Ray Brown - The Man: Complete Recordings 1946-1959 (2-Disc Set)

Ray Brown had not reached his 19th birthday when he arrived in New York in 1945 and made an immediate impact as a member of the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet. The following year he was part of the memorable Gillespie big band that included James Moody, John Lewis, and Kenny Clarke. More or less simultaneously, Brown and the late Oscar Pettiford became the first significant representatives of the bass in the bebop revolution’s first generation. The second stage of his career as a nationally known artist lasted from 1948 to 1951, when his own trio accompanied Ella Fitzgerald (then Mrs. Brown). The third, of course, began in 1951, when his alliance with Oscar Peterson turned out to be one of the happiest and most durable in modern jazz. This set contains all the recordings he did as a leader, from his early be-bop days in the Forties, to the late Fifties, when every jazz poll considered him the top bass player in the field.

Album: The Man: Complete Recordings 1946-1959 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:53
Size: 134.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2011

[2:56] 1. For Hecklers Only
[3:03] 2. Smokey Hollow Jump
[3:07] 3. Boppin' The Blues
[2:33] 4. Moody Speaks
[1:54] 5. Slow Down
[2:18] 6. Blue Lou
[3:34] 7. Song Of The Volga Boatmen
[4:51] 8. Little Toe
[3:59] 9. All Of You
[4:27] 10. Everything I Have Is Yours
[4:45] 11. Alone Together
[2:40] 12. After You've Gone
[3:42] 13. Will You Still Be Mine
[4:07] 14. My Foolish Heart
[0:19] 15. Bass Introduction
[4:41] 16. Blues For Sylvia
[2:59] 17. Blues For Lorraine
[0:21] 18. Bass Conclusion
[2:29] 19. Cat Without A Playmate

CD 1 Sources: Tracks #1-4 were originally issued on different Savoy 78 rpm discs: Savoy 976, MG 9012, MG 12110 & SJL 2225; Track #5 is a previously unreleased Clef recording; Tracks #6-7 from the 78 rpm Clef 8936; Tracks #8-11 & #13-19 from the 12" LP "Bass Hit!" (Verve MGV-8022); Track #12 not included on the previous album.

Personnel in CD 1: Tracks #1-4: Ray Brown Octet: Ray Brown (b), Izzie Goldberg (alias Dizzy Gillespie), Dave Burns (tp), John Brown (as), James Moody (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Hank Jones (p) and Joe Harris (d). Recorded in New York, on September 25, 1946. Tracks #5-7: Ray Brown Trio: Ray Brown (b), Hank Jones (p) and Buddy Rich (d). Recorded in New York, April & July 1950. Tracks #8-12: Ray Brown Big Band: Ray Brown (b), Pete Candoli, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Ray Linn, Conrad Gozzo (tp), Herbie Harper (tb), Herb Geller, Jack Dulong (as), Bill Holman (ts), Jimmy Giuffre (cl, ts & bs), Jimmy Rowles (p), Herb Ellis (g) and Alvin Stoller (d). Marty Paich (arranger & conductor). Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California, on November 21, 1956. Tracks #13-18: Same personnel, but Conrad Gozzo (tp) and Mel Lewis (d), replaced Candoli and Stoller. Recorded at Radio Recorders, on November 3, 1956. Track #19: Ray Brown unaccompanied bass solo.
Recorded at Radio Recorders, on November 23, 1956.

The Man: Complete Recordings 1946-1959 (Disc 1)

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Album: The Man: Complete Recordings 1946-1959 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:40
Size: 152.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[12:06] 1. Body And Soul
[ 2:48] 2. Bass Ball
[ 5:30] 3. Bric-A-Brac
[ 6:37] 4. Upstairs Blues
[ 4:35] 5. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
[ 6:13] 6. The Nearness Of You
[ 8:03] 7. Take The A Train
[ 6:28] 8. Cool Walk
[ 8:58] 9. Jim
[ 5:18] 10. Mighty Cool Penthouse

CD 2 Sources: Track #1 originally issued on the 12" LP "Historic Jazz Concert At Music Inn" (Atlantic 1298); .Track #2 originally issued on the double 12" LP "The Playboy Jazz All Stars" (Playboy PB-1957): Tracks #3-9 from the 12" LP "This Is Ray Brown" (Verve MGV-8290): Track #10 originally issued on the 12" LP "The Playboy Jazz All Stars, Vol.3" (Playboy PB-1959).

Personnel in CD 2: Track #1: Ray Brown (b), Oscar Pettiford (cello), Herbie Mann (fl), Dick Katz (p) and Connie Kay (d). Recorded live at "Music Inn", Lenox, Massachussetts, on August 30, 1956. Track #2: Ray Brown Trio: Ray Brown (b), Herb Ellis (g) and Stan Levey (d). Recorded at Radio Recorders, on July 31, 1957; Tracks #3-9: Ray Brown Quintet: Ray Brown (b), Jerome Richardson (fl), Oscar Peterson (org, p on #5 & 7), Herb Ellis (g) and Osie Johnson (d). Recorded in New York, on February 27 & 28, 1958; Track #10: Ray Brown Trio: Ray Brown (b), Hank Jones (p) and Ed Thigpen (d). Recorded in New York, on July 10, 1959.

The Man: Complete Recordings 1946-1959 (Disc 2)

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Mike LeDonne Trio - Common Ground

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:00
Size: 132.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:02] 1. Jingles
[6:25] 2. Tonight I Shall Sleep (With A Smile On My Face)
[4:26] 3. Doujie
[5:16] 4. Sir Rah
[5:05] 5. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[6:49] 6. Machado
[7:38] 7. The Rev
[8:23] 8. A Change Of Heart
[7:52] 9. Told You So

On this excellent piano trio date, Mike LeDonne explores four of his swinging originals (including "Sir Rah," named backwards for Barry Harris) plus songs by Wes Montgomery, Duke Ellington ("Tonight I Shall Sleep"), Don Redman, and Milt Jackson ("The Rev"). Pianist LeDonne works well with bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Kenny Washington, and their interplay is one of the main reasons to acquire this fine hard bop outing. Their playing on "The Rev" is particularly soulful. Mike LeDonne, an unsung hero of the New York modern straight-ahead jazz scene, is always worth checking out. ~Scott Yanow

Common Ground

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Monica Borrfors - Second Time Around

Time: 49:56
Size: 114.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1990/2010
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. Happy Again
[4:59] 2. 'round Midnight
[3:43] 3. How Deep Is The Ocean
[5:19] 4. When Sunny Gets Blue
[4:56] 5. Flying Colors-Alone Together
[4:11] 6. Little Man You've Had A Busy Day
[6:55] 7. Old Folks
[3:23] 8. Star Spangled Rhythm/That Old Black Magic
[4:12] 9. Since Love
[5:00] 10. Twisted
[4:49] 11. High Time/Second Time Around

Double Bass – Per Nilsson; Drums – Magnus Öström; Piano – Gösta Nilsson; Tenor Saxophone – Stefan Isaksson; Vocals – Monica Borrfors.

In 1986 Monica Borrfors was chosen to do the Jazz in Sweden recording, and with that much acclaimed CD she received a Swedish Grammy Award. Second Time Around is her second CD with the Quintet, this time reinforced on some of the tracks with brass. Some of the arrangements are made by Bernt Rosengren. This CD was also nominated for The Swedish Grammy Award (Grammis).

Second Time Around

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The Bobby Hackett Quintet - A String Of Pearls

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:32
Size: 88.2 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 1965/2002
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Perfidia
[2:36] 2. Adios
[3:09] 3. Blue Moon
[3:38] 4. Georgia On My Mind
[2:58] 5. Tuxedo Junction
[3:10] 6. Jersey Bounce
[3:39] 7. Poor Butterfly
[3:52] 8. Rhapsody In Blue
[3:05] 9. A String Of Pearls
[3:15] 10. Moonlight Serenade
[2:58] 11. Stompin' At The Savoy
[3:22] 12. In The Mood

Bobby Hackett was in Glenn Miller's band for a little over a year in 1941-1942, and he had a memorable solo on "A String of Pearls." This collection, recorded more than 20 years later, recalls Hackett's tenure with Miller, but in a noticeably different style. "And Other Great Songs Made Famous by the Glenn Miller Orchestra" is the subtitle, but the contents do not live up to that claim. "Blue Moon," "Georgia on My Mind," and "Rhapsody in Blue" were famous long before Miller ever organized a band, and "Jersey Bounce," "Poor Butterfly," and "Stompin' at the Savoy" were not hits for him, but for others. That's half the tracks that don't conform to the album's concept. Hackett is accompanied by what the liner notes call "Wall-to-Wall Strings and Brass," a large ensemble, in new arrangements by Miller alumnus George Williams. This is really an attempt to update Miller in a style more reminiscent of Lawrence Welk or Jackie Gleason. As he did with Gleason, Hackett gives the music some jazz credibility, playing distinctively when he gets in front of the microphone. But the result is still closer to easy listening music than swing. ~William Ruhlmann

A String Of Pearls

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Nashville Jazz - Jazz Instrumentals Of Country Classics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:56
Size: 89.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz, Country-jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Night Life
[2:35] 2. I'm So Lonesome
[2:07] 3. I Fall To Pieces
[2:15] 4. Heartbreak Hotel
[1:53] 5. Making Believe
[2:47] 6. Funny How Time Slips Away
[2:56] 7. Crazy
[2:31] 8. Today I Started Loving You Again
[2:34] 9. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
[2:44] 10. Last Date
[2:47] 11. Make The World Go Away
[2:29] 12. Sweet Dreams
[3:05] 13. I Can't Stop Loving You
[2:20] 14. Please Release Me
[2:49] 15. Welcome To My World

Jazz Instrumentals Of Country Classics

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Denis Solee - Blues In The Night

Styles: Traditional Jazz Combo
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:58
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. Harlem Nocturne
(4:31)  2. Blues In The Night
(3:52)  3. Theme From The Pink Panther
(4:33)  4. Body Heat
(3:53)  5. Laura
(4:20)  6. Dreamsville
(4:32)  7. Theme From Perry Mason
(4:07)  8. Melancholy Serenade
(5:56)  9. 'Round Midnight
(3:51) 10. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:02) 11. Theme For Ernie
(4:43) 12. You Don't Know What Love Is

Sultry tenor sax and orchestra performing film noir classics and bluesy standards.

Personnel: Denis Solee (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Jack Jezzro (guitar); Mary Alice Hoepfinger (harp); Connie Ellisor, Karen Winkelmann, Pam Sixfin, Mary Kathryn Van Osdale, David Davidson , David Angell (violin); Elizabeth Lamb, Jim Grosjean, Monisa Angell (viola); John Catchings, Anthony LaMarchina (cello); Erik Gratton (flute); Lee Levine (clarinet); Ellen Menking (oboe); Beth Beeson, Jennifer Kummer (French horn); Lori Mechem, Beegie Adair (piano); Jeff Steinberg (keyboards); Chris Brown (drums); Eric Darken (percussion).

Blues In The Night

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Hot Club Sandwich - Green Room

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:23
Size: 111,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. Stompin' at KAOS
(2:43)  2. Sweet Sue
(2:57)  3. Gaucho
(4:10)  4. Yogiri No Shinobiai
(2:50)  5. Renegade Cafe
(4:40)  6. Heavy Artillery
(2:50)  7. Old Joe's Hittin' the Jug
(4:33)  8. I'll Never Be the Same
(4:15)  9. Dedos Duros
(3:23) 10. Gotcha
(3:24) 11. Eight, Nine and Ten
(2:29) 12. Twilight in Turkey
(3:12) 13. Waltz Resistance
(2:59) 14. Green Room

The Seattle jazz string combo conjures the gypsy fire of Django Reinhardt and the mellifluous playing of his confrere, the violinist Stephane Grappelli, in a tribute to the music of the Hot Club De France. 

"Gaucho" is a carefree, European-style instrumental romp, and "Stompin' At KAOS" (presumably a reference to the Olympia radio station, not the GET SMART spoof spy organization) evinces a similar easy swing. http://www.allmusic.com/album/green-room-mw0000489111

Personnel: Kevin Connor (vocals, guitar); Rich Sikorski (vocals); Greg Ruby (guitar); Matt Sircely (mandolin); Chris Blacker (accordion)

Green Room

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Joey DeFrancesco - Estate

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:22
Size: 156,9 MB
Art: Front

(13:36)  1. Estate
( 8:59)  2. On a Clear Day
(11:04)  3. Fly Me to the Moon
( 9:43)  4. Voyage
( 6:32)  5. The Nearness Of You
(10:49)  6. Mauro's Blues
( 7:35)  7. I Could Write a Book

At seventeen jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco toured with Miles Davis (who showed DeFrancesco how to play trumpet). Since then this child prodigy and five year consecutive Downbeat Critics and Readers poll winner has changed the landscape of Jazz organ forever. He was the force behind the Hammond B-3 resurgence in the 80’s while embracing and recording with organ legends Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, and Jack McDuff. Grammy Nominated DeFrancesco is one of the finest and complex improvisers today and probably the youngest jazz great. His speed, timing, musicality, and feel, gives him the flexibility to play any style and move smoothly from a slow ballad to a burning swing. His influences are all the greats before him. On this album you’ll hear the influences of Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra and John Coltrane. Joey has it all, this album is a great representation of what he can do-he sings, he plays trumpet, flugel horn, and organ.

Sharing the spotlight is Italian pianist, Massimo Faraò. He tours internationally and has played with such greats as Benny Golson, Archie Shepp, Jimmy Cobb, Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Buster Williams, and Sheila Jordan. One Estate, Faraò delicately interplays with DeFrancesco to create complimentary lines, and beautiful spacing not to get in the others’ way. There is some fantastic counterpoint on the tune, “Fly me to the moon”. Organ and piano records are not so typical because not everyone can play with another chordal instrument-but these two have more the proven it can be tastefully executed with keyboards in an artful way.

The heartbeat is drummer, Byron “Wookie” Landham. Landham spends most of his time on the road and has been playing with DeFrancesco for twenty years. The two share the groove making the simultaneous musical hits and breaks sound as thought it’s coming from the same person. He plays with such sensitivity and intensity that he has been revered by other instrumentalist and singers, including Betty Carter, with whom he toured. Landham, long overlooked by the media, is a long time endorsee for Bosphorus Cymbols, Taye Drums, and Regal Tip (look for the “Byron “Wookie” Landham” signature stick). He has played all over the world at every major jazz festival. Out of his love for Philly, when he is home, if you’re lucky you’ll catch him running a jam session at Ortleibs Jazzhouse.

And lastly, Italian bassist, Aldo Zunino plays with groove, poise and intent. He started playing very young and as a teen played with Shirley Scott. He has toured with many groups, and has recorded with the likes Bobby Durham, Tony Scott, and Jimmy Cobb. He has performed in Europe with Art Farmer, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Lew Tabackim, Gary Bartz, Tommy Flanagan, George Cables, and Kenny Burrell. Estate is a great representation of all four of these amazing players and would be enjoyed by the jazz novice to the jazz enthusiast. Enjoy… http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/zuccarecords

Personnel: Joey DeFrancesco (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, organ); Massimo Faraò (piano); Aldo Zunino (bass instrument); Byron Landham (drums).

Estate

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