Woody Shaw - For Sure!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:33
Size: 111.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1980/2012
Art: Front

[5:41] 1. We'll Be Together Again
[5:21] 2. OPEC
[4:24] 3. Time Is Right
[5:27] 4. Ginseng People
[4:48] 5. Why
[7:08] 6. Joshua C
[8:26] 7. Isabel The Liberator
[7:13] 8. Teotihuacan

Bass – Stafford James; Drums – Victor Lewis; Piano – Larry Willis; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Woody Shaw.

One of five Woody Shaw albums on Columbia, this fine set finds the trumpeter's regular quartet (with pianist Larry Willis, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Victor Lewis) augmented by several horn players (Carter Jefferson on tenor and soprano, trombonists Curtis Fuller and Steve Turre, altoist Gary Bartz, and flutist James Spaulding), the percussion of Naná Vasconcelos, and, on two tracks, up to six strings. In addition, Judi Singh adds eerie vocals to "Time Is Right" and "Why?" Six separate sessions were needed to complete the LP, and the personnel varies on each track. There are originals performed by Shaw, Singh, Willis, and Lewis, but it is the trumpeter's feature on "We'll Be Together Again" with the strings that ends up being most memorable. ~Scott Yanow

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Peter Erskine, Richard Torres - From Kenton To Now

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:40
Size: 145.8 MB
Styles: Progressive jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[6:45] 1. L.A. Stomp
[8:09] 2. Blues For All
[7:37] 3. Happy Day
[7:18] 4. Artistry In Rhythm
[5:56] 5. I Love You (Sweetheart Of All My Dreams
[6:16] 6. Modern Drummer Blues
[7:27] 7. Intermission Riff
[5:24] 8. The Park
[3:55] 9. Richard's Blues
[4:48] 10. Constance

Bass – Dave Carpenter; Drums – Peter Erskine; Piano – Alan Pasqua; Tenor Saxophone – Richard Torres.

Drummer Erskine, tenor saxophonist Torres, and pianist Alan Pasqua crossed paths in the Stan Kenton band of 1972. (Pasqua was subbing for an ailing Kenton.) This reunion, with Dave Carpenter on bass, is a highly charged blowing session. Torres is hot throughout the date, with a robust sound, soulful inflections, a straight ahead sense of rhythm, and pliant, supple lines. Pasqua, who performed with Tony Williams’ New Lifetime in the early ’70s, demonstrates a climactic style of solo-building. Carpenter is perfectly at home in this strong company.

Erskine’s crisp articulation, commanding sense of time, and clean fills and solos put a synergistic touch on the performances. Torres’ “Blues for All,” a take-off on Miles Davis’ “All Blues,” contains his best solo-shades of the late Shelly Manne tap-dancing over a march beat. Torres composed six originals for the date. There are also tunes associated with Kenton: the late bandleader’s “Artistry in Rhythm” and Ray Wetzel’s “Intermission Riff.” ~Owen Cordie

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Lauren Henderson - Ármame

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:33
Size: 147.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:04] 1. The Great City
[4:43] 2. To Wisdom The Prize
[3:34] 3. Love Is A Losing Game
[5:09] 4. Let Me Love You
[4:26] 5. Tanto Amor
[5:29] 6. The Old Country
[3:08] 7. Inside A Silent Tear
[5:07] 8. El Ritmo
[4:54] 9. Better Days
[6:16] 10. Ármame
[4:51] 11. Open Your Eyes
[6:53] 12. We're Still Friends
[4:54] 13. Todo Tiene Su Final

On her lovely and coolly sensual new recording, Ármame, vocalist Lauren Henderson delivers an eclectic set of jazz, Latin jazz, and other styles in a program reflecting her African-American and Caribbean heritage and her omnivorous musical tastes. Produced by veteran broadcaster and Sirius/XM jazz host Mark Ruffin, the CD was released March 30 on her new label, Brontosaurus Records.

The album’s title translates as “Arm Me” (as from a broken heart), and the subtitle “Songs of Love and Loss” provides insight into Henderson’s repertoire choices. In addition to premiering three new originals, the vocalist adds to her already impressive credentials as a deft interpreter of others’ songs with heartfelt arrangements of “Love Is a Losing Game” by Amy Winehouse, Blossom Dearie’s heartbreaking classic “Inside a Silent Tear,” and Donny Hathaway’s “We’re Still Friends.” The two songs on which Terri Lyne Carrington sings backup vocals—“To Wisdom the Prize,” by Larry Willis, and “Better Days,” a nod to Chaka Khan, who’s a favorite singer of Henderson’s—are a particular highlight. “There’s this special, natural thing about how our voices go together,” Henderson says of working with Carrington.

One of Henderson’s major influences, Shirley Horn, is represented by two mid-tempo selections from that master of restraint’s songbook: Curtis Lewis’s “The Great City,” a onetime Nancy Wilson vehicle Henderson personalized with Spanish lyrics, and Bart Howard’s “Let Me Love You,” which was also recorded by Johnny Hartman. “I’ve always loved Shirley Horn’s delivery,” says Henderson. “There are a lot of layers to her singing.”

Ármame is anchored by the great young pianist Sullivan Fortner, a friend and colleague since Lauren first arrived in New York. “Not all pianists are as good playing with singers as they are working as solo artists,” she says. “He is.” Bassist Eric Wheeler and drummer Joe Saylor of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert round out the rhythm section; the CD also features a strong set of soloists in alto saxophonist Godwin Louis, trumpeter Josh Evans, and guitarist Nick Tannura, plus percussionist Nanny Assis.

Lauren Henderson was born on November 5, 1986 in Marblehead, Massachusetts, a town outside of Salem. Her father, of African-American and Caribbean ancestry, and her mother, the daughter of immigrants from Panama and Montserrat, are lovers of jazz and Latin music and exposed their daughter to these and other genres when she was growing up. ~Terri Hinte

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Metropolitan Jazz Affair - Bird Of Spring

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 152.1 MB
Styles: Fusion, Swing
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:28] 1. Bird Of Spring
[4:25] 2. Drifting (R'n'b Mix)
[1:38] 3. Day Dreaming (Interlude)
[4:44] 4. Escapism
[5:50] 5. Find A Way
[5:21] 6. Fourmi Rouge
[4:21] 7. Everybody Knows
[4:25] 8. Roaming
[5:10] 9. Sigh Of Dawn
[4:02] 10. Swagger
[5:06] 11. Turned To Clay
[4:25] 12. You Can Dig
[4:57] 13. Drifting (Swing Mix)
[6:29] 14. Minus 46

Double Bass, Bass, Percussion, Organ [Hammond] – Bruno Hovart; Horns, Trumpet, Trombone, Flugelhorn – Stéphane Ronget; Piano [Fender Rhodes], Piano [Wurlitzer], Piano – Benjamin Dévigne; Vocals – Eric Duperray.

Bruno “Vishnu” Hovart (this man has at least four arms!), the main brain behind the groove of MJA, notorious cyber funkateer (known for the deep house, hip hop, and soul productions of Patchworks, Mr President, The Dynamics...), and the astonishing Mr Day (AKA Eric Duperray), channelling his angelic voice and soulful phrases tuned to his Green (Grant Green, for Blue Note) guitar style, remain together more than ever in complicity.

Bird of Spring, this new album hatched by the worldwide respected German label Infracom!, shows that MJA is more than a strong duet, it is a mythical quartet. Four aces… and three years of additional maturity!
From the tune “Bird of Spring” all the way to the thirteenth track of this 2006 session, one finds within this magical framework the astounding Ronget and Devigne, two sharpshooters of the new jazz generation who breathe much inspiration. ~Robert Lapassade

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Nicola Conte, Stefania Dipierro - Natural

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:09
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Vocal jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Maracatu Atômico
[4:02] 2. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
[3:35] 3. A Gira
[3:07] 4. Within You And I
[4:08] 5. Open The Door
[3:16] 6. Ainda Mais Amor
[4:45] 7. Caminhos Cruzados
[3:40] 8. The Meaning Of Love
[3:36] 9. Natural
[3:41] 10. I Feel The Sun On Me
[3:20] 11. A Menina Dança
[4:56] 12. Vento Bravo
[4:34] 13. Que Maravilha
[2:54] 14. Joia

Natural is the latest collaboration between musical travellers and kindred spirits Nicola Conte and Stefania Dipierro, the culmination of a relationship rooted in a shared belief in the spiritually healing powers of music. The Italian duo is set to take 2016 by storm with a sensual, sumptuous and highly accomplished record, firmly anchored in the traditions of Brazilian bossa nova, samba and jazz.

Stefania and Nicola first came together as members of the seminal 90s musical collective Fez, with Nicola leading the group. This period, one full of inspiration and discovery, laid the seeds for Natural. Though Stefania lent her enviable vocal talents to many bands over the years and Nicola went on to an illustrious production career, outside of a handful of tracks from Nicola’s album Jet Sounds, it was not until now that the stars aligned again, allowing these two mercurial talents to merge their musical sensibilities once again to access the deep spirituality that is at the core of their approach to sound. Stefania’s ongoing musical journey has ensured that her connection to, and understanding of jazz runs deep, as she resoundingly demonstrates throughout Natural. With Nicola once again in the production seat, the album serves as the defining showcase for her inimitable vocal talents.

Nicola first achieved international acclaim for his signature style of samba-influenced acid-jazz, which also drew inspiration from 60s and 70s Italian film soundtracks. Alongside his production work Nicola has laid out his musical vision through his guitar playing and songwriting, with numerous studio albums including 2004’s Other Directions, released on Schema, a French Subsidiary of Blue Note Records. His compilation series Viagem, all 5 volumes of which have been released on Far Out, provide an insight into the sounds of the past that have inspired his music of today, a peerless collection of lost bossa and samba jazz from the swinging Brazilian 60s.

On this new collaborative release for Far Out, Conte’s forward thinking production cleverly compliments and contrasts with the warmth of Dipierro’s laid back inflection and gloriously rich timbres. Natural is aptly named, considering the ease with which Stefania and Nicola have re-assumed the roles of muse to one another, a musical relationship providing the deepest access to the poetry within their sound. The album’s title track and first single is a perfect introduction to their world, a masterful blend of global influences in which a propulsive Afro-rhythm bolstered by a searing funk guitar, whilst soothing Rhodes chords provide a distinctly Brazilian warmth and Stefania’s vocals offer up an enriching melody to soothe the heart and engage the mind. Alongside original compositions from Nicola and others, Natural also tantalisingly promises some inspired re-interpretations of classic Brazilian and jazz pieces: Trio Tenura’s exemplary bossa groove A Gira and Steve Kuhn’s beautiful The Meaning of Love are among the tracks respectfully imbued with an updated resonance. The scintillating blend of jazz and bossa alongside a contemporary sensibility makes for a debut collaboration. A timeless example of the special places Brazilian music can go with a beautiful voice and a smooth groove, marking out Dipierro as a natural talent of the highest order.

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Ari Hoenig - NY Standard

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:54
Size: 100.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:28] 1. Boplicity
[8:31] 2. Bessie's Blues
[6:19] 3. Stablemates
[6:21] 4. Someday My Prince Will Come
[5:52] 5. Pent Up House
[7:29] 6. In Walked Bud
[4:50] 7. Fee Fi Fo Fum

Ari Hoenig (drums), Tivon Pennicott (tenor sax on #5-7), Gilad Hekselman (guitar on #1-3,5,6), Tigran Hamasyan (piano on #2), Shai Maestro (piano on #4,6), Eden Ladin (piano on #3,5), Orlando Le Fleming (bass). Recorded at Peter Karl Studios in Brooklyn, New York, September 2015, except track #2 recorded on January 21, 2010

For his latest album NY Standard, Ari Hoenig pays tribute to the movement and tradition of playing jazz standards in New York City. Once you learn a song there are so many different directions and conversations you can have using that song as a starting point. It’s kind of like a private conversation you can have with other people who know the song. If you don’t know the song however there will be a lot you will miss. New York city has brought together people from all over the world. People that would normally never have the chance to even meet but can speak to each other on a deep level using jazz standards as the basis for the conversation.

In addition to his work a bandleader, Hoenig is one of the most sought-after sidemen of his generation. He has appeared on over a hundred recordings and worked with a diverse spectrum of artists, including guitarists Mike Stern, Pat Martino, Wayne Krantz and Kurt Rosenwinkel, saxophonists Joshua Redman and Chris Potter, harpist Edmar Castaneda, bassist / vocalist Richard Bona and many more. He’s developed deep musical relationships with pianists representing three generations of boundless jazz creativity: Billy Childs, Kenny Werner, Jean-Michel Pilc and Monk competition winner, Tigran Hamasyan.

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Konitz-Wunsch Quartet - S'Nice

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:57
Size: 141.8 MB
Styles: Cool jazz
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[ 7:11] 1. October Walk
[ 2:52] 2. Remember
[10:37] 3. So Nice
[ 8:13] 4. February Waltz
[ 3:52] 5. Trio Con Arco
[ 6:46] 6. Every Time We Say Goodbye
[ 8:08] 7. Impression No.1-4
[ 5:25] 8. It's You
[ 3:27] 9. Match
[ 5:23] 10. The Nearness Of You

Lee Konitz has had a long and profitable association with European musicians, including the Italian Enrico Rava, Swede Lars Gullin, and Austrian Franz Koglmann. Europeans have paid more heed to and were quicker to absorb the more self-consciously cerebral approach to modern jazz promoted by Konitz's teacher, Lennie Tristano, and further developed by Konitz himself. This 1990 recording finds the saxophonist paired with German pianist and composer Frank Wunsch. As with other European encounters, this session draws Konitz out of his usual repertoire of a few dozen choice standards. Here Wunsch contributes three originals, each informed by European classicism. The wistful "February Waltz" is especially poignant, giving Konitz a chance to show off his aching, melancholy tone. Not that Konitz forgets his roots; the session has solid renditions of "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" and "The Nearness of You." The latter is bookended by more open-ended tracks -- a free pianoless trio and "Impression," a series of cadenzas by each player. S'Nice provides an overview of his work at this point in his career. ~David Dupont

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Art Farmer Quartet - Perception

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:57
Size: 79,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Punsu
(2:25)  2. The Day After
(4:18)  3. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(3:57)  4. Kayin'
(4:36)  5. Tonk
(3:58)  6. Blue Room
(5:22)  7. Change Partners
(4:04)  8. Nobody's Heart

This 1964 release of a 1961 date with pianist Harold Mabern, drummer Ron McCurdy, and bassist Tommy Williams is a breezy affair, a stark contrast to the hard bop that was still pervasive at that time. Farmer had fully developed his sensual and lyrical style by this time, and was making records with Benny Golson when he led this date. The set features two fine originals, which are notable because Farmer didn't compose much: the elegant and spring-like "Punsu" and "Kayin," a breezy West Coast affair. Farmer had given up the trumpet completely by this time and concentrated all of his efforts on the flügelhorn. Its large, warm tone and rounded sound fit perfectly with Farmer's penchant for the exploration of melodic modes within a given tune. 

On "Lullaby of the Leaves," Farmer's lead into the melody prefigures his solo by moving both off key and off beat to shape a large conical center in the tune. On Ray Bryant's "Tonk," Farmer swings out of the blues and into a shimmering solo all around a triplet figure in B flat. Mabern does far more than comp his way through the changes here, extending his chord voicings to let Farmer fall inside the cracks and nest. This is a gorgeous record, full of light and airiness; it showcases the depth rather than the breadth of Farmer's contribution. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/perception-mw0000531406    

Personnel:  Art Farmer – flugelhorn;  Harold Mabern – piano;  Tommy Williams – bass;  Roy McCurdy – drums

Perception

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Audrey Lavine - This Is No Dream

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:59
Size: 117,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. This Is No Dream/Out Of This World
(2:36)  2. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(1:42)  3. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:01)  4. Honey, Can I Put On Your Clothes?
(2:19)  5. Holiday For Strings
(3:20)  6. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
(6:44)  7. Wail Of The Reefer Man/Caramel/Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
(2:43)  8. Egyptian Ella
(2:36)  9. She's Always A Woman
(2:22) 10. Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia
(4:30) 11. One Mint Julep
(2:28) 12. Waltz Me To Heaven
(3:21) 13. How Sad No One Waltzes Anymore
(4:13) 14. I Had Myself A True Love
(2:01) 15. Shaking The Blues Away
(2:28) 16. When You Wish Upon A Star

Audrey Lavine's initial album, This Is No Dream, grows out of one of her cabaret shows of the same name which was instrumental in her being awarded the 2001 Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist. This album demonstrates Lavine's understanding and mastery of the essence of cabaret. This becomes immediately apparent with the eclectic, multi-generational program, which runs the gamut from familiar standards, including "How Long Has This Been Going On," to the tongue-in-cheek "Egyptian Ella" and then to a sultry, provocative "One Mint Julep," where she engages in some heart-to-heart patter. Then there's a combination of edgy in-the-gutter, down-in-the-dumps tunes: "Wail of the Reefer Man," "Caramel," and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." Then she does a one-woman reprise of the Boswell Sisters' version of "Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia." More versatility is heard as Lavine turns from the glib and flip to an absolutely enthralling, dramatic "This Is No Dream," done in a stunningly pure soprano. It is with the latter style that she leaves the listener with "When You Wish Upon a Star" as the album's coda. Irrespective of the type of song she is presenting or her mannerisms in doing so, Lavine remembers that the main role of cabaret is to tell a story. It's the words that count even more than the music in which they are embedded. The music may make the toe tap, but it's the words that touch the heart one way or another. 

She gets plenty of help during this performance from Ross Patterson on piano, Ratzo B. Harris on bass, and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Heick, cabaret veterans all. Showcasing the keenly honed multi-dimensional singing endowments of a top cabaret performer, this maiden album is highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-no-dream-mw0000116713

This Is No Dream

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Ted Curson Quartet - Urge

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:00
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(14:19)  1. Roy's Boys
( 6:10)  2. You Don't Know What Love Is
( 7:40)  3. Cinq Quatre
( 8:15)  4. Musis Sacrum
( 8:00)  5. The Leopard
(10:33)  6. Latino

Japanese import issued in a mini facsimile of the original LP sleeve. Recorded in 1966 and originally released as part of Dutch Fontana s free jazz series. At the time of this recording, Ted Curson was best known for his acclaimed stint with Charles Mingus, but the trumpeter had been quietly honing his own style and navigates his own path on this session. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Urge-Ted-Curson-Quartet/dp/B00U2NDRB4

Personnel:  Ted Curson, trumpet, pocket trumpet;  Booker Ervin, tenor saxophone;  Jimmy Woode, bass;  Edgar Bateman, drums.

Urge

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Dave McMurray - My Brother and Me: The Best of Dave McMurray

Styles: Flute and Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:44
Size: 176,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Walk in the night
(4:24)  2. Feel the need
(3:58)  3. My brother and me(remix)
(4:48)  4. Just an illusion
(5:38)  5. Gar Z
(5:53)  6. I want you
(3:57)  7. How come u dont call me any more
(5:10)  8. Nautilus
(4:11)  9. Let it go
(5:26) 10. Searching
(6:42) 11. Chow main street
(6:39) 12. Big dreams
(5:33) 13. The jazz life(remix)
(4:49) 14. Good day
(5:07) 15. Killing Me Softly With His Song

This compilation by Dave McMurray is drawn from the saxophonist's three albums for HipBop Records -- Peace of Mind (1999), Soul Searching (2001), and Nu Life Stories (2003). Nothing has been licensed from his first album, The Dave McMurray Show (1995), released on Warner Bros. Records. Two tracks, "My Brother and Me" and "The Jazz Life," have been remixed, and there are three previously unreleased tracks, "Feel the Need," "Just an Illusion," and a version of the Marvin Gaye hit "I Want You." McMurray, who earns a credit for programming in addition to playing tenor, soprano, and alto sax on different tracks, is very much involved in the creation of the contemporary jazz sound of the music, with its electronic percussion backing tracks and frequent prominent vocals from several different singers. But he rarely gets lost in the shuffle, unlike some of his contemporary jazz peers, and his playing displays considerable bite and invention, not just providing slight variations on the melodies, but often going off in interesting directions. Some key guest stars, notably Bob James and George Duke, also make strong contributions. Still, this is music that will best be appreciated by contemporary jazz fans, while more traditional listeners will be put off by its cross-genre tendencies. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-brother-and-me-the-best-of-dave-mcmurray-mw0000345414      

Personnel:  Dave McMurray (flute, saxophone, keyboards, lyricon, percussion, programming, sampler); Don Was (vocals, double bass, percussion); Poe, Sweet Pea Atkinson (vocals); Quentin Baxter (guitar); George Duke (Fender Rhodes piano); Darrell Smith (bass instrument); Ron Otis (drums); Marlon Curry (percussion).

My Brother and Me: The Best of Dave McMurray

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Don Braden - Earth Wind and Wonder

Styles: Flute and Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:13
Size: 163,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:30)  1. Fantasy
(6:59)  2. Can't Hide Love
(6:23)  3. Visions
(5:45)  4. Getaway
(6:38)  5. I Can't Help It
(7:35)  6. The Elements (Earth Air Fire Water)
(6:36)  7. After the Love Has Gone
(7:06)  8. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(5:18)  9. The Wonder of You
(6:18) 10. Higher Ground

Don Braden is an impressive tenor saxophonist whose style pushes at the boundaries of hard bop while staying a solid part of the tradition. He was raised in Louisville, KY, and began on tenor when he was 13; within two years, he was playing professionally. He played in the McDonald's All-American High School Jazz Band and, although he studied engineering at Harvard (1981-1984), Braden also played in the Harvard jazz band. In 1984, Braden moved to New York, working with the Harper Brothers, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Betty Carter (with whom he made his recording debut). He toured with Wynton Marsalis (as Branford Marsalis' first replacement) during 1986-1987 and since then has played in many settings, including with Roy Haynes, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, Tom Harrell, Art Farmer, and the Mingus Big Band. As a leader, Braden has recorded for Criss Cross, Landmark, Epicure, and RCA. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/earth-wind-and-wonder/1380801939

Personnel:  Don Braden - tenor sax, flute and alto flute;  Brandon McCune, Art Hirahara - piano;  Joris Teepe, Kenny Davis - bass;  Cecil Brooks III, Jeremy Warren - drums;  Kahlil Kwame Bell - percussion

Earth Wind and Wonder

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