Benny Carter - New Jazz Sounds: The Urbane Sessions (2 Disc Set)

The remarkable Benny Carter, who had first recorded 25 years earlier, was not even halfway through with his career when he started making sessions for Verve. This double CD wraps up the complete reissuance of all of his Verve albums. The distinctive and lyrical altoist is backed by strings throughout the first disc (16 songs plus ten alternate takes), but there is nothing sleepy about the music. The string arrangements (half by Joe Glover and half by Carter himself) are tasteful and provide a cushion for Carter's melodic but unpredictable horn; this is far from mere mood music. Most of the second disc matches the ageless altoist with trumpeter Roy Eldridge and a rhythm section. Some heat is generated, and most unusual are four unique numbers on which Eldridge duets with drummer Alvin Stoller (one has Roy overdubbing some basic piano), although Roy mostly follows the chord changes. In addition, there is a leftover alternate take from a Carter session with the Oscar Peterson quartet and two exciting selections in a sextet with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and trombonist Bill Harris. Easily recommended, this is a perfectly conceived series. ~Scott Yanow

Album: New Jazz Sounds: The Urbane Sessions (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 76:53

Size: 176.0 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 1996

[3:40] 1. Isn't It Romantic

[3:44] 2. Some Other Spring

[3:37] 3. These Things You Left Me

[3:16] 4. 'round Midnight

[2:38] 5. Alone Together

[3:14] 6. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered

[2:59] 7. Cocktails For Two

[3:07] 8. Key Largo

[2:35] 9. I'll Be Around

[2:51] 10. Beautiful Love

[3:09] 11. Blue Star

[2:50] 12. Flamingo

[2:32] 13. With A Song In My Heart

[2:38] 14. Can't We Be Friends

[2:15] 15. Symphony

[3:03] 16. I'm Sorry

[3:12] 17. 'round Midnight

[3:14] 18. 'round Midnight (Alt 2)

[2:37] 19. Alone Together

[3:07] 20. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered

[3:10] 21. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered (Alt 2)

[3:01] 22. Cocktails For Two

[2:57] 23. Cocktails For Two (Alt 2)

[3:01] 24. Cocktails For Two (Alt 3)

[2:08] 25. Key Largo

[2:07] 26. Key Largo (Alt 2)

New Jazz Sounds: The Urbane Sessions  (Disc 1)

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Album: New Jazz Sounds: The Urbane Sessions (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 78:28

Size: 179.6 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 1996

Art: Front

[5:44] 1. I Still Love Him So

[6:02] 2. The Moon Is Low

[5:18] 3. I Missed My Hat

[6:15] 4. Ballad Medley I Remember You Chelsea Bridge I've Got The World On A

[8:32] 5. Polite Blues

[2:36] 6. Close Your Eyes

[4:03] 7. Where's Art

[4:35] 8. I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do

[4:35] 9. Striding

[3:10] 10. Wailin'

[2:25] 11. The Moon Is Low

[5:22] 12. I Missed My Hat

[2:39] 13. Close Your Eyes

[6:07] 14. Just One Of Those Things

[7:40] 15. The Marriage Blues

[3:18] 16. Street Scene

New Jazz Sounds: The Urbane Sessions  (Disc 2)

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