Jimmy Smith - Monster (1965)

01.Goldfinger
02.St. James Infirmary
03.Gloomy Sunday
04.Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
05.Munsters Theme Marshall
06.Man With the Golden Arm (Theme)
07.Moonlore
08.St. James Infirmary
09.Munsters Theme
10.Man With the Golden Arm
11.The Creeper
12.Monlope (A.K.A. Moonlore).

Robert Ashton - Saxophone
Danny Banks - Wind
Raymond Beckenstein - Wind
Kenny Burrell - Guitar
Richard Davis - Bass
George Dorsey - Wind
Harvey Estrin - Wind
Budd Johnson - Saxophone
Oliver Nelson - Arranger, Conductor
Jerome Richardson - Saxophone
Jimmy Smith - Organ (Hammond)
Warren Smith - Percussion
Grady Tate - Drums
Rudy Van Gelder - Engineer
Phil Woods - Saxophone.

Review by Scott Yanow

Due to the material, which includes the two-part "Goldfinger," and the themes from Bewitched, The Munsters and The Man with the Golden Arm, this is one of organist Jimmy Smith's lesser recordings. The LP does have some reasonably inventive arrangements for the accompanying big band by Oliver Nelson and some spirited organ playing, but overall is a rather forgettable and overproduced effort.

Cecil McBee - Flying Out (1982)

1.First Impressions
2.Truth-A Path to Peace
3.Into a Fantasy
4.Flying Out
5.Blues on the Bottom.



John Blake - Violin
Olu Dara - Cornet
David Eyges - Cello
Billy Hart - Drums
Cecil McBee - Bass,Piano.

Review by Scott Yanow

This is a rather unusual chamber jazz album that finds bassist Cecil McBee interacting with violinist John Blake, cellist David Eyges, cornetist Olu Dara, and drummer Billy Hart. Variety is gained by McBee switching to piano on "Truth -- A Path to Peace," while "Into a Fantasy" is a classical-oriented string trio with violin, cello, and bass and "Blues on the Bottom" is a more conventional blues. The advanced music and the blending of the unusual colors works quite well.

Keith Jarrett Trio - Bye Bye Blackbird (1991)

1.Bye Bye Blackbird
2.You Won't Forget Me
3.Butch and Butch
4.Summer Night
5.For Miles
6.Straight, No Chaser
7.I Thought About You
8.Blackbird, Bye Bye.

Jack DeJohnette - Drums,Drums(Snare)
Keith Jarrett - Piano
Gary Peacock - Bass.

Review by Richard S. Ginell

This is the Keith Jarrett Trio's -- featuring bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette -- elegy for their former employer Miles Davis, recorded only 13 days after the maestro's death. The lonely figure in shadow with a horn on the cover contrasts with the joyous spirit of many of the tracks on this CD, yet there is still a ghostly presence to deal with -- and in keeping with Miles' credo, Jarrett's choice of notes is often more purposefully spare than usual. There is symmetry in the organization of the album, with "Bye Bye Blackbird" opening and the trio's equally jaunty "Blackbird, Bye Bye" closing the album, and the interior tracks immediately following the former and preceding the latter are "You Won't Forget Me" and "I Thought About You." The centerpiece of the CD is an 18-and-a-half-minute group improvisation, "For Miles," which after some DeJohnette tumbling around becomes a dirge sometimes reminiscent of Miles' own elegy for Duke Ellington, "He Loved Him Madly." As an immediate response to a traumatic event, Jarrett and his colleagues strike the right emotional balance to create one of their more meaningful albums.

Sun Ra Arkestra - Jazz in Silhouette (1958)

1.Enlightenment
2.Saturn
3.Velvet
4.Ancient Aiethopia
5.Hours After
6.Horoscope
7.Images
8.Blues at Midnight.


Sun Ra - Piano
John Gilmore - Sax (Tenor)
Marshall Allen - Flute, Sax (Alto)
Charles Davis - Sax (Baritone)
Hobart Dotson - Trumpet
Pat Patrick - Flute, Sax (Baritone)
Julian Priester - Trombone
James Spaulding - Flute, Sax (Alto)
Ronnie Boykins - Bass
William "Bugs" Cochran - Drums.

Throughout their mid-to-late-'50s stay in Chicago, Sun Ra (piano) and his Arkestra established themselves as formidable purveyors of a new strain or sub-genre of jazz. Having evolved from elaborate reworkings of familiar standards, Jazz in Silhouette (1959) presents a collection of originals, building upon Ra's abilities as a consummate multi-tasker — writing, arranging, scoring parts for his band, in addition to performing. He stretches the boundaries of the music to suit the Arkestra, simultaneously progressing his distinct sound. Seminal readings of the quick and complex "Saturn" and "Velvet" are offered with unmatchable dexterity and precision. The latter title comes off like a confused version of "Jeepers Creepers" as Hobart Dotson (trumpet) prominently displays his unquestionable tonality. "Ancient Aiethopia" is one of the more involved works, both in terms of length — running over nine minutes — and the Arkestra's capacity for Ra's compositions. "Blues at Midnight" is another expansive (nearly 12 minutes) outing that, by contrast, is for the soloists rather than full ensemble. John Gilmore (tenor sax), Ronnie Boykins (bass), Pat Patrick (baritone sax), and Marshall Allen (alto sax) all shine behind William Cochran's (drums) solid contributions. Equally significant is the running dialogue Ra maintains during other musicians' leads, directing the ebb and flow with an uncanny fusion of melody and rhythm. Undoubtedly, this is a factor in the freshness the material retains. It is also a prime example of Ra and company in a transitional phase, prior to their full-fledged explorations into the avant-garde.

"Hours After"

Rypdal, Vitous, DeJohnette (1978)

1.Sunrise
2.Den Forste Sne
3.Will
4.Believer
5.Flight
6.Seasons.



Terje Rypdal - (guitar, guitar synthesizer, organ)
Miroslav Vitous - (double-bass, electric piano)
Jack DeJohnette - (drums).

Part of the new 'Touchstones' series of specially-priced and newly packaged albums from ECM's back catalogue. All featuring the original artwork and brand new packaging - double cardboard sleeves reminiscent of the original LPs.
An absolute must-have for the wildly inventive playing of Rypdal, Vitous and DeJohnette, this is atmospheric, abstract, and powerful music in which cascades of sound prevail and another early ECM classic, uniting like-minded adventurous souls.

"Flight"

Herbie Mann - Glory of Love (1967)

01.No Use Crying
02.Hold On I'm Coming
03.Glory of Love
04.Unchain My Heart
05.House of the Risin' Sun
06.The Letter
07.Upa, Neguinho
08.Love Is Far Stronger Than We
09.Oh, How I Want to Love You
10.In And Out.
Herbie Mann, fl
Roy Glover, Roland Hanna, Paul Griffin, p, org
Ron Carter, Earl May, bs
Grady Tate, Herb Lovelle, ds
Ted Sommers, Roy Ayers, vibes
Ray Barretto, Ted Sommer, Johnny Pacheco, perc
Eric Gale, Jay Berliner, Sonny Sharrock, gtr
Hubert Laws, fl, piccolo.

Review by Scott Yanow

Flutist Herbie Mann is backed by a large rhythm section and a small horn section on this Creed Taylor-produced A&M set (which has been reissued on CD). Actually the most interesting aspect of the R&B-oriented date (which includes such songs as "Hold on, I'm Comin'," "House of the Risin' Sun" and "Unchain My Heart") is that the up-and-coming flutist Hubert Laws is matched with Mann on several tracks.

Al Foster - Mr.Foster (1979)

1.I've Been Blessed
2.Whatsoever
3.She Is The Greatest Dancer
4.To My Lady
5.Mr.Foster
6.Just Before Dawn
7.Love Eyes.


Al Foster - drums, synth-drums, lead vocal
Carmen Barnes - lead vocal
T.M. Stevens - electric bass
Ron Carter - acoustic bass
Shiro Mori - synthesizer, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Hubert Evans - electric piano, acoustic piano
Onaje Allan Gumbs - synthesizer, acoustic piano,
Harold Vick - tenor saxophone
Dave Liebman - soprano saxophone
Sammy Figueroa - percussion, plus strings & vocals
Bob Mintzer - sax
Hiram Bullock - guitar
Tom Harrell - trumpet.

Herb Ellis & Ray Brown - Soft Shoe (1974)

1.INKA-DINKA-DOO
2.SOFT SHOE
3.EDISON LIGHTS
4.EASTER PARADE
5.GREEN DOLPHIN STREET
6.ELLIS ORIGINAL
7.THE FLINTSTONES THEME.


HERB ELLIS- guitar
RAY BROWN- bass
HARRY "SWEETS" EDISON- trumpet
GEORGE DUKE- piano
JAKE HANNA- drums.

Review by Scott Yanow

This early Concord recording (which is available on CD) is unusual in a couple of ways. Guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown (who are the co-leaders) are joined not only by trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison (who is in colorful form) and drummer Jake Hanna but pianist George Duke in one of his very few mainstream records. Their repertoire includes jazz versions of such unlikely tunes as "Inka-Dinka-Doo," "Easter Parade" and "The Flintstones Theme"; the latter version (which is based on the familiar "I Got Rhythm" chord changes) was the first of many to turn that cartoon melody into jazz. In addition Brown ("Soft Shoe"), Edison and Ellis contribute a song apiece plus there is a brief rendition of "Green Dolphin Street" that is taken as a Brown-Ellis duet. Recommended.

Marc Johnson - The Sound of Summer Running (1998)

01.Faith In You
02.Ghost Town
03.Summer Running
04.With My Boots On
05.Union Pacific
06.Porch Swing
07.Dingy-Dong Day
08.The Adventures Of Max And Ben
09.In A Quiet Place
10.For A Thousand Years

Marc Jonson - bass
Bill Frisell - electric & acoustic guitars
Pat Metheny - electric & acoustic guitars, 42-string Pikasso guitar
Joey Baron - drums, tambourine.

Review by Scott Yanow

This date is a surprisingly mellow and melodic affair, particularly when one considers the personnel (bassist Marc Johnson, both Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny on guitars and drummer Joey Baron). Much of the music is comprised of unclassifiable, folkish melodies filled with lyrical guitar solos. Frisell is quite restrained throughout (adding a country feel to many of the songs) and Metheny is less distinctive than usual, alternating between his electric and acoustic guitars, as well as his 42-string pikasso guitar. The quartet performs seven Johnson originals (most memorable is "Union Pacific"), two by Frisell and one from Metheny. The overall results are pleasing and relaxed music that falls a little bit short of being the classic date one might expect; more fire was needed.

Emily Remler - Transitions (1984)

1.Nunca Mais
2.Searchin'
3.Transitions
4.Del Sasser
5.Coral
6.Ode to Mali.




John D'earth - Trumpet
Eddie Gomez - Bass
Bob Moses - Drums
Emily Remler - Guitar.

Review by Scott Yanow
Guitarist Emily Remler's third Concord recording was a strong step forward, as she started to really get away from her early Wes Montgomery/Herb Ellis influence and find a voice of her own. Rather than a standard piano-bass-drums trio, Remler teams up with trumpeter John D'Earth, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Bob Moses. Her three originals are challenging, and the quartet also performs Sam Jones' swinging "Del Sasser," Duke Ellington's lesser-known "Searchin'" and Keith Jarrett's "Coral." Throughout, Remler shows that her future lay beyond straight-ahead bebop, although as it turned out, she would not live long enough to be as influential as she would have been. All in all, this is one of the strongest of the six Emily Remler Concord recordings.

Steve Kuhn - Ecstasy (1975)

01.Silver
02.Prelude In G
03.Ulla
04.Thoughts Of A Gentleman-The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers
05.Life's Backward Glance.

Review by Ken Dryden

Steve Kuhn performs five unaccompanied originals on this 1974 studio session recorded in Norway. "Silver," his fascinating opener, is a haunting ballad with many faces, occasionally mysterious, but generally shimmering. "Prelude in G" features Kuhn's wide-ranging right hand (bordering on avant-garde at times) over a fairly steady vamp. "Ulla" is yet another lovely ballad, though the mood changes with a series of single repeated notes and chords in the second half of the piece, possibly symbolizing the passing of time and the fading of a love affair. "Thoughts of a Gentleman/The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers" seems like a title more suitable to a Dave Frishberg composition, but this extended work is anything but tongue in cheek. "Life's Backward Glance" mixes avant-garde and post-bop, with a somewhat classical flavor. Beautifully recorded by engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug, this out of print ECM LP is well worth seeking.

Kazumi Watanabe New Electric Trio

Mo Bop - New Electric Trio - I
1.Mo Bop
2.Dada
3.Robo
4.Ring of Life
5.Backdrop
6.Naima
7.Momo
8.Neo
9.Partida
10.Tricorn.

Mo Bop - New Electric Trio - II
1.Cleopatra's Dream
2.Blue Spiral
3.Mystic Island
4.Mosaic Stone
5.Dant's Point
6.Cry Me A River
7.Death Valley
8.Havana
9.Favor Return of Ensyu Swallow.

Mo Bop - New Electric Trio - III
1.Emboss
2.Somewhere In Time
3.Tiger Beam
4.Lawns
5.Dragons Secret
6.Good Fellows
7.Infancia
8.Stolen Moments
9.Manhattan Flu Dance.

KAZUMI WATANABE NEW ELECTRIC TRIO

2004 Release. For jazz fans, Kazumi Watanabe hardly needs any introduction. One of the most popular and well-respected musicians, he is also one of the best known. Since the age of 18 when he first started playing professionally, he has evolved a strong, intense style of jazz guitar with impact and creativity. He is a guitarists' guitarist. After taking Tokyo by storm in his 20s, he toured and traveled extensively, recording many of his finest work with American musicians, as well as with many long-term Japanese colleagues. In the past several years, he has recorded works that extend his vision from acoustic technique and fusion energy into extended compositional forms and intriguing jazz interactions. His latest two CDs "Mo' Bop" and "Mo' Bop II" are brilliant collaborations with two of the best musicians from Africa and Cuba, drummer Horacio Hernandez and bassist Richard Bona.

2005 release. Kazumi Watanabe New Electric Trio featuring the amazing Richard Bona on bass, and Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez performing the material from both 'Mo Bop' CDs live in Yokohama Japan on December 16, 2004. A definite contender for one of Audiophile top ten DVDs of the year. Kazumi Watanabe, guitar; Richard Bona, bass; and Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez, drums.

Mo Bop III (2006 Japanese exclusive 9-track HYBRID CD giving you the best of both worlds - fully compatible with conventional CD players but providing SA audio on SA players. The trio [also featuring Richard Bona on bass & Horacio Hernandez on drums] explore more exciting new ground in fusion. This really is a FANTASTIC CD that every lover of modern guitar Jazz fusion should own!

Guillermo Hill & Andy Lafone - Pancada (2006)

01-Llevo el acordeón
02-Gladston
03-Son como mil
04-Magic Groovers
05-Chances are
06-Little Plum
07-Samba de Ugo
08-La tregua
09-El profeta.

CHANCES ARE-SON COMO MIL; Gustavo Etchenique, drums.-Hugo Fattoruso, Keyboards.- Nego Haedo, Percusion.-Andy Lafone, Bass.- Guillermo Hill, Guitar El PROFETA; Gustavo Etchenique, drums.-Hugo Fattoruso, Keyboards.- Edu Lombardo, Percusion. Nego Haedo, percusion-Andy Lafone, Bass.- Guillermo Hill, Guitar LA TREGUA (written by Andy Lafone); Martin Ibarburu, Drums.- Nicolas Ibarburu, Guitar,2nd solo.-Nego Haedo,Congas.-Gustavo Montemurro, electric piano,- Andy Lafone, Bass.-Guillermo Hill, Guitar SURIYE SURIYA; with Voices of Nature. (www.myspace.com/voicesofnature) LA TUMBONA: (Writen by Paco de Lucia) Andres Ticino, Percusion.-John Crawford, Acoustic piano.- Guillermo Hill, Acoustic guitar.

Born september 14th, 1967,Montevideo, Uruguay. Living in London, UK since 1997. Played or recorded with: Mica Paris, Tom Jones, Airto Moreira, Negrocan, Tony Allen, Osvaldo Fattoruso, Fernando Cabrera, Jennifer Lopez, La orquesta de Julio Frade, Bel Air, Teish O'day, Hil St Soul, Chico Chagas, Armando Manzaneros, John Crawford, Pepe Gonzalez, Gabriel Estrada, Jazzinho, Davide Giovannini, Delanuka, Mariana Ingold, Jorge Schellemberg, Alejandro Ferradas, Roger Sanchez, The Full Intention, Katriona Taylor, Dee Anderson, Ugo Delmirani, Dill Katz, Urbano Moraes, Silicon Fly,Coco Fernandez, Vertente, Voices of Nature. Two solo records: Sistema de sonido de Montevideo, 2000, Perro Andaluz. Pancada (with Andy Lafone), 2006, Perro Andaluz.

Guillermo Hill

Kronos Quartet - Music of Bill Evans (1985)

 

1.Waltz for Debby
2.Very Early
3.Nardis
4.Re: Person I Knew
5.Time Remembered
6.Walkin' Up
7.Turn Out the Stars*Guitar Improvisation
8.Five
9.Peace Piece

 

David Harrington - Violin
John Sherba - Violin
Hank Dutt - Viola
Joan Jeanrenaud - Cello
+
Eddie Gomez - Bass
Jim Hall - Guitar

AMG:
"For their second and final jazz project, the adventurous Kronos Quartet (a top classical string quartet) performed eight Bill Evans compositions, plus "Nardis" (which Evans always claimed Miles Davis stole from him). Three songs apiece add either guitarist Jim Hall or bassist Eddie Gomez. The members of Kronos (David Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and cellist Joan Jeanrenaud) do not improvise, but they expertly play Tom Darter's arrangements, some of which (particularly "Peace Piece") are transcriptions of pianist Evans' solos. Overall this was an intriguing project, as was Kronos' slightly earlier interpretations of Thelonious Monk tunes."

Larry Coryell - Lady Coryell (1969)

 
01.Herman Wright
02.Sunday Telephone
03.Two Minute Classical
04.Love Child Is Coming Home
05.Lady Coryell
06.The Dream Thing
07.Treats Style
08.You Don't Know What Love Is
09.Stiff Neck
10.Cleo's Mood.

Larry Coryell (Guitar, Bass Guitar and Vocals)
Bobby Moses (Drums)
Elvin Jones (Drums) - 7,9
Jimmy Garrison (Double Bass) - 7.

On Lady Coryell, the 25-year-old Larry Coryell already possessed a virtuoso's technique and a rich harmonic and melodic imagination. He uses these gifts here to build swirling, multi-tracked, oftentimes intensely psychedelic performances that range seamlessly across the jazz and rock landscape. The most important tracks are "Treats Style" and "Stiff Neck." On the former, the guitarist is teamed with jazz masters Jimmy Garrison (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums) in a power trio of cool swagger and screaming blues. "Stiff Neck"is a furious duet between Jones and the guitarist. Coryell begins in a driving, post-bop vein, segues to a raw, acid blues and then out into a splintered, barrage of power chords and feedback.Jones navigates the way ahead, countering Coryell's audacity with controlled fury and an assured, muscular pulse. On the rest of the session, Bob Moses, a bandmate from the guitarist's first recordings, takes the drum chair, while Coryell overdubs the bass parts. Together they calmly probe the shifting sections and layers of the title track before transforming a Junior Walker R&B shuffle, "Cleo's Mood," into a mind-bending, rave-up. Even Coryell's hoarse-throated singing is effective. On "Sunday Telephone," -- over a maelstrom of phased, fuzzed, and wah-wahed guitars -- he yowls dementedly, "One more dime operator, can't you see it's Dr. Strange on the line." The album's only lapse is the country corn of "Love Child Is Coming Home," where Coryell tries to transcend one genre too many. - by Jim Todd, AMG.

Gary Burton Quartet - Something's Coming!(1963)

01.On Green Dolphin Street
02.Melanie
03.Careful
04.Six Improvisatory Sketches
05.Something's Coming
06.Little Girl Blue
07.Summertime.

Gary Burton
Jim Hall
Chuck Israels
Larry Bunker

Gary Burton's third full-length album as a leader finds him rapidly developing into a fresh new voice on the vibes. Engaged in close interplay with guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker, Burton performs four lyrical standards, including "Little Girl Blue" and "Summertime," Hall's "Careful" and a couple of numbers from his new friend Michael Gibbs. Excellent music, but this long-out-of-print LP will be difficult to find.

Common Ground - Not Enough Space (1997)

1.Scrub
2.Drop Two
3.Six
4.Remember
5.Not Enough Space
6.Up
7.West Coast
8.Drop Zone.

Dennis Chambers (drums), James Genus (bass), Dan Zank (keys) and Brian Farr (percussion).

Two listens and I became hooked on Common Ground, a clever fusion duo consisting of saxophonist Chris Farr from Philadelphia and guitarist Erik Sayles of Connecticut. This is the pair's second release, and it also features monster drummer Dennis Chambers, talented bassist James Genus, keyboardist Dan Zank, and percussionist Brian Farr.
Chris Farr and Erik Sayles weren't aiming for snooze-jazz radio with this one, because "not enough space" combines the guitar-driven intensity of Tribal Tech with the improvisational melodicism of the Yellowjackets. These six musicians play with a great deal of rhythmic fervor and jazzy intelligence on this 52-minute CD. It doesn't hurt that Genus and Chambers are masters of the fusion genre, and they're really at the top of their game here.
All eight tracks are solid. "Scrub" sounds like a funky Mike Stern composition, and it showcases some neat soloing from both Farr and Sayles. "Six" is remindful of the Yellowjackets, right down to its trumpet-like synth. Farr provides a serpentine soprano solo on the title track, which is also a great forum for Chambers' awesome skin work. "Up" starts out with some boppish riffing, then it turns along varying tempos while offering cool solos from Sayles and Zank. Sayles' playing is loud and contortedly bluesy — he's sort of a cross between Mike Stern and Allan Holdsworth — while Farr's tenor brings to mind Michael Brecker. He sounds even better on soprano.
It might take a few listens before "not enough space" completely wins you over, but it's well worth the effort. You won't hear many new.

Joe Farrell - Sonic Text (1979)

1.Sonic Text
2.When You're Awake
3.The Jazz Crunch
4.If I Knew Where You're At
5.Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 1: Her Spirit
6.Malibu



George Cables - Piano, Piano (Electric)
Tony Dumas - Bass, Bass (Electric), Guitar (Bass)
Peter Erskine - Drums
Joe Farrell - Flute, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet, Flugelhorn.

Review by Scott Yanow

This is an excellent straight-ahead outing matching Joe Farrell (who takes four songs on tenor and one apiece on soprano and flute) with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, keyboardist George Cables, bassist Tony Dumas, and drummer Peter Erskine. Originally cut for the Contemporary label, the set has six group originals (by Farrell, Hubbard, and Cables) that are performed at the perfect length, mostly between six and eight and a half minutes (other than the 12-minute "Malibu"). The concise solos make expert use of every note, and the results are both fresh and swinging.

Jan Hammer Group - Oh Yeah? (1976)

1.Magical Dog 6:43
2.One to One 3:32
3.Evolove 4:45
4.Oh, Yeah? 4:31
5.Bamboo Forest 5:25
6.Twenty One 5:06
7.Let the Children Grow 4:50
8.Red and Orange 6:43.



Jan Hammer - Keyboards, Vocals
Steve Kindler - Guitar, Violin
Fernando Saunders - Bass, Piccolo, Vocals
Tony Smith - Drums, Vocals
David Earle Johnson - Percussion, Conga.

AMG:
"This is an album of fusion at its best. "Magical Dog" and "Red & Orange" are definitive statements. This was the first xposure for violinist Steve Kindler. David Earle Johnson is on congas."

Larry Coryell, John Scofield & Joe Beck - Tributaries (1979)

1.The File (5:17) (Larry Coryell)
Joe Beck(left), Larry Coryell(center) and John Scofield(right)
2. Mother's Day (3:17) (Larry Coryell, Joe Beck)
Larry Coryell(left) and Joe Beck(right)
3. Little B's Poem (4:25) (Bobby Hutcherson)
Larry Coryell(left) and John Scofield(right)
4. Zimbabwe (8:10) (Larry Coryell)
Joe Beck(left), Larry Coryell(center) and John Scofield(right)
5. Solo on Wednesday (2:54) (Larry Coryell)
Larry Coryell solo with second part overdubed
6. Thurman Munson (5:19) (Larry Coryell)
Joe Beck(left), Larry Coryell(center) and John Scofield(right)
7. Eeuinox (5:05) (John Coltrane)
Joe Beck(left), Larry Coryell(center) and John Scofield(right)
8. Alster Fields (5:27) (John Scofield)
Joe Beck(left), Larry Coryell(center) and John Scofield(right)
9. April Seventh (5:49) (Larry Coryell)
Larry Coryell solo
10. Medley: Song For My Father / Sister Sadie (5:21) (Horace Silver)
Larry Coryell solo
11. Copenhagen Impressions (4:04) (Larry Coryell)
Larry Coryell solo
12. Variations On A Theme (2:47) (Larry Coryell)
Larry Coryell solo.

Larry Coryell : 6 and 12 string acoustic guitar
John Scofield : 6 string acoustic guitar (on 1,3,4,6,7,8)
Joe Beck : 6 string acoustic guitar (on 1,2,4,6,7,8).

Review by Scott Yanow

This CD reissue brings back material that guitarist Larry Coryell recorded for the Novus subsidiary when it was run by Arista. Most of the set matches Coryell with fellow guitarists John Scofield and Joe Beck in acoustic trios, two duets and one overdubbed solo performance. The variation of moods and the jazz-oriented material make this summit meeting a success even if the guitarists tend to sound more distinctive on their electric counterparts; after about 20 minutes of similar sounding acoustic guitars, it is difficult not to doze off. Expanding the original program are four Coryell solo acoustic performances that were originally included in the Arista Novus LP European Impressions. Once again, they are well played but primarily of interest to guitarists. [Originally released in 1978, Tributaries was reissued on CD in 2004 and includes bonus tracks.

Eric Dolphy - Here and There (1961)

1.Status Seeking
2.God Bless The Child
3.April Fool
4.G.W.
5.Don't Blame Me.

Track 1: Booker Little (tp) Eric Dolphy (as) Mal Waldron (p) Richard Davis (b) Ed Blackwell (d) Track 2: Eric Dolphy (bcl) Tracks 3, 4: Freddie Hubbard (tp) Eric Dolphy (as, fl) Jaki Byard (p) George Tucker (b) Roy Haynes (d) Track 5: Eric Dolphy (fl) Bent Axen (p) Erik Moseholm (b) Jorn Elniff (d).

Review by Scott Yanow

This CD reissue has rarities from three different Eric Dolphy sessions. "April Fool" and the alternate take of "G.W." are drawn from Dolphy's initial date as a leader, a quintet outing with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and pianist Jaki Byard. "Don't Blame Me" is taken from a Copenhagen concert but it is the two remaining numbers ("Status Seeking" and an unaccompanied rendition on bass clarinet of "God Bless the Child") that are of greatest interest. The latter cuts are taken from Dolphy's legendary gig at the Five Spot Cafe with trumpeter Booker Little, pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Ed Blackwell, not duplicating the seven more famous performances that are often thought of as the group's entire output. Although it is easy to think of this set on a whole as containing "leftovers," Dolphy's strong playing on alto, flute and bass clarinet makes the music of strong interest to his fans.

The Brecker Brothers - Out Of The Loop (1994)

1.Slang
2.Evocations
3.Scrunch
4.Secret Heart
5.African Skies
6.When It Was
7.Harpoon
8.Nightwalker, The
9.And Then She Wept.

Michael Brecker (soprano & tenor saxophones, Akai EWI); Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn); Eliane Elias (vocals, keyboards); Armand Sabal-Lecco (vocals, acoustic piccolo bass, bass); George Whitty (piano, keyboards, Hammond bass, programming); Robbie Kilgore (keyboards, guitar, programming); Maz Kessler (keyboards, programming); Dean Brown, Larry Saltzman (guitar); James Genus (acoustic & electric basses); Steve Jordan, Shawn Pelton, Rodney Holmes (drums); Steve Thornton (percussion); Chris Botti, Andy Snitzer (programming); Mark Ledford (background vocals).
Recorded at Skyline Studios, New York, New York.

Review by Jim Newsom
On Out of the Loop, Randy and Michael Brecker stepped up to the plate with their second long-player of the '90s, 20 years after their first foray into the jazz-funk-fusion realm. The album is surprisingly strong, and any fears of a paint-by-numbers attempt to cash in on past glories are quickly dispelled with the opening "Slang," which is reminiscent of Amandla-era Miles. Here, as throughout the disc, Michael's sax solo burns with abandon, while brother Randy's trumpet glides across a tastefully smooth and melodic terrain. "African Skies" has a decidedly Yellowjackets feel, with Michael again turning in a remarkably energetic solo turn. The set-closing "And Then She Wept" features Randy's attractive flügelhorn, as does the Eliane Elias-produced "Secret Heart," where Michael's soprano sax and EWI share the spotlight. "Scrunch" is a funky piece of programmed hip-hop over which the brothers Brecker play a riff similar to those they and the Average White Band delivered in the mid-'70s. Both Randy and the late Michael Brecker went on to make names for themselves in the jazz world after fronting their brotherly band in the '70s, earning the respect of critics and jazz fans alike. With Out of the Loop, they made a solid musical statement in a contemporary format, one they helped create and in which they proved to be masters.

Jamaaladeen Tacuma - Groove (2000)

01.Relax
02.The Hollers Of The Horn
03.Can You Feel It
04.O.T.S. (On The Spot)
05.Clipue
06.In The Mood For Groove
07.Dead Love
08.The Hippest
09.Da Jazz Pizazz
10.It's Out Of Control
11.Phat Back Bass
12.Coming Home Baby
13.Relax (Jazzy Jeep Jaunt)
14.Relax (Instrumental).

Bass - Jamaaladeen Tacuma
Drums - ?uest Love (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 13, 14) , Tim Hutson (tracks: 4, 10, 12)
Guitar - Richard Tucker (tracks: 4, 10, 12) , Rick Iannacone (tracks: 5, 7) , Zachary Breaux (tracks: 1, 2, 13, 14)
Keyboards - Richard Waller 3rd (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 9, 13, 14)
Saxophone - Ben Schacter* (tracks: 5) , Grover Washington, Jr. (tracks: 1, 8, 13, 14)
Trombone - Tyrone Hill (tracks: 5)
Trumpet - Stan Slotter (tracks: 5)
Trumpet [Pocket] - Ralph Peterson (tracks: 2)
Vocals - Black Thought (tracks: 1, 2, 13) , Malik B (tracks: 8, 9) , Wadud Ahmad (tracks: 10) , YZ (tracks: 5, 7)
Voice - Dyana Williams (tracks: 2).

Notes: Tracks 1, 2, 5, 7 to 9, 13, 14 recorded and mixed at Nebula, Philadelphia, PA; additional recording and mixing at Sonic Recording Studios, Philadelphia, PA Tracks 3, 6, 11 recorded at John Lennon Studio, Aubervillier, France, March 4, 1998 Tracks 4, 10, 12 recorded at Hall Sound Lab, Philadelphia, PA Mastered at Tokyo Recording Co., Ltd.

From Amazon.de-Redaktion
Jamaaladeen Tacuma is a quality of suspects. Definitely. As Rudy McDaniel was born in Philadelphia and grew up, he has since the mid-'70s to the influential electric bass player. Around the same time as Bill Laswell, he developed a variation on the one groovy, but tonally as rhythmically free. One way of playing, which is very much on the entire ensemble effect. Sound and music by Ornette Coleman band Prime Time, for instance, is hardly without Tacuma as possible.

Later benefited people like James "Blood" Ulmer, Olu Dara and Julius Hemphill of Tacuma (and he of them), became his solo career for qualitative Ascent and descent between paragenialischen moments and total rubbish. The direction of Groove 2000, gives the title of the Open before, "Relax." As always, top-filled, move the tracks in the steady flow of radio, the merger is more than free radio, and - besides Tacus Bass - especially by Grover Washington saxophone and Zachary Breaux 'guitar dominated. Awarded rape and casual singsong of Black Thought and Malik B. (The Roots) awaken pleasant memories of A Tribe Called Quest, the instrumentals in a small cast taste good after Steely Dan and George Benson in his better moments, and if at Jamaaladeen Wah Wah occurs, Sly Stone is in the house. Groove 2000 is one of the more coherent and intuitive Tacumas albums and, as one would suspect, even the end of the bygone days of innovation neuroses. - Rolf Jäger

Thelonious Monk - The Unique Thelonious Monk (1956)

1.Lisa
2.Memories Of You
3.Honeysuckle Rose
4.Darn That Dream
5.Tear For Two
6.You Are Too Beautifu
7.Just You Just Me.




Thelonious Monk piano
Oscar Pettiford bass
Art Blakey drums.

Review by Lindsay Planer

The seven-song Unique Thelonious Monk (1956) platter was the pianist's second during his remarkable five-year tenure on Riverside. His debut for the label was the aptly titled Plays Duke Ellington (1955) and once again, on this disc, Monk's song selection did not feature any original compositions. Rather, the well-chosen standards included exemplify and help further establish the pianist and bandleader within the context of familiar melodies at the head of a trio — consisting of Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Art Blakey (drums). Regarding the personnel, while Pettiford had also accompanied Monk on the Ellington sides, Blakey replaces Kenny Clarke. The pairing of Monk and Blakey cannot be overstated. Immediately, evidence of their uncanny instrumental interaction is the rhythmic focal point of "Liza, All the Clouds'll Roll Away" as the two play musical cat-and-mouse. They cajole and wheedle atop Pettiford's undulating undercurrent as it sonically corals their skilled syncopation and otherwise inspired mile-a-minute interjections. This is starkly contrast to the haunting, lyrical piano solo on "Memories of You." Monk infuses the piece with such profound ingenuity and integrity that his re-evaluation and innovative arrangement are singularly and undeniably his own. Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" reels with a frolicking and ever-so-slightly inebriated gate. It is likewise highlighted by Monk's dreamlike single-note runs up and down the keyboard and the stride piano-style chord progressions that preserves a fluidity within the tune. The advanced score maintains a guise of almost goofy abandon within Monk's highly logical and well-sculpted musical structure. The juxtaposition of "Darn That Dream" is another study in the vacillating moods of The Unique Thelonious Monk. The sophisticated performance is understated, yet remains loose and limber and perfectly in keeping with the album's leitmotif of exploring Monk's skills as an arranger and musician. As if he were testing his audience, the manic and atonal opening to "Tea for Two" — briefly featuring Pettiford on bowed upright bass — rollicks with a youthful visage, rather than being a simple reworking of this well-established classic. This LP concludes with one of Monk's most memorable pieces on the fun and freewheeling "Just You, Just Me." The trio struts and glides as Monk's intricate fingering simultaneously displays his physical dexterity as well as his ability to play so deftly in the moment. Both attributes would resurface ten-fold once Monk began to animate his own compositions on the genre-defining Brilliant Corners (1956).

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.

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.

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)

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".

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."

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.