Sunday, August 6, 2017

Ace Cannon & Al Hirt - For The Good Times

Styles: Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:23
Size: 78,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. Make The World Go Away
(4:18)  2. Secret Love
(3:03)  3. Hey, Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
(4:03)  4. I Can't Stop Loving You
(2:36)  5. Gonna Travel On
(3:54)  6. Always On My Mind
(2:49)  7. Rocky Top
(3:10)  8. Everything Is Beautiful
(3:04)  9. Release Me
(4:24) 10. For The Good Times

One of Nashville's premier session men from the late '50s through the early '70s, alto saxophonist Ace Cannon began playing at the age of ten and signed with Sun Records during the early days of rock & roll. He performed with Billy Lee Riley and Brad Suggs but then in 1959 joined the original Bill Black Combo, recording for the Hi label. He stayed with the band until 1961, when he made his solo chart debut with the instrumental "Tuff," which made it to the country Top 20. This in turn was followed by a Top 40 hit, "Blues (Stay Away From Me)," and a minor hit for the Santos label, "Sugar Blues." He had two more hits in the mid-'60s with "Cotton Fields" and "Searchin'," both recorded for Hi. A decade later, he became the subject of the 1974 documentary film, Ace's High. After moving to Nashville in the mid-'70s, Cannon's version of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" became a minor hit and was nominated for the Best Country Instrumental Performance Grammy that year. Cannon continued to perform into the '90s and frequently toured with such legends of early rock & roll as Carl Perkins. ~ Sandra Brennan https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/ace-cannon-and-al-hirt/id623014687

Al Hirt is a favorite son of his native New Orleans, the town that gave America Dixieland Jazz. Known for years as the "Round Mound of Sound," the genial Hirt is the most popular working Dixieland musician in the country. His original fusion of jazz and rock elements helped to bring the music of New Orleans to the attention of a new generation in the 1960s; since then he and his trumpet have been closely associated with both the city and its signature sound. Alois Maxwell Hirt was born in New Orleans late in 1922. The son of a police officer, he acquired his first trumpet from a pawnshop when he was six years old. He quickly mastered the instrument and became something of a prodigy with it, so much so that he headed the Sons of the Police Department Junior Police Band before he hit his teens. Hirt's first professional job came in 1939, when he was hired to call horses to the post at the Louisiana Fairgrounds. The weekly salary of 40 dollars was extravagant for a youth of 17, but the beginnings of a lifelong interest in betting on horse races absorbed some of the wages. Deciding to pursue a career in music, Hirt enrolled at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1940 and attended classes there until he entered the Army in 1943. At the conservatory he studied classical trumpet and cornet, dabbling in jazz as a sideline. "I always aspired to be a legitimate player," Hirt told the Richmond News Leader. "That was my training. Now I'm a jazz player. People paid attention to trumpet always. It's an attractive instrument. It's got a great sound. Every kid in school wants to play the trumpet."  Hirt may have chosen a popular instrument, but he played it so well that he suffered little competition for high-paying work. After the war he played with a number of top-ranked big bands, touring America and Europe in grand style with Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman. In the early 1950s Hirt decided to form his own group. He settled down in New Orleans and fronted a Dixieland band that soon became the house outfit for Dan Levy's Pier 600 Club. The band quickly attracted a local following and within a few years it had gained a national reputation for its exuberant horn numbers.

Hirt became a national celebrity after he signed with RCA Records in 1960. Early albums Greatest Horn, He's the King and Bourbon Street sold very well and RCA began to release new material from the artist roughly every six months. At a time when rock 'n' roll seemed to hold a monopoly on the air waves, Hirt actually placed Dixieland-flavored band music on the charts with hits such as "Java" and "Cotton Candy." The rotund performer earned his nickname "Round Mound of Sound" when he began appearing on television variety shows in the mid-1960sNational prominence notwithstanding, Hirt never gave up his New Orleans roots. For years he owned his own club at 501 Bourbon Street; when he sold it, he moved to the J. B. Rivers Club along the Mississippi. He was a minority owner of the New Orleans Saints when the club moved to town and for many seasons played trumpet right behind the team bench at home games. Hirt has performed with a number of America's largest symphony orchestras as a guest soloist; in 1965 he gave a standing-room-only concert at New York City's Carnegie Hall. 

Despite his popularity, reviewers have not always been kind to Hirt. Even at the height of his success, he was criticized for adding rock elements to his work and for watering down his personal ability to appeal to a mainstream audience. To this day Hirt bridles at such charges. "I couldn't care less what jazz puristssay," he told the Richmond News Leader. "Who ... is a jazz purist? Somebody who doesn't play an instrument."Purists aside, the public still loves Hirt's playful sound. His affectionate nickname, however, no longer applies as a strict diet has reduced the jazz master's once legendary weight. Well into his sixties, Hirt plays dozens of concerts a year, both at home in New Orleans and across the country. His performances include not only Dixieland numbers, but Latin, pop, jazz, and classical works as well--though his finale remains the rousing "When the Saints Go Marching In." A grandfather nine times over, Hirt nonetheless has no plans to hang his trumpet on a peg. "It's always been fun for me," he confided to the Richmond News Leader. "I enjoy playing." He concluded: "There's more to playing than playing, though. You gotta be a nice person, too."  by Anne Janette Johnson http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608000042/Al-Hirt.html

Personnel:  Saxophone – Ace Cannon;  Trumpet – Al Hirt

For The Good Times

Karrin Allyson - From Paris To Rio

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:48
Size: 160,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. Sous Le Ciel De Paris (Under Paris Skies)
(5:10)  2. Samba Saravah
(5:03)  3. Te Amo (I Love You)
(3:54)  4. O Pato (The Duck)
(4:41)  5. Ne Me Quitte Pas (If You Go Away)
(4:56)  6. Plasir d'Amour (The Pleasure Of Love)
(4:29)  7. O Barquinho (My Little Boat)
(4:27)  8. Coração Vagabundo (My Vagabond Heart)
(3:29)  9. Parisian Thoroughfare
(5:13) 10. Des Histoires
(5:27) 11. Inutil Paisagem (Useless Landscape)
(5:01) 12. Catavento e Girasol (Windmill And Sunflower)
(6:47) 13. Aria (from Bachianas Brasileiras No.5) • Belo Horizonte
(5:01) 14. That Day (Cinema Paradiso)

Songstress Karrin Allyson spreads wide her conceptual wings on her sixth release for Concord Jazz, crooning in three languages in an engaging salute to France and Brazil that may be short on Jazz but is long on emotion and charm. Allyson is cute as a button, the folks in Kansas City (where she resides) love her, and who are we to disagree? Allyson sings exactly as she looks, in a bright and lovable voice whose timbre reminds me (I’m dating myself here) of her namesake, June Allyson, a queen of the MGM musicals in the late ’40s–early ’50s. As June was always one of my favorite entertainers, that’s a compliment. Also complimentary is my admiration for Karrin’s ability to sing so fluently in French or Portuguese (a language most of us don’t learn in school), not only inflecting flawlessly (at least, as far as I can tell) but capturing as well the distinctive temperament that sets each of them apart from other languages, and for her Gilbert and Sullivan–like knack for unraveling tongue twisting lyrics almost nonchalantly (as on “O Pato” The Duck which she interprets wonderfully in English). She’s so proficient in French and Portuguese that it’s almost shocking to hear Allyson singing in her native tongue, as she does also on “Inutil Paisagem” and the album’s closing tune, “That Day” a gorgeous lyric adapted from the Italian film Cinema Paradiso. That’s the only detour from France or Brazil on the roadway, but Allyson says she had to include the song simply because it’s so lovely, and she’s right. Karrin’s no show off, preferring to let the lyrics speak for themselves, but she can scat like Ella or Sarah if she chooses to, as for example on Bud Powell’s busy “Parisian Thoroughfare.” Allyson says she has long been in love with the music of France and Brazil, and that love shines intensely throughout this ardent recital. It seems to be shared by her sidemen too, as they play with a passion usually reserved for those one holds near and dear. These are some of the best Jazz musicians KC has to offer, and it’s always a special treat to hear the superb Kim Park (alto on “O Barquinho” and “Parisian Thoroughfare,” flute on “Catavento e Girasol”). In a bumper crop of accomplished young female Jazz singers, Karrin Allyson stands as tall as that corn in Oklahoma!  “as high as an elephant’s eye” and it looks like she’s climbin’ clear up to the sky. ~ Jack Bowers  https://www.allaboutjazz.com/from-paris-to-rio-karrin-allyson-concord-music-group-review-by-jack-bowers.php?width=1920 

Personnel: Karrin Allyson, vocals, piano, percussion; Gil Goldstein, accordion, piano; Paul Smith, piano, synthesizer; Danny Embrey, Rod Fleeman, acoustic guitar; Bob Bowman, bass; Todd Strait, drums, percussion; Doug Auwarter, surdo, drums. String section

From Paris To Rio

Clark Terry Quartet - Funk Dumplin's

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Jazz Funk
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:44
Size: 102,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Funk Dumplin's
(4:20)  2. Serenity
(3:16)  3. Brushes And Brass
(5:16)  4. Beautiful
(5:48)  5. Snavset Blues
(6:29)  6. Bayside Cookout
(4:11)  7. Somebody Done Stole My Blues
(5:15)  8. A Child Is Born
(4:57)  9. Silly Samba

For this very worthy Matrix LP, flugelhornist Clark Terry is joined by three residents of Denmark, all American expatriates: pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Ed Thigpen. Their repertoire of mostly little-known group originals is fresh, and C.T., who has yet to record an unworthy album, is in typically joyful form. This was the beginning of his association with Red Mitchell, who joins Terry on the vocal of "Snavset Blues." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/funk-dumplins-mw0000909291

Personnel:  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry; Bass – Red Mitchell;  Drums – Ed Thigpen;  Piano – Kenny Drew

Funk Dumplin's

Stan Hasselgard & Benny Goodman - At Click

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1948
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:16
Size: 177,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Cookin One Up
(3:43)  2. Swedish Pastry
(2:49)  3. All The Things You Are
(4:20)  4. Mary's Idea
(3:37)  5. Swedish Pastry
(2:48)  6. After You've Gone
(3:54)  7. Bye Bye Pretty Baby
(4:22)  8. Mary's Idea
(5:45)  9. Mel's Idea
(3:54) 10. Bye Bye Pretty Baby
(5:35) 11. Mel's Idea
(2:00) 12. Indiana
(4:10) 13. Bye Bye Blues
(4:47) 14. Limehouse Blues
(2:25) 15. Donna Lee
(3:47) 16. Bye Bye Blues
(4:17) 17. Mel's Idea
(2:21) 18. Donna Lee
(4:25) 19. Swedish Pastry
(4:03) 20. Lullaby in Rhythm

Were it not for his tragic death in a car accident late in 1948, Stan Hasselgard might be remembered as one of jazz's top clarinetists. He had impressed Benny Goodman to the point that Goodman used him as part of his septet for a few weeks in 1948. Although no commercial recordings resulted due to a recording strike, the group (which also featured tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray and pianist Teddy Wilson) was broadcast regularly from the Click in Philadelphia.

Virtually all of the existing joint Goodman-Hasselgård airchecks are included on this Dragon CD, which adds a few more performances to the original program of the LP of the same name. The boppish music is often fascinating and Benny Goodman ("The King of Swing") fits quite well into the advanced arrangements. The recording quality is generally decent and, due to the historic nature of these timeless (and rather unique) performances, very acceptable. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-click-1948-mw0000614514

Personnel: Stan Hasselgård (clarinet); Billy Bauer (guitar); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Teddy Wilson (piano); Mel Zelnick (drums).

At Click

Charnett Moffett - Music From Our Soul

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:53
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. Music From Our Soul
(5:20)  2. Freedom
(7:05)  3. Mood Indigo
(3:40)  4. So What?
(5:09)  5. Come And Play
(3:39)  6. Love In The Galaxies
(4:38)  7. We Are Here To Play
(4:58)  8. Mediterranean
(5:30)  9. For Those Who Know
(6:55) 10. Just Need Love
(1:02) 11. Celestial Dimensions
(2:53) 12. Sound World Suite
(5:27) 13. Freedom Swing
(0:35) 14. Love For The People Encore

Bassist Charnett Moffett is one of those figures that we tend to take for granted, mostly because it seems like he's simply always been here. The once-upon-a-time child prodigy has been omnipresent on the scene since the mid '80s, holding down the low end for jazz's elite while bringing strength, consistency, and creativity to the fore through his bass work. A short list of Moffett's employers and colleagues reads like a jazz history lesson saxophonists Ornette Coleman and Kenny Garrett, drummers Tony Williams and Art Blakey, pianists McCoy Tyner and Mulgrew Miller, guitarists Kevin Eubanks and Sonny Sharrock, and multiple Marsalis men have all called on the bassist at one time or another but he's not merely a sideman du jour. Moffett has made more than a few splashes on his own, releasing a dozen or so albums as a leader, and he's spent plenty of time headlining at notable venues and events. He's been a musical rock and pillar for the past thirty years, and Music From Our Soul celebrates that fact. For this occasion, Moffett assembled a program of music that capitalizes on his many strengths while also highlighting his varied musical exploits and excursions in the present day. There are performances that were recorded live at New York's Jazz Standard, showcasing the trio of Moffett, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and drummer Victor Lewis; numbers with guitarist Stanley Jordan and drummer Mike Clark that were captured in a live studio setting; recordings from a run of shows at Seattle's Jazz Alley, where Moffett and Jordan combined forces with iconic saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and drumming powerhouse Jeff "Tain" Watts; and pieces plucked from Moffett's performance at the 40th International Bern Jazz Festival in 2015, featuring a quartet that includes Jordan, Chestnut, and Watts. When taken as a whole, all of it serves as a portrait of an artist in midlife Moffett turned fifty on June 10, 2017 and a statement of dominance from one of the most technically gifted and imaginative bass players on the planet.

The fleet-fingered lines, liquid tone, and harmonic perspicacity that are universally recognized as hallmarks of Moffett's work are all here for the viewing. His massive chops and flexibility are on display on the large majority of these pieces and his rapport with these different groups is evident. He supports Sanders' atavistic wails and exhibits a coiled connection to Jordan on "Freedom Swing," moves from mellow and melodious environs to a bluesy barroom and back again on Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo," hits the gas pedal with Chestnut and Lewis on the feisty "Come And Play," explores pan-African cool on the title track, and gleefully mixes it up with Watts, Chestnut, and Jordan on the rocketing and explosive "For Those Who Know." Sound quality and balance understandably vary a bit from place to place here you can't source an album from three different live venues and a studio without encountering that issue to some degree but musical quality remains incredibly high throughout. Moffett reached the summit three decades ago and he's still right there, bass in hand and fingers at the ready. He remains a giant on his instrument and a stalwart figure in jazz. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/music-from-our-soul-charnett-moffett-motema-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 
Personnel: Charnett Moffett: acoustic bass, electric bass; Pharoah Sanders: tenor saxophone (1, 7, 13); Stanley Jordan: guitar (1, 2, 4, 5-10, 12, 13), piano and keyboards (1, 7, 13); Cyrus Chestnut: piano and keyboards (2, 3, 5, 8, 10); Jeff "Tain" Watts: drums (1, 2, 7-10, 12, 13); Victor Lewis: drums (3, 5); Mike Clark: drums (4, 6).

Music From Our Soul