
Dannie Richmond — drums.

Mingus Ah Um is one of the supreme works of bassist Charles Mingus. Recorded in 1959 on Columbia Records, Mingus Ah Um built upon bebop conventions to create a masterpiece, at times roiling and dissonant, and at times pristinely beautiful.
In the mid 1950s, Mingus began composing and performing with a rotating band he called the "Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop." Mingus Ah Um marks the height of this ensemble's accomplishments. Many of the pieces on the album are some of the most recognizable songs in jazz, and their performances are at once highly arranged, and yet loose and seemingly improvised.
The opening track, "Better Get it in Your Soul," is a jubilant gospel song. Over infectious blues riffs, the instrumentalists occasionally stray from the choir with rapturous outbursts. Throughout the statements of the melody, Mingus himself can be heard intoning like a preacher, singing "oh yes I know!" and "Hallelujah!"
"Goodbye Porkpie Hat" is a ballad written for saxophonist Lester Young, and named after Young's signature headwear. The melody is haunting and beautiful, and played in unison or octaves by tenor saxophonists John Handy and Booker Ervin except for one note, on which they play the dissonant interval of either a minor second or minor ninth. The single dissonance resembles a wince, and it's perhaps a subtle nod to Young's pained life.
The other ballad on the album is not as dark, but just as beautiful, and tinged with sadness. "Self-Portrait in Three Colors" features a dulcet unison line in two saxophones, under which the other horns eventually join in with counter lines. The accretive result is a swirling tapestry, with one dissonance resolving into another.
"Fables of Faubus" is a bitterly sardonic protest song. It is inspired by the 1957 Little Rock Nine incident in Arkansas, when Governor Orval Faubus stood in the way of desegregation in public schools. The song has also been recorded including biting lyrics, but this version attempts to express the same vitriol with instruments alone.

jazz.about.com

Bruce Forman Trio - Bootleg Vol.1 Dedication (2006)

01.Dedication
02.Easy To Remember
03.Caribe
04.Mobile One
05.Sweet And Lovely
06.Visitation
07.Carousel
08.Cheryl.


Bruce Forman, guitar
John Wiitala, bass
Vince Lateano, drums.

This disc is a culmination of a concept that I've been working on for years. It is compilation of tunes-both original and reworked standards-that exemplify some of the qualities of the great masters who have had a profound effect on me and have guided my path throughout my years of playing. Because these artists had so much to offer, in so many ways, I found myself zeroing in on a particular aspect of their style and then added my signature to the mix. In many cases-even in the context of an original by that artist-I may have made changes that I felt best suited my style, that of the band, and strengthened what I wanted to bring forth in our evocation and respect of that person's artistry. I hope that through our efforts you will gain a greater understanding and appreciation of these talented American originals and that you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed playing it.

Bruce Forman Web

Perrenial Monterey Jazz Festival favorite Bruce Forman is a musician who deserves to be heard by a much wider audience. A powerfully inventive guitarist, who conducts an awe-inspiring amount of jazz classes, he's obliquely influenced by Wes Montgomery with his own tone and technique.
Truthfully I have only heard one song from this CD, the title track "Dedication", which has a vague similarity to the old warhorse "Raincheck". I heard it on my cable TV's "Music Choice" jazz channel and it stopped me in my tracks. And it is WONDERFUL!!! I can't say enough for this guitarist and this performance has placed this CD on my Amazon.com Wish List of things that I'm giving myself for Christmas. Check out Bruce, he's a great guitarist. Five Stars for "Dedication"!.

www.amazon.com

Jan Hammer - The First Seven Days (1975)

01.Darkness/Earth In Search Of A Sun (4:31)
02.Light/Sun (6:44)
03.Oceans And Continents (6:16)
04.Fourth Day - Plants And Trees (2:46)
05.The Animals (6:14)
06.Sixth Day - The People (7:15)
07.The Seventh Day (6:11).



Jan Hammer - keyboards, drums
David Earle Johnson - congas and percussion on 5, 6
Steve Kindler - violin on 2, 5, 6, 7.

"Mahavishnu Orchestra keyboard ace Jan Hammer offers up quite a thorough study in synthesizer technology with his second solo release, titled The First Seven Days. With the liner notes declaring "for those concerned, that there is no guitar on this album," Hammer makes it a point to further blur the distinction between the genres of jazz, rock, and classical music. Wishing to portray the first seven "days" of earth's creation, Hammer states that "assuming that each of these days lasted anywhere from one day to 100 million years, the scientific and biblical views do meet in certain points. These points were the inspiration for this album." His incorporation of the piano, electric piano, Moog synthesizer, Oberheim synthesizer, Freeman string synthesizer, and Mellotron vividly evokes images of bubbling cesspools and budding birthrights as his inspired version of the physical world sonically takes shape. While The First Seven Days is atmospheric in nature, with no proper pop sensibilities, its thematic construction yields nothing short of a classic narrative."

Cannonball Adderley - Alabama Concerto (1958)

01.The Henry John Story 4:49
02.The Henry John Story (return) 3:17
03.Job's Red Wagon 3:07
04.Trampin' /The Loop 7:52
05.Trampin'/The Loop (return) 2:25
06.Little John Shoes 3:09
07.Milord's Calling 5:06
08.Blues For Christmas/Rufus Playboy/Grandma's Coffin 7:33
09.Grandma's Coffin/Rufus Playboy/Grandma's Coffin (return) 5:42

Julian "Cannonball' Adderley (Alto Saxophone)
Art Farmer (Trumpet)
John Benson Brooks (Arranger, Piano)
Barry Galbraith (Guitar)
Milt Hinton (Double Bass).

This is one of the more unusual sessions that altoist Cannonball Adderley recorded during his career. Originally released under composer John Benson Brooks' name and now available as an Adderley CD, the nine-part four-movement suite has original folk melodies interpreted by a quartet comprised of Adderley, trumpeter Art Farmer, guitarist Barry Galbraith and bassist Milt Hinton; Brooks briefly plays piano on one piece. Although not essential, the music is thought-provoking, quite melodic, and looks backwards toward folk music of the 1800's while giving the pieces a 1950's jazz sensibility. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Tony Scott And The Indonesian Allstars - Djanger Bali (1967)

01.Djanger Bali 5:35 Arranged By - Bubi Chen , Tony Scott
02.Mahlke From "Katz Und Maus" 6:05 Composed By - Attila Zoller
03.Gambang Suling 7:08 Composed By - Narto Sabdo
04.Ilir, Ilir 3:58 Arranged By - Marjono , Tony Scott
05.Burungkaka Tua 5:18 Arranged By - Bubi Chen , Tony Scott
06.Summertime 8:07 Composed By - George Gershwin.

Bass - Yopi Chen
Clarinet - Tony Scott
Drums - Benny Mustafa
Guitar - Jack Lesmana
Piano, Zither [Ketjapi] - Bubi Chen
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute, Vocals - Marjono.
Recorded at SABA Tonstudio, Villingen, Black Forest on the 27th and 28th of October, 1967. Part of Saba's Jazz Meets The World -series. Original pressing, later reissued on MPS.


Part of the German label's "Jazz Meets The World" series. The New York-bred Scott had been living in Asia for some 6 years before this album was made and during that time had influenced musicians from Thailand to Taiwan. The Indonesian musicians on this album had met Scott 6 months prior to this recording in Germany, when they had studied Jazz with him in Indonesia. MFSL then suggested they re-group for this album. The players are among the top musicians in Indonesia with backgrounds in traditional Gamelan music and rock and roll. Jack Lesmana is on Guitar while the drummer, Benny Mustafa played in the top beat group in the country. The pianist, Bubi Chen is the most respected musician in the group with a long resume. The selections are heavy on Gamelon songs (Most arranged by Chen) or originals and one Jazz standard - "Summertime" - among the 6 selections. A unique blend of "East meets West" and though some tracks have been released on compilations, the full album has never been released on CD.

Aydin Esen - Anadolu (1992)

01.Anadolu
02.The Way In
03.Song for Santisi
04.All of a Sudden
05.Love's Haunts
06.Cafe Bouquet
07.The Roll of Time
08.The Roll of Time: Confidence in Dreams
09.Crystalline
10.Passages
11.The Roll of Time: Deeply Removed.

Anthony Jackson and Dave Holland, bass
Peter Erskine, drums, Mino Cinelu, percussion
David Liebman, soprano sax; Bob Mintzer, tenor Sax and bass clarinet
Jon Faddis, trumpet, and others playing brass instruments.
Aydin Esen, acoustic piano and synths.

Although Anadolu occasionally lapses into fusion clichés, it is a fine example of pianist Aydin Esen's budding compositional prowess and highly advanced harmonic sense. Literally a Young Turk (he was 30 at the time of the recording), Esen exhibits a restless spirit. He moves between an acoustic jazz quartet ("Song for Santisi," "All of a Sudden"), a larger ensemble ("Anadolu," "Café Bouquet," "Love's Haunts"), enormously complex solo piano work ("The Way In"), and even a piece for piano, cello, oboe, and English horn (the somewhat overwrought "Crystalline"). The supporting musicians need no introduction: bassists Anthony Jackson and Dave Holland, drummer Peter Erskine, percussionist Mino Cinelu, saxophonists Dave Liebman and Bob Mintzer, trumpeter Jon Faddis, and trombonist Dave Bargeron. Randy Kartiganer contributes wordless vocals on the Latin-tinged "Passages." Esen's keen sense of thematic development can manifest itself implicitly, as when he reprises the melody of "Anadolu" briefly during "The Way In," or explicitly, as in his finely wrought trilogy "The Roll of Time," the final movement of which is a minute-long duet with Dave Holland. His piano playing is rhythmically unpredictable and unrelentingly virtuosic, yet with no lack of emotional power. Despite the considerable promise indicated by this album, Esen would not again record for Columbia, and as of this writing hasn't been heard from nearly enough. ~ David R. Adler, All Music Guide.

Marc Johnson - Magic Labyrinth (1994)

01.Samurai Hee-Haw
02.J.P.
03.Solar
04.Paco, A
05.Forest Bower
06.Street Walk
07.Magic Labyrinth
08.Around That Time
09.Ne Um Tal Vez.


Marc Johnson (Bass)
Marc Alan Johnson (double bass)
Arto Tuncboyaciyan (vocals, drums, percussion)
Wolfgang Muthspiel (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, guitar synthesizer).
Recording information: Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg, Germany (06/1994).

Blue Mitchell - Collision In Black (1973)

01.Collision In Black
02.Deeper In Black
03.Jo Ju Ja
04.Blue on Black
05.Swahili Suite
06.Monkin' Around
07.Keep Your Nose Clean
08.I Ain't Jivin'
09.Digging in the Dirt
10.Who Dun It?
11.Kick It
12.Keep Your Soul Together.

Blue Mitchell - Trumpet, Horn
Paul Humphrey - Drums
Dee Ervin - Organ, Percussion
Monk Higgins - Organ, Piano, Arranger, Sax (Tenor)
John Cyr - Percussion
Jim Horn - Flute
Jack Redmond - Trombone
Al Vescovo - Guitar
Ernie Watts - Flute
Bob West - Bass
Dick Hyde - Trombone
Miles Grayson - Percussion, Piano
Jack Remond - Trombone
Anthony Ortego - Sax (Tenor).

More great Blue Mitchell for Blue Note, and another album that has him paired with the funky genius of Monk Higgins! Higgins lays down some tight short soulful backing, and Blue solos over the top in a way that's super-funky, with a hard-wailing sound that he never seems to reach in his straighter albums for Blue Note. The whole thing's a great jam, and includes many tasty cuts, like "Deeper In Black", "Jo Ju Ja", "Blue On Black", "Monkin Around", and "Keep Your Soul".

Charles Mingus - New Tijuana Moods (1962)

01.Dizzy Moods
02.Ysabel's Table Dance
03.Tijuana Gift Shop
04.Mariachis (The Street Musicians)
05.Flamingo
06.Dizzy Moods [Alternate Take]
07.Tijuana Gift Shop [Alternate Take]
08.Los Mariachis [Alternate Take]
09.Flamingo [Alternate Take].


Frankie Dunlop — Percussion
Lonnie Elder — Vocals
Jimmy Knepper — Trombone
Charles Mingus — Bass, Conductor, Leader, Liner Notes
Ysabel Morey — Castanets
Curtis Porter — Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
Dannie Richmond — Drums
Clarence Gene Shaw — Trumpet
Bill Triglia — Piano.

Amazon.com

When it was first released in 1962, five years after it was recorded, Charles Mingus declared this musical account of a bacchanalian trip to the notorious border town the best record he ever made. That may be exaggeration, but it's certainly one of Mingus's best, a suite of pieces that gives form to the range of both his oversized emotions and his varied compositional techniques. The sextet, which sounds like a far larger group, includes several musicians who would become perennial Mingus associates--drummer Dannie Richmond and trombonist Jimmy Knepper--as well as the gifted trumpeter Clarence Shaw, an obscure musician with a distinctive lyricism. In its tumult, passionate breadth, and programmatic content, Tijuana Moods looks ahead to Mingus's later masterpiece, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. --Stuart Broomer.

Dave Liebman - Back on the Corner (2007)

01.5th Street 7:42
02.Ife 8:11
03.Bass Interlude 1:24
04.Black Satin 5:25
05.Bela 7:45
06.Drum Interlude 1:32
07.New Mambo 7:37
08.Acoustic Guitar Interlude 1:52
09.Mesa D'Espana 7:34
10.Electric Guitar Interlude 1:30
11.J.B. Meets Sly/5th Street Reprise 10:36.

Dave Liebman: tenor and soprano saxophones, piano, synthesizer, wooden flute
Vic Juris: electric and acoustic guitar
Mike Stern: electric guitar
Anthony Jackson: contrabass guitar
Tony Marino: acoustic, electric and stick bass
Marko Marcinko: drums, percussion.
Recording information: Bennett Studios, Tenafly, NJ (06/12/2006/06/14/2006).

While listening to saxophonist Dave Liebman's 2006 release, Back on the Corner, it's pretty darn hard not to think of Miles Davis' groundbreaking early-'70s fusion period. And there are obvious reasons for this: firstly, Liebman actually played with Davis at one point (appearing on Davis' 1973 release, On the Corner), another Davis sideman plays throughout the album (guitarist Mike Stern), and lastly, two of the compositions were penned by Davis himself. Joining Liebman and Stern is renowned sessionman Anthony Jackson on contrabass, plus Liebman's own band of the last 15 years (bassist Tony Marino, guitarist Vic Juris, and drummer Marko Marcinko). And the group admirably replicates the sound and feel of all those classic fusion releases of the early '70s (no Spyro Gyra-esque blahness here), especially on the aforementioned Davis-penned tracks, "Ife" and the downright funky "Black Satin," as well as the laid-back album opener, "5th Street," and another funk workout, the properly titled "J.B. Meets Sly." If you think that vintage-sounding fusion is dead and gone circa the early 21st century, Dave Liebman's Back on the Corner should change your mind. ~ Greg Prato.

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (1963)

1.Track A - Solo Dancer
2.Track B - Duet Solo Dancers
3.Track C - Group Dancers
4.Mode D - Trio and Group Dancers/Mode E - Single Solos and Group Dance: Mode D-Trio And Group Dancers: Stop! Look! And Sing Songs Of Revolutions / Mode E-Single Solos And Group Dance: Saint And Sinner Join In Merriment On Battle Front / Mode F-Group A.



Bass, Piano - Charles Mingus
Drums - Dannie Richmond
Engineer [Recording] - Bob Simpson
Guitar - Jay Berliner
Piano - Jaki Byard
Saxophone [Alto] - Charlie Mariano
Saxophone [Soprano, Baritone], Flute - Jerome Richardson
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute - Dick Hafer
Trombone - Quentin Jackson
Trumpet - Richard Williams , Rolf Ericson
Tuba - Don Butterfield.
Recorded in New York on January 20, 1963.

Charles Earland - Soul Story (1971)

01.Betty's Dilemma
02.Happy Medium
03.Theme from Love Story
04.One for Scotty
05.My Scorpio Lady
06.I Was Made to Love Her.




Jimmy Vass - Fiddle, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Clifford Adams - Trombone
Maynard Parker - Guitar
Gary Chandler - Trumpet
Buddy Caldwell - Conga, Tambourine
Arthur Grant - Flute, Sax (Tenor)
Arthur Jenkins - Conga
Virgil Jones - Trumpet
Jesse Kilpatrick - Drums
Charles Earland - Organ, Vocals
Houston Person - Sax (Tenor).

Archie Shepp - Black Ballads (1992)

01.Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? (7.11)
02.I Know About The Life (5.20)
03.Georgia On My Mind (4.58)
04.Embraceable You (4.41)
05.Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (5.18)
06.How Deep Is The Ocean (5.25)
07.Lush Life (8.33)
08.Déjà Vu (5.08)
09.Angel Eyes (7.56)
10.All To Soon (5.55)
11.Ain't Misbehavin'(5.16).

Archie Shepp - tenor and alto saxophone
Horace Parlan - piano
Wayne Dockery - bass
Steve McRaven - drums.
Recorded at: Studio 44, Monster, Holland. Rec, date: 13 January 1992.

Dave Liebman - Opal Heart (1979)

1.Sunburst
2.Port Light
3.Opal Hearted Aborigine, Tghe
4.I Concentrate on You
5.Star-Crossed Lovers, The
6.Down Under.




David Liebman Quartet:
David Liebman (soprano & tenor saxophones)
Mike Nock (piano)
Ron McClure (bass)
Ed Soph (drums).
Recording information: Earth Medis, Sydney, Australia (02/21/1979/02/22/1979).

Dave Liebman - The Elements - Water (1997)

01-water_giver of life
02-baptismal font
03-water theme
04-ebb and flow
05-guitar interlude
06-reflecting pool
07-heaven's gift
08-storm surge
09-white caps
10-water theme-reprise
11-reflections on.

David Liebman (wooden flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone) Pat Metheny (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar, guitar synthesizer)
Billy Hart (drums).
Recorded at Red Rock Recording Studios, Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania on January 2-5, 1997.

Bruce Forman - Coast to Coast (1980)

Chasin' The Blues
Common Touch
DS Al Detroit
Her Name
Lover Man
Senor Seven
Slow Boat To China.



Held in high esteem througout the international jazz scene, Bruce's experiences range from stints with Richie Cole to playing with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Ray Brown and legions of other jazz greats. Known for his swinging bebop style phrasing and inventive harmonization's his ability earned him a participation on the music of the Clint Eastwood film 'Million Dollar Baby'. Stand out tracks are Slow Boat to China recorded in the Choice New York Studio and Senor Seven, made in San Francisco.

Dave Liebman - Songs For My Daughter (1994)

1.Little Peanut (7:25) [Dave Liebman]
2.Arrival (6:20) [Dave Liebman]
3.For Lydia (6:30) [Caris Visentin]
4.Innocence (8:43) [Dave Liebman]
5.Tomato Face (5:06) [Dave Liebman]
6.Papoose (8:04) [Dave Liebman]
7.Sins Of The Fathers (8:56) [Dave Liebman]
8.Mommie's Eyes (6:01) [Dave Liebman]
9.You Are My Sunshine (1:17) [traditional].

Dave Liebman - soprano saxophone, wooden flute
Vic Juris - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Phil Markowitz - acoustic piano
Jamey Haddad - drums, percussion
Tony Marino - acoustic bass, electric bass
Scott Cutshall - added percussion (on 7)
Lydia Liebman - vocal (on 9).
Recorded on May 1994 at Red Rock, Saylorsburg, PA, USA.

Spaceways Incorporated - Version Soul (2002)

Back of a Cab
Reasonable Hour
Size Large
She Just Got Here
Clocked
Rothko Sideways
Force at a Distance
All Frequencies.


Ken Vandermark: tenor and baritone saxophone, Bb and bass clarinet
Nate McBride: acoustic and electric bass
Hamid Drake: drums.
Recorded at Semaphore Studios, Chicago, Illinois on August 12 & 13, 2001.

Spaceways Inc. has thrown a sexy curveball at those who deemed the band a sideways project for saxophonist Ken Vandermark, drummer Hamid Drake, and bassist Nate McBride. Certainly the band's debut, Thirteen Cosmic Standards by Sun Ra & Funkadelic (also on Atavistic), offered this impression, though in all fairness it was a studio reflection of the band's first gigs. Version Soul is perhaps the first true example of Spaceways Inc. as a collective whose love for popular music from the past and present is the basis of an exploration into nuances heretofore unheard. All nine tunes were written either by Vandermark or McBride. Many of them are dedicated to other musicians, such as "Back of a Cab" (Jackie Mittoo), "Reasonable Hour" (Serge Chaloff), "Size Large" (Larry Graham), "Clocked" (Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste), and a few others for figures from other expressive worlds such as "Rothko Sideways" (Mark Rothko). What they have in common is the notion of how rhythm and nuance can be transcendent and bring disparate musical elements together. In "Back of a Cab," a series of one-drop reggae rhythms play out against a shimmering, minimal melodic line paced micronomically by McBride's bassline equating the two -- it's reggae meets noir jazz meets the blues. On "Size Large," dedicated to Graham Central Station founder Larry Graham, the push and pull of funk, go-go, and New Orleans second line come bubbling up under a slinky, kinky bassline as Vandermark walks the bar between syncopated street funk and deep jazz blowing. On McBride's "Journeyman," a nearly three-minute bass solo slithers around a lithe harmonic figure before inviting the post-bopping blues of Vandermark and Drake into the mix. When they flank him, rhythm becomes the voice of harmony and carries the swinging blues methodology into juju rhythms and back to cut time before pealing off into improvisation. The entire recording is summed up on "Clocked," however, dedicated to the Meters' drummer, Modeliste: the second-line funk of the mentor's band poops and simmer along, building a quiet intensity, accented by Vandermark's minimal melodic phrasing. Once the groove is well established, Drake begins to substitute rhythms, splitting them into fragments of time, from reggae dancehall moves to dub, plodding to Stax/Volt backbeat soul and groove and beyond. McBride creates a space for the of deep, grooving tones. His lines weave the varying tensions while offering Drake a killer series of deepening grooves to jump from. It's startling in its in-the-pocket, slippery shimmy. Version Soul offers modern jazz a new way to go, a new dimension for grooved movement without merely quoting the glories of the past. Awesome. ~ Thom Jurek.

Donald Byrd - Places And Spaces (1975)

01.Change (Makes You Want To Hustle) 5:07
02.Wind Parade 4:32
03.Dominoes 4:32
04.Places And Spaces 6:16
05.You And Music 5:18
06.Night Whistler 3:40
07.Just My Imagination 4:36.



Bass [Fender] - Chuck Rainey
Clavinet, Trumpet - Fonce Mizell
Congas - King Errisson
Congas, Percussion - Mayuto Correa
Drums - Harvey Mason
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] - Skip Scarborough
Guitar - Craig McMullen , John Rowin
Piano [Acoustic] - Larry Mizell
Producer - Larry Mizell & Fonce Mizell
Saxophone [Tenor] - Tyree Glenn
Trombone - George Bohanon
Trumpet - Raymond Brown*
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Vocals - Donald Byrd.
Sound Factory (08/18/1975-08/25/1975).

Chema Vílchez & John Stowell - Contemporary Visions (2001)

01.Invitation
02.Soft Skin
03.Unity Village
04.Fee Fi Fo Fun
05.Pictures in Black & White
06.Sense You Ask
07.All the Things You Are
08.Lars Von Trier
09.In oh Zen C.I.A.
10.Blue in Green
11.Giant Steps.

Chema Vílchez & John Stowell - Guitars

Claudio Roditi - Jazz Turns Samba (1994)

01.Moody's Samba 5:44
02.Birk's Works 4:44
03.Speak Low 7:20
04.Without a Song 7:41
05.Come Rain or Come Shine 7:07
06.Giant Steps 5:23
07.Moanin' 9:17
08.Moment's Notice 5:35
09.Donna Lee 5:11
10.Inside Out 4:06.


Claudio Roditi - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
David Sanchez - Sax (Tenor)
Ed Cherry - Guitar
Mark Soskin - Piano
Ignacio Berroa - Drums
Andres Boiarsky - Sax (Tenor)
David Finck - Bass
Hendrik Meurkens - Harmonica.