Larry Coryell - Major Jazz Minor Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:27
Size: 147.5 MB
Styles: Blues-jazz guitar
Year: 1998/2010
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Moment's Notice
[4:43] 2. The Duke
[8:47] 3. 'round Midnight
[6:45] 4. Joy Spring
[5:39] 5. Yesterdays
[6:50] 6. No More Booze, Minor Blues
[8:25] 7. Tender Tears
[5:01] 8. My Shining Hour
[7:01] 9. Toka Do
[5:06] 10. Sophisticated Lady

Bass – Buster Williams, George Mraz; Drums – Beaver Harris, Billy Hart, Marvin "Smitty" Smith; Guitar – Larry Coryell; Piano – Albert Dailey, Kenny Barron, Stanley Cowell.

A jazz-rock pioneer during the late '60s and '70s, Larry Coryell was also a strong performer in a straight-ahead setting, as evidenced by his recordings for Muse during the latter half of the '80s. Major Jazz Minor Blues reissues ten titles from those records, most in a trio setting, and finds him reacting well with sidemen including bassists Stanley Cowell and George Mraz and pianists Kenny Barron and Billy Hart. The disc captures two of his best originals from the era, "Tender Tears" and "No More Booze, Minor Blues," plus Coryell's surprisingly nuanced versions of "'Round Midnight," "My Shining Hour," and "Sophisticated Lady."

Major Jazz Minor Blues

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J.J. Johnson - J.J. Johnson's Jazz Quintets

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:05
Size: 75.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1996/2003
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Jay Bird
[2:57] 2. Coppin' The Bop
[3:06] 3. Jay Jay
[2:39] 4. Mad Be Bop
[2:58] 5. Boneology
[2:32] 6. Down Vernon's Alley
[2:46] 7. Audobon
[2:46] 8. Don't Blame Me
[2:23] 9. Goof Square
[2:25] 10. Bee Jay
[3:00] 11. Yesterdays
[2:26] 12. Riffette

Alto Saxophone – Cecil Payne; Baritone Saxophone – Leo Parker; Bass – Al Lucas, Gene Ramey, Leonard Gaskin; Drums – Max Roach, Hank Jones, John Lewis; Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins; Trombone – J.J. Johnson. This limited edition CD reissue is part of the "Savoy Jazz 20 Bit Master Transfer Collection", a series that utilizes Denon's 20-bit digital remastering console which they refer to as the Mastersonic.

One can fault this CD for having brief playing time (a dozen selections totaling 33 minutes) and for not including the alternate takes, but the music is beyond criticism. When trombonist J.J. Johnson burst on the scene in the mid-'40s, his speed, fluency and quick ideas put him at the top of his field, where he remained for over a half century. This 1992 CD has the trombonist's first three sessions as a leader, music that qualifies as classic bebop. Johnson is matched with either altoist Cecil Payne, baritonist Leo Parker or tenor great Sonny Rollins (on one of his first dates) in quintets that also include Bud Powell, Hank Jones or John Lewis on piano; Leonard Gaskin, Al Lucas or Gene Ramey on bass; and Max Roach or Shadow Wilson on drums. Other than the ballads "Don't Blame Me" and "Yesterdays," the repertoire is comprised of originals (including Rollins' "Audobon") containing lots of tricky lines, concise but heated solos, and virtuosic playing. Until a more complete reissue takes its place, bop fans not owning the music (plus the alternates) on earlier LPs will definitely find this CD valuable. ~Scott Yanow

J.J. Johnson's Jazz Quintets

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Diahann Carroll & The Andre Previn Trio - Porgy And Bess

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:40
Size: 77.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1959/2006
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Summertime
[4:05] 2. My Man's Gone Now
[2:51] 3. I Got Plenty Of Nuttin'
[4:38] 4. Bess, You Is My Woman
[3:05] 5. Oh, I Can't Sit Down
[3:17] 6. It Ain't Necessarily So
[3:13] 7. What You Want Wild Bess
[3:16] 8. I Love You Porgy
[3:04] 9. There's Somebody Knockin'
[3:25] 10. There's A Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York

Bass – Joe Mondragon, Keith Mitchell; Drums – Frank Capp, Larry Bunker; Piano – André Previn.

The second recording (1952) by this radiant star of stage and screen-and you'll be amazed how mature and expressive her voice already is. Previn's bold arrangements and Diahann's uncanny rhythmic sense brought new freshness to Summertime; It Ain't Necessarily So , and the rest of these Gershwin classics.

Porgy And Bess

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Tony Monaco Trio, Joey DeFrancesco Trio - A New Generation Paesanos On The New B3

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:07
Size: 114.8 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:25] 1. Pasta Faggioli
[6:22] 2. Homily
[5:56] 3. Katarina's Prayer
[6:11] 4. Flat Tire
[5:32] 5. Mona Lisa
[6:50] 6. Mozzarella
[4:01] 7. Aglio E Olio
[5:00] 8. Oh Marie
[2:19] 9. Waltz Of The Angels
[1:27] 10. Bonus Interview

Tony Monaco - "New B3" organ and accordion; Joey DeFrancesco - "New B3" organ and trumpet; Robert Kraut - guitar; Craig Ebner - guitar; Louis Tsamous - drums; Byron Landham - drums.

Is there a secret spice in spaghetti sauce that makes a man's fingers burn the 88s? One listen to Paesanos On The New B3 and you would be apt to think so. A sizzling showdown between the dueling organs of B3 grand master Joey DeFrancesco and up-and-coming master Tony Monaco, Paesanos shows that the unique sound of the Hammond B-3 can still ignite the kind of sparks it did during its heyday in the '60s. Though cheerfully wrapped in a checkerboard tablecloth motif and sporting song titles like "Pasta Faggioli," this recording is actually a solid tribute to the classic organ battles between Jimmy McGriff and Richard "Groove" Holmes. The "new" generation refers to a new model of Hammond-Suzuki organ that Monaco and DeFrancesco employ and with their respective trios in support the two organists serve up nine tracks ranging from greasy blues to sanctified gospel to Neapolitan pop.

The opening track, "Pasta Faggioli," is an irresistible butt-shaker with a stop-time soul groove and straight-ahead blues phrasing by both Monaco and DeFrancesco. On this track and many others, it's difficult to tell who is playing but, suffice to say, the two paesanos are brilliant. The trios provide excellent support with crisp, melodic lines from guitarists Robert Kraut and Craig Ebner and fatback drums from Louis Tsamous and Byron Landham. Considering the sameness of many B3 recordings over the years, it is to the credit of Monaco and DeFrancesco that they change things up with each track. On "Homily" and "Katerina's Prayer," they trade off sweet gospel choruses, heightening the emotional resonance with the slightest change in pitch. Their high-speed unison playing on "Flat Tire" is a real thrill and it is matched by fleet-fingered guitar solos of Kraut and/or Ebner. The cheesy, squelched tones of the Hammond B3 on the romantic "Mona Lisa" are perfect for a whirl around the skating rink; and the call-and-response of "Mozzarella" features some interesting elongated tones, the kind of which can only come from the B3. And for extra spice, the breakneck "Aglio e Olio" features some fine bop phrasing by Joey on muted trumpet as he trades eights with the trios. Shifting the meatball schmaltz into high gear, Tony and Joey perform some fun melodic choruses and blocked chord attacks on Louis Prima's jaunty "Oh Marie" and Monaco plays wonderful accordion on "Waltz Of The Angels." But while these songs are enjoyable, one wishes they were prelude a more exciting finish than the disposable live interview that closes the disc. ~Ken Hohman

A New Generation Paesanos On The New B3

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The Hot Club Of Cowtown - The Best Of The Hot Club Of Cowtown

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:13
Size: 142.4 MB
Styles: Retro Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Ida Red
[3:21] 2. I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me
[3:17] 3. Forget Me Nots
[4:21] 4. It Stops With Me
[3:12] 5. Chip Away The Stone
[4:16] 6. Star Dust
[2:50] 7. Secret Of Mine
[3:37] 8. Deed I Do
[3:04] 9. Sleep
[1:15] 10. Way Down Yonder In The Cornfield
[3:28] 11. Always And Always
[2:57] 12. Fuli Tschai ( Bad Girl )
[2:19] 13. I'd Understand Why
[2:15] 14. Cherokee Shuffle
[2:52] 15. I Had Someone Else
[2:40] 16. Emily
[3:21] 17. Tchavolo Swing
[2:35] 18. Exactly Like You
[3:25] 19. When I Lost You
[3:55] 20. Orange Blossom Special

Fiddler Elana James (née Fremerman) and guitar whiz Whit Smith are the formidable front line of the Hot Club of Cowtown, who have been mixing Western Swing and 1920s hot jazz since the mid-1990s. This collection features some of the finest moments from the band's first decade or so, as Smith's Jimmy Bryant-meets-Django Reinhardt guitar and Fremerman's Stephane Grappelli-jams-with-Bob Wills fiddle dig into both original tunes and old country and jazz gems with equal aplomb. ~Jim Allen

The Best Of The Hot Club Of Cowtown

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Charlie Parker - Newly Discovered Sides By The Immortal Charlie Parker

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:15
Size: 105.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1993/2009
Art: Front

[5:22] 1. 52nd Street Theme
[4:44] 2. A Night In Tunisia
[3:56] 3. Slow Boat To China
[5:00] 4. Groovin' High
[4:42] 5. Big Foot
[4:23] 6. Hot House
[3:18] 7. Out Of Nowhere
[5:05] 8. Oop-Bop-Sh'bam
[4:38] 9. East Of The Sun
[5:02] 10. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid Be-Bop

Alto Saxophone – Charlie Parker; Bass – Tommy Porter; Drums – Max Roach; Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson; Trumpet – Kenny Dorham, Miles Davis; Vibraphone – Milt Jackson.

These are radio show transcriptions from 1948-49, when Parker ruled at Manhattan's Royal Roost joint. Although the recording quality isn't superb, some of the tracks come off really well. Charlie plays with a very young Miles Davis on trumpet. Max Roach is the drummer on some tunes, Tadd Dameron is on piano and Milt Jackson makes a guest appearance.

Charlie was born in KC in 1920, got his professional start there as a teen, and was buried there 34 years later after shaking up jazz in a major way. ~William E. Adams

Newly Discovered Sides By The Immortal Charlie Parker

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Ricky Ford - Manhattan Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:39
Size: 140,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:10)  1. In Walked Bud
(7:47)  2. Misty
(5:46)  3. Ode To Crispus Attucks
(8:05)  4. Portrait Of Mingus
(4:36)  5. Bop Nouveau
(6:02)  6. My Little Strayhorn
(6:28)  7. Manhattan Blues
(7:40)  8. Land Preserved
(6:01)  9. Half Nelson

This CD is a particularly well-rounded program, with tenor saxophonist Ricky Ford digging into three jazz standards ("In Walked Bud," "Misty" and "Half Nelson"), plus six originals that include tributes to Charles Mingus and Billy Strayhorn. In addition to the versatile pianist Jaki Byard (an underrated great) and drummer Ben Riley, Ford is joined by veteran bassist Milt Hinton, who is quite effective on this modern material. Stimulating music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-blues-mw0000308182

Personnel: Ricky Ford (tenor sax), Jaki Byrd (piano), Milt Hinton (bass) and Ben Riley (drums).

Manhattan Blues

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Rosemary Clooney - Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle!

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:50
Size: 72,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:14)  1. Get Me To The Church On Time
(2:25)  2. Angry
(2:44)  3. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(2:51)  4. How Am I To Know?
(2:59)  5. You Took Advantage Of Me
(2:40)  6. April In Paris
(2:54)  7. I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)
(2:16)  8. Some Of These Days
(2:30)  9. By Myself
(2:20) 10. Shine On Harvest Moon
(2:35) 11. Cabin In The Sky
(2:16) 12. Limehouse Blues

Rosemary Clooney declared her love affair with Nelson Riddle "the best blending of my job and my personal life that I've ever had." While it ended their respective marriages, it also resulted in some excellent music. Riddle will be familiar to most as the guy who orchestrated the great Sinatra records for Capitol; that is, if he's familiar at all. Suffice it to say that he was one of the greatest arrangers of all time, creating backgrounds for several different artists that all managed to present that particular person in the best light. Rosie Solves The Swingin' Riddle , from 1961, is no different. Riddle has a large arsenal of musicians at his disposal who are able to create all kinds of textures, from the resonant bells of "Get Me To The Church On Time" to the brassy swagger of "I Ain't Got Nobody." But Riddle was also capable of straddling the line between bombast and beauty, and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" features the same bouncy, ocean bottom groove that anchored Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin." The orchestration never overwhelms Clooney, since Riddle expertly creates backing that gives support rather than shelter.

Clooney is in fine form as well, investing the songs with the bold innocence that figured on her previous releases. She's capable of delivering the youthful gaiety of "Get Me To The Church On Time" as well as the wounded independence of "By Myself." Of course the song selection is part of the trick, and there's a nice balance between familiar songs and lesser known, yet catchy melodies. Riddle and Clooney are even capable of a few surprises; "April In Paris" features a strong Latin groove that takes a while for the brain to organize into a discernable pattern. If the riddle was, "How can you create a great vocal album that will stand up forty years later?" Rosie and Riddle did indeed solve it. Bluebird released a Rosemary Clooney compilation a few years ago that was only mediocre; they should have released this album instead. Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle is a terrific collaboration, and a classic vocal album. When Rosie's singing isn't grabbing you, it's a sure bet the orchestrations will. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rosie-solves-the-swingin-riddle-rosemary-clooney-bluebird-review-by-david-rickert.php
 

Personnel: Rosemary Clooney (vocals) arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle.

Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle!

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Harold Danko & Ron McClure - Wonderland

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 60:48
Size: 99,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:40)  1. Wonderland
(5:33)  2. I Made You Laugh
(4:56)  3. Nardis
(6:22)  4. To Start Again
(5:10)  5. Liz Ann
(3:26)  6. Freezin'
(6:40)  7. Midnight Grazer's Dilemma
(5:24)  8. I Do It Better At Night
(3:58)  9. Stella By Starlight
(6:50) 10. Beautiful Friendship
(4:44) 11. Nitequest

Although not particularly well known, bassist Ron McClure has been one of those utility musicians that everyone seems to have played with at one time or another in the past 40 years. He first came to the attention of the public at large in Charles Lloyd's popular quartet with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette and in the late '60s he was a member of the fine early fusion band The Fourth Way. Since then he's been bassist for such players as Joe Henderson, Chet Baker, Paul Bley, Dave Liebman and many others as well as leading his own sessions for a variety of labels. Pianist Harold Danko and McClure have traveled in the same circles for years yet never recorded together. Wonderland rectifies this oversight. They are very simpatico players, both strong on melody and with a keen sense of the history of this music. There's a lot of give and take in these duets with each voice gracefully trading leads as the other slips into accompaniment. The program consists of five originals (four by McClure and one by Danko) rounded out by several lesser-known compositions by jazz masters including the title track, a later Benny Carter composition, and a jaunty Earl Hines creation, "I Do It Better At Night." By choosing this format, both reach a little out of their comfort zones and are forced not to rely on cliches. This lifts this music out of the obvious and both fly along the changes with creative verve.

McClure is reunited with his former Charles Lloyd rhythm section partner Jack DeJohnette on Hungarian pianist Kalman Olah's disc Always. Olah has made his mark at European festivals with a two-fisted style drawn not only from jazz but also from classical and folk music. He's always imbued his music with a strong sense of swing but here with McClure and DeJohnette in his corner, he rises above the occasion, attacking the music with what at times seems like an almost manic energy. The first half of the disc focuses on Olah's compositions. The title track, an energetic opener, won the 2006 Thelonious Monk Institute's best composition prize. But it's "Polymodal Blues" with its shifting tonalities and "Hungarian Sketch No. 1"'s dissonant splashes and roiling drums that really catch the ear. Elsewhere, a lengthy unaccompanied intro to "Stella By Starlight" shows Olah's individuality. McClure and DeJohnette sound invigorated by this material, providing a stellar accompaniment to Olah's unique excursions.

The Fourth Way (with keyboardist Mike Nock, violinist Michael White and drummer Eddie Marshall) was an early fusion quartet that released three fine albums between 1969-71, none of which has been reissued on CD. Between Or Beyond was an album released in 1970 by the German MPS label and credited to the Mike Nock Underground, basically the Fourth Way minus White. Given its time and place (recorded in Germany in June of 1970), sonically, it's very much of its time. But it's a corker of an album that is the equal to any of the Fourth Way discs as well as a lot of other better-known electric jazz experiments of the time. McClure plays electric bass and it's mixed to the foreground so it functions as much as a frontline instrument as in the rhythm section. While some of this disc dwells in the area of adventurous acoustic piano trio jazz ("Hobgoblin" and McClure's "Denim Dance"), most of it is electric piano based jazz/rock. Nock sounds like he's having a lot of fun making his piano do a lot of things the old acoustic couldn't do. A point of reference might be Canterbury bands' forays into jazz improv. Nock's disc is a good demonstration that before it devolved into formulaic demonstrations of soulless technique, some highly enjoyable recordings were released under the fusion banner. Good to see this one back in print, although it may be hard to come by since it's a Japanese reissue. ~ Robert Iannapollo https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ron-mcclure-wonderland-always-and-between-or-beyond-by-robert-iannapollo.php
 

Personnel: Harold Danko: piano; Ron McClure: bass.

Wonderland

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Peter Erskine - Dr. Um

Styles: Jazz, Fusion
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:21
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:28)  1. You're Next
(4:47)  2. Lost Page
(5:46)  3. Hawaii Bathing Suit
(6:33)  4. Bourges Buenos Aires
(5:11)  5. Little Fun K
(6:32)  6. Mahler
(3:41)  7. Sage Hands
(5:52)  8. Okraphilia
(6:11)  9. Speechless
(4:24) 10. Sprite
(9:35) 11. Northern Cross
(0:17) 12. You Awake

It would appear that this project has awakened the Peter Erskine of yore, the drummer who became legend while cresting the waves of fusion with Weather Report and Steps Ahead. In recent years Erskine's drumming has been spare, elegant, open, and, in enough instances, lightly swinging. If one word would come to mind to describe that playing, it would be "tasteful." But does that automatically mean that joining forces with some plugged-in players and laying down some funk and fusion numbers is the antithesis of that ideal? Absolutely not. Erskine doesn't have a tasteless bone in his body. Musicality is of the utmost importance in his every groove, solo, fill, and mini-gesture, and he always plays for the situation at hand. In this case, the situation requires Erskine to don the mask of Dr. Um, the man who knows how to point you toward whatever rhythmic prescription you seek. Looking for a soulful jam situation? You'll find it on keyboardist John Beasley's irresistible "Okraphilia." Hoping to find a direct nod to Weather Report? It's here in the form of a wonderful, sonically-updated "Speechless." Need a party piece? Look no further than Erskine's own "Hawaii Bathing Suit," a dance-friendly fusion-calypso hybrid that's non-stop fun. Is slick, understated funk more your bag? Then "Lost Page" or "Little Fun K" should fit the bill. Any and every musical question has its right answer, and every track gets the perfect feel from Erskine not too economical, not too busy, and right on the money when it comes to style. Most who were never smitten with fusion aren't likely to be won over by this date, but those in that group who were turned off mostly by its aggressive advances may take to this music. Erskine, keyboardist John Beasley, bassist Janek Gwizdala and several other notables, like saxophonist Bob Sheppard, demonstrate that fusion isn't really about muscle. It's about a readiness and willingness to bring different elements together, and Erskine does so beautifully on this album. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dr-um-peter-erskine-fuzzy-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Peter Erskine: drums; John Beasley: keyboards; Janek Gwizdala: electric bass; Bob Sheppard: tenor saxophone; Jeff Parker: guitar; Larry Koonse: guitar (10); Aaron Serfaty: congas, bongos, cowbell (2); Jack Fletcher: spoken word vocals.

Dr. Um

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