Monday, April 18, 2016

Grover Washington, Jr. - Winelight

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:26
Size: 90,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:36)  1. Winelight
(5:54)  2. Let It Flow (For 'Dr. J')
(5:31)  3. In The Name Of Love
(6:19)  4. Take Me There
(7:27)  5. Just The Two Of Us
(6:37)  6. Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba)

When Grover Washington, Jr. passed away in 1999 the jazz world lost one of its most successful and talented creators, and in his wake a slew of saxophonists have stepped up to fill the void. None have. Philadelphia jazz deejay Bob Perkins said, of Washington, a native of the City of Brotherly Love, "He was the originator of smooth jazz, and all the rest Najee, Kenny G followed him."  It is absolutely true that Washington was, along with George Benson, one of the founding fathers of smooth jazz and following the monster hit that was the Grammy-winning Winelight it wasn't long before the saxophone became, along with the electric guitar, the two most preeminent instruments in the genre. For better or worse (and there's an argument to be made for either side), Washington blazed a trail many others have followed, with varying degrees of success. Within the crowed group of smooth jazz saxophonists there are a few originals following their own muse and blazing their trails of their own. Regretfully, the vast majority bland cookie cutter clones slavishly hacking out infinite versions of the R&B/jazz fusion of "Mister Magic" and "Just the Two of Us" without bringing anything fresh to the table. Smooth jazz is stuck in a rut of safe sax where nothing is risked and nobody wants to step out of their comfort zone. Real jazz is all about taking risks, not playing it safe.

Washington was not so much a daring innovator as much as he was a solid musician who had paid his dues as part of Creed Taylor's CTI and Kudu record labels, where the music was glossy and the album jackets were distinctive. Washington was labelmates with Benson, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard, Bob James, Hubert Laws and Esther Phillips to name but a few of the artists on the CTI roster.  With his move to Elektra Records, in 1980 Washington uncorked Winelight. Predictably, it reached number one on Billboard's Top Jazz, but then it crossed over to other charts. The album went to number five on Billboard's Pop Albums, number two Top Soul Albums and "Just the Two of Us" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and stayed there for three weeks. The album would go on to win two Grammy awards. The quiet greatness of Winelight has not faded 35 years after its release. It's far and away the best album of Washington's long career. The slip n' slide funk of "Mister Magic" put Washington on the map, but Winelight was the evidence he could flat out play.

Washington would go on to record 11 more albums before his horn fell silent, but none approached the all-time high of Winelight. Not much of Washington's extensive catalog garners much airplay beyond "Mister Magic," "Let It Flow" and "Just the Two of Us," and that's a shame because he continued to make some interesting albums at Columbia which deserve to be heard. Perhaps this new reissued and limited edition multichannel 5.1 SACD release will rekindle a discovery of the extensive Washington discography. The Surround Sound remix was produced by Ralph MacDonald, the renowned percussionist who also co-wrote "Just the Two of Us" and shared production duties on Winelight with Washington. MacDonald died in 2011. Other notable musicians include drummer Steve Gadd, guitarist Eric Gale and a 21-year-old wizard on bass by name of Marcus Miller. The only complaint with the remastered release is the absence of any bonus tracks or new liner notes. It is a missed opportunity not to provide some details and insights into the recording process or how Washington and McDonald convinced the reclusive Withers to provide the vocals for "Just the Two of Us." When most lists of the Top 25 Jazz Albums of All Time are compiled, Winelight is nowhere to be seen. It likely wouldn't make the top 100 for the truly hardcore fan who likes their music with a rougher edge than smooth jazz provides. No way does it knock a Kind of Blue, A Love Supreme, Time Out or Blue Trane off the list, but when the list includes the 25 most influential jazz albums, Winelight belongs in there as much as Head Hunters or Breezin' for taking jazz into a brand new direction even if everybody wasn't happy with where it went.~Jeff Winbush http://www.allaboutjazz.com/winelight-by-jeff-winbush.php
 
Personnel:  Grover Washington, Jr.: soprano, alto, tenor saxophone;  Bill Withers: vocals (5);  Ralph McDonald: congas, percussion; syndrums;  Steve Gadd: drums; Marcus Miller: bass; Eric Gale: guitar; Paul Griffin: Fender Rhodes (2, 4), clavinet (1); Richard Tee: Fender Rhodes: (3, 5); Bill Eaton: synthesizer (5); Ed Walsh: Oberheim 8-voice synthesizer; Raymond Chew: clavinet (1); Robert Greenidge: steel drums (tuned by Rudolph Charles); Hilda Harris, Yvonne Lewis, Ullanda McCullough: background vocals.

Winelight

Kevin Eubanks - Zen Food

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:20
Size: 136,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. The Dancing Sea
(6:27)  2. Spider Monkey Cafe
(8:30)  3. The Dirty Monk
(7:34)  4. Adoration
(7:22)  5. Los Angeles
(3:52)  6. I Remember Loving You
(8:00)  7. 6/8
(4:13)  8. G.G.
(6:28)  9. Offering
(1:13) 10. Das It

As the former Tonight Show's music director for 18 years, guitarist Kevin Eubanks admirably performed the necessary duties of leading the house band, trading comedic barbs with host Jay Leno, and whatever else it took to get the job done. But before the glamor and glitz of Hollywood, most folks probably didn't know that Eubanks was and still is a superb jazz musician who has performed with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, bassist Dave Holland, and released a number of fine recordings. Eubanks' new chapter begins with Zen Food, showcasing his continued guitar mastery with a new band and fresh material. The recording's dynamics mirror his talent: an intrepid player with the ability to play with deep feeling; and a robust writer, covering a range of hard hitting vamps ("The Dancing Sea"), stealthy grooves ("Spider Monkey Cafe"), and blue serenity (" The Dirty Monk"), and tender ballads ("I Remember Loving You").

The band's symbiotic connection is crucial, beginning with the cornerstone of bassist Rene Camacho and veteran trap-master Marvin "Smitty" Smith who was also a member of the Tonight Show band. Moments such as the hymnal inspired "Adoration" are vivid, as Eubanks' acoustic chord-work is the perfect accompaniment to Gerry Etkins' ethereal keyboards. The set feels, at times, like a potpourri of styles, but the high level of musicianship elevates tracks such as the Wes Montgomery-like storm of "6/8," and the infectiously hip "G G (Gerry's Groove)," where Bill Pierce's saxophone laments sweet blues and Eubanks' electric guitar echoes the sentiment with elongated and improvised notes. Eubanks is a complete player, whether delivering jaw-dropping solos or flavorful comps. On top of that, he's not lost his superlative chops on acoustic guitar, as "Das It" attests. This short barn-burner displays a dexterity, intensity, and muscular finger picking reminiscent of his killer Shadow Prophets (GRP, 1988). What lies ahead for Eubanks is anyone's guess, but it is sure to be an interesting journey that begins with the welcome return of Zen Food.~Mark F.Turner http://www.allaboutjazz.com/zen-food-kevin-eubanks-mack-avenue-records-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Kevin Eubanks: guitars; Bill Pierce: saxophone; Gerry Etkins: keyboards; Rene Camacho: bass; Marvin "Smitty" Smith.

Zen Food

Sarah Vaughan - Embraceable You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:16
Size: 110,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. Embraceable You
(4:11)  2. Scat Blues
(2:22)  3. 'Lover' Come Back To Me
(7:18)  4. Round Midnight
(4:29)  5. Sassy's Blues
(5:03)  6. Misty
(2:35)  7. Just One Of Those Thing
(6:10)  8. Alfie
(3:33)  9. What Now My Love
(1:45) 10. I Had A Ball
(2:46) 11. The Theme
(5:00) 12. Lover Man

Possessor of one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century, Sarah Vaughan ranked with Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday in the very top echelon of female jazz singers. She often gave the impression that with her wide range, perfectly controlled vibrato, and wide expressive abilities, she could do anything she wanted with her voice. Although not all of her many recordings are essential (give Vaughan a weak song and she might strangle it to death), Sarah Vaughan's legacy as a performer and a recording artist will be very difficult to match in the future. Vaughan sang in church as a child and had extensive piano lessons from 1931-39; she developed into a capable keyboardist. After she won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater, she was hired for the Earl Hines big band as a singer and second vocalist. Unfortunately, the musicians' recording strike kept her off record during this period (1943-44). When lifelong friend Billy Eckstine broke away to form his own orchestra, Vaughan joined him, making her recording debut. She loved being with Eckstine's orchestra, where she became influenced by a couple of his sidemen, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, both of whom had also been with Hines during her stint. Vaughan was one of the first singers to fully incorporate bop phrasing in her singing, and to have the vocal chops to pull it off on the level of a Parker and Gillespie.

Other than a few months with John Kirby from 1945-46, Sarah Vaughan spent the remainder of her career as a solo star. Although she looked a bit awkward in 1945 (her first husband George Treadwell would greatly assist her with her appearance), there was no denying her incredible voice. She made several early sessions for Continental: a December 31, 1944 date highlighted by her vocal version of "A Night in Tunisia," which was called "Interlude," and a May 25, 1945 session for that label that had Gillespie and Parker as sidemen. However, it was her 1946-48 selections for Musicraft (which included "If You Could See Me Now," "Tenderly" and "It's Magic") that found her rapidly gaining maturity and adding bop-oriented phrasing to popular songs. Signed to Columbia where she recorded during 1949-53, "Sassy" continued to build on her popularity. Although some of those sessions were quite commercial, eight classic selections cut with Jimmy Jones' band during May 18-19, 1950 (an octet including Miles Davis) showed that she could sing jazz with the best. During the 1950s, Vaughan recorded middle-of-the-road pop material with orchestras for Mercury, and jazz dates (including Sarah Vaughan, a memorable collaboration with Clifford Brown) for the label's subsidiary, EmArcy. Later record label associations included Roulette (1960-64), back with Mercury (1963-67), and after a surprising four years off records, Mainstream (1971-74). 

Through the years, Vaughan's voice deepened a bit, but never lost its power, flexibility or range. She was a masterful scat singer and was able to out-swing nearly everyone (except for Ella). Vaughan was with Norman Granz's Pablo label from 1977-82, and only during her last few years did her recording career falter a bit, with only two forgettable efforts after 1982. However, up until near the end, Vaughan remained a world traveler, singing and partying into all hours of the night with her miraculous voice staying in prime form. The majority of her recordings are currently available, including complete sets of the Mercury/Emarcy years, and Sarah Vaughan is as famous today as she was during her most active years.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sarah-vaughan-mn0000204901/biography

Personnel: Sarah Vaughan (vocals, piano); Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet); Wade Legge, Bob James (piano); Al Jones , Omar Clay (drums)

Embraceable You

Wynton Kelly & Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 94,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:56)  1. No Blues
( 8:25)  2. If You Could See Me Now
( 6:46)  3. Unit 7
( 6:46)  4. Four on Six
( 6:12)  5. What's New?

Smokin' at the Half Note is essential listening for anyone who wants to hear why Montgomery's dynamic live shows were considered the pinnacle of his brilliant and incredibly influential guitar playing. Pat Metheny calls this "the absolute greatest jazz guitar album ever made," and with performances of this caliber ("Unit 7" boasts one of the greatest guitar solos ever recorded) his statement is easily validated. Montgomery never played with more drive and confidence, and he's supported every step of the way by a genuinely smokin' Wynton Kelly Trio. In 1998, Verve reissued the complete show on disc two of Impressions: The Verve Jazz Sides, although the scrambled track order and some non-essential cuts don't diminish the appeal of the original album.~Jim Smith http://www.allmusic.com/album/smokin-at-the-half-note-mw0000188578

Personnel: Wes Montgomery (guitar); Wynton Kelly (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).

Smokin' at the Half Note/a>