Lorez Alexandria - Talk About Cozy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:07
Size: 85.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[2:27] 1. The Best Is Yet To Come
[1:57] 2. Talk About Cozy
[3:08] 3. Something
[1:45] 4. I'll Remember April
[2:42] 5. Street Of Dreams
[3:57] 6. Be A Sweet Pumpkin
[3:22] 7. Alfie
[2:09] 8. I've Never Been In Love Before
[2:26] 9. I've Got A Right To Cry
[3:17] 10. Night Song
[3:18] 11. Didn't We
[2:35] 12. Here, There And Everywhere
[3:57] 13. My Way

A solid singer who is superior at interpreting lyrics, gives a soulful feeling to each song, and improvises with subtlety, Lorez Alexandria was a popular attraction for several decades. She sang gospel music with her family at churches starting in the mid-'40s and worked in Chicago nightclubs in the 1950s. With the release of several albums for King during 1957-1959, Alexandria became popular beyond her hometown, and by the early '60s she was living and working in Los Angeles. In addition to the King label, her earlier recording sessions were for Argo and Impulse, while her later albums were for Discovery and Muse. Despite a long period off records (only a few private recordings during the 1965-1976 period), Alexandria survived through the many changes in musical styles and could be heard in excellent form up until she retired in the mid-'90s. Not long after retiring, Alexandria suffered a stroke, and her health declined until her death in May 2001. ~bio by Scott Yanow

This album presents another addition to Lorez Alexandria's impressive body of recorded work, reinforcing her status as one of jazzdom's genuinely distinctive vocalist. Recorded 1968, Los Angeles.

Talk About Cozy mc
Talk About Cozy zippy

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Don Ellis - Soaring

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:24
Size: 97.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz, Big band
Year: 1973/2014
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. Whiplash
[6:42] 2. Sladka Pitka
[5:54] 3. The Devil Made Me Write This Piece
[3:18] 4. Go Back Home
[6:44] 5. Invincible
[3:03] 6. Image Of Maria
[6:41] 7. Sidonie
[5:33] 8. Nicole

Bass – Dave McDaniel; Bass Trombone – Ken Sawhill; Cello [Electric] – Pat Kudzia; Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, Soprano Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Gary Herbig; Clarinet, Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Sam Falzone; Congas – Lee Pastora; Drums – Ralph Humphrey; Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Fred Selden; Flute, Piccolo Flute, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Vince Denham; French Horn – Sidney Muldrow; Guitar, Other [Bag] – Jay Graydon; Organ, Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Clavinet – Milcho Leviev; Percussion, Drums – Ron Dunn; Trombone – Mike Jamieson; Trumpet, Drums, Flugelhorn, Trumpet [Electric Trumpet] – Don Ellis; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bruce Mackay, Gil Rathel, Jack Caudill; Tuba – Doug Bixby;Viola [Electric] – Renita Koven; Violin [Electric] – Earle Corry, Joel Quivey.

The last album by Don Ellis' big band before the trumpeter suffered a heart attack that would ultimately cut short both his career and his life, this underrated set finds Ellis' orchestra consisting of seven brass (including tuba), four strong woodwind players, a string quartet, and an enlarged six-piece rhythm section that includes guitarist Jay Graydon and keyboardist Milcho Leviev. A special highlight is "Invincible" which is an outstanding feature for altoist Vince Denham; whatever happened to him? Ellis composed four of the eight originals including one titled "The Devil Made Me Write This Piece!" This out-of-print Lp is well worth searching for.

Soaring mc
Soaring zippy

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Newropean Quartet, Danilo Memoli Trio, Steve Grossman - Time On My Hands

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:29
Size: 152.2 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz combo
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:22] 1. Time On My Hands
[5:32] 2. Too Marvellous For Words
[7:29] 3. Autumn In New York
[6:08] 4. Tenderly
[7:16] 5. Change Partners
[5:16] 6. Laura
[7:00] 7. But Not For Me
[5:35] 8. Serenade In Blue
[6:45] 9. Manhattan
[6:11] 10. You Go To My Head
[3:51] 11. September In The Rain

Luciano Cavalieri, executive producer of this cd, contacted me one night - after listening to a Newropean Quartet performance - and asked me to record an album based on a series of standards which he particularly loved, letting me have complete freedom on the choice of the musicians involved (which almost entirely reflects the Newropean, but with Mauro Beggio on drums and with Steve Grossman - on three tunes - instead of Ralph Reichert, co-leader of the NQ; the bassist is Stefano Senni).

Luciano - a great jazz fan and connoisseur, with a collection of records and videos that many would envy... not only in Italy - came up with a list of eleven tunes that simply represent an organic overview of the beautiful american songbook, most of which are part of the repertoire of all the major interpreters in the history of jazz. After some personal re-harmonization and a few simple arrangements, our rendition of these wonderful tunes produced the results now in your hands.

Time On My Hands mc
Time On My Hands zippy

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George Barnes - Guitar Galaxies

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:12
Size: 64.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 1962/2011
Art: Front

[2:18] 1. Tequila
[2:05] 2. Mamá Inés
[2:34] 3. La Paloma
[2:11] 4. When Yuba Plays The Rumba On The Tuba
[2:14] 5. Linda Mujer
[2:07] 6. Bim Bam Boom
[2:39] 7. Ana
[2:52] 8. Orchids In The Moonlight
[2:19] 9. Cumana
[2:28] 10. Lady In Red
[1:58] 11. Cuban Pete
[2:20] 12. Adios

American swing jazz guitarist, born July 17, 1921 - South Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA - died September 5, 1977 - Concord, California, USA. He started his professional career at the age of 12, when he received his musicians' union card, and toured throughout the Midwest. By the time he was 14, he was accompanying blues vocalists such as Big Bill Broonzy and Blind John Davis. On March 1, 1938, he recorded "Sweetheart Land" and "It's a Lowdown Dirty Shame" with Broonzy, the first commercial recordings of an electric guitar. Later in 1938, he was hired as a staff musician for the NBC orchestra, and became a featured performer on the radio shows National Barn Dance and Plantation Party.

Barnes' style took shape before the development of bebop, and he remained a swing stylist throughout his career. His lines were usually short, very melodic, bluesy and "inside" (i.e. diatonic) as compared to the chromaticism and long lines of bop era guitarists. His improvisations often employed call and response phrases, and his tone was clearer, cleaner and brighter than many other jazz guitarists (such as Joe Pass or Jim Hall) and reflected his "happy" approach to music.

Guitar Galaxies

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Jackie Gleason - Champagne, Candlelight And Kisses

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:39
Size: 77.0 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1963/2012
Art: Front

[3:43] 1. Theme From Bus Stop
[2:13] 2. Undecided
[2:49] 3. I Double Dare You
[3:17] 4. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody
[1:46] 5. A Little Love, A Little Kiss
[2:08] 6. All By Myself
[2:30] 7. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
[3:31] 8. It's Been A Long, Long Time
[2:31] 9. That's A Plenty
[3:53] 10. Everything Happens To Me
[2:37] 11. Just You, Just Me
[2:34] 12. Fascinating Rhythm

Not only was he one of the finest comedians America has ever produced, Jackie Gleason applied his prodigious talents to music as well. With a strong jazz roots background (leaning to mesmerized idolatry when dealing with good trumpet players), Gleason developed a chart-topping series of mood music albums in the '50s, citing his reason for their existence: "Every time I ever watched Clark Gable do a love scene in the movies, I'd hear this really pretty music, real romantic, come up behind him and help set the mood. So I'm figuring that if Clark Gable needs that kinda help, then a guy in Canarsie has gotta be dyin' for somethin' like this!" Gleason began making films in the '40s, but he rose to stardom in the early '50s, thanks to the late '40s/early '50s television series The Life of Riley and Cavalcade of Stars. His television stardom led to a contract with Capitol Records, who released his first album, Music for Lovers Only, in 1953. As a musician, Gleason favored lush, dramatically orchestrated instrumentals, patterned after the mood music of Paul Weston. Gleason wasn't a trained musician, but he was responsible for the musical direction of his records; when he did write a piece, he would dictate to someone who could read and write music.

Music for Lovers Only was a surprise hit, selling over 500,000 copies. Every subsequent Gleason album was a major hit, reaching the Top Ten and selling a large number of copies. Gleason continued to release albums into the '60s, but his popularity dipped dramatically after 1957. After that year, he no longer was able to make it into the Top 15, even though his records continued to appear in the lower regions of the charts. Gleason's records have continued to be popular cult items and they have come to be regarded as definitive mood music albums. ~ Cub Koda & Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Champagne, Candlelight And Kisses mc
Champagne, Candlelight And Kisses zippy

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Philip Catherine, Martin Wind - New Folks

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 129.4 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:49] 1. Old Folks
[4:18] 2. Fried Bananas
[3:51] 3. Hello George (For G. Shearing)
[3:51] 4. Blues In The Closet
[4:12] 5. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:51] 6. Jenny Wren
[6:05] 7. Song For D
[4:36] 8. Sublime
[2:38] 9. Pivoine
[5:34] 10. L'eternel Desir
[4:59] 11. Standing At The Window Waving Goodbye
[2:47] 12. Toscane
[4:54] 13. Winter Moon

Philip Catherine - the South German Newspaper in Munich just recently wrote that he “plays things that cannot be heard by any other guitarist in the world today”. His partner on the bass, Martin Wind, is one of only a few Germans who made it in New York. Both are aesthetes that love melodic jazz with Swing roots. Without any haste or superficial virtuosity, but instead with complete mutual trust they find the ideal tone, the right timbre for each note, lining up sound and space perfectly. A meeting of generations marked by harmony and respect.

The Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine is a European jazz legend. The now 71-year-old Catherine started playing professionally when he was only 17 and toured with artists such as Lou Bennett, Dexter Gordon, Jean-Luc Ponty, Chet Baker (with whom he recorded 6 albums), Tom Harrell and many others. In 1978 he received the “Artist of the year” award by the German Phono-Academy, and Charles Mingus gave him the nickname “Young Django”. This is also a result of his impeccable time feel, which allows him to sound relaxed and loose even while playing the most breathtaking up-tempo passages. But it is not mainly his technique and dexterity that sets him apart; furthermore what made him so unique is his acoustic guitar sound, as well as an improvisational style, which is based not on other guitarists, but on some of the great horn players in jazz.

New Folks mc
New Folks zippy

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Cal Tjader - Tjader Plays Tjazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:29
Size: 79.0 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1955/2006
Art: Front

[4:01] 1. Moten Swing
[2:32] 2. I've Never Been In Love Before
[5:05] 3. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:03] 4. How About You
[3:17] 5. Jeepers Creepers
[3:57] 6. A Minor Goof
[2:47] 7. My One And Only Love
[3:17] 8. Imagination
[2:57] 9. I'll Know
[3:29] 10. Brew's Blues

Bass – Al McKibbon; Drums – Bobby White, Cal Tjader; Guitar – Eddie Duran; Piano – Sonny Clark; Tenor Saxophone – Brew Moore; Trombone – Bob Collins; Vibraphone – Cal Tjader.

In a change of pace, for this recording vibraphonist Cal Tjader recorded cool-toned bop without a Latin rhythm section. Half of the ten songs (mostly jazz standards) feature Tjader switching to drums (his original instrument) in a quartet also including the obscure trombonist Bob Collins, guitarist Eddie Duran and bassist Al McKibbon. Tjader is back on vibes for the quintet selections with tenor saxophonist Brew Moore, pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Bobby White. He sounds right at home in both formats and the swinging quintet numbers in particular are a good reason to search for this valuable album. ~Scott Yanow

Tjader Plays Tjazz mc
Tjader Plays Tjazz zippy

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Clifford Brown - Clifford Brown Big Band in Paris

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1953
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:13
Size: 110,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Brown Skins (take 1)
(6:09)  2. Brown Skins (take 2)
(7:06)  3. Keeping Up with Jonesy (take 1)
(6:29)  4. Keeping Up with Jonesy (take 2)
(3:12)  5. Bum's Rush
(7:52)  6. Chez Moi
(5:20)  7. All Weird (take 1)
(1:58)  8. All Weird (take 2)
(3:56)  9. No Start, No End

Although Lionel Hampton forbid his sidemen from recording during their trip to France in 1953, many of the musicians fortunately ignored his orders; the band broke up soon anyway. Trumpeter Clifford Brown is heard on this LP mostly with a big band actually put together by Gigi Gryce. A few of these tracks are excerpts but the two takes of "Brownskins" and "Keeping up with Jonesy" are fairly long as is a nearly eight-minute "Chez Moi." The music is not essential but Brownie did not live long enough to record anything less than excellent. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/clifford-brown-big-band-in-paris-mw0000199986

Personnel:  Trumpet – Art Farmer, Clifford Brown, Quincy Jones, Walter Williams;  Alto Saxophone – Anthony Ortega, Gigi Gryce;  Baritone Saxophone – William Boucaya;  Bass – Pierre Michelot;  Drums – Jean-Louis Viale;  Piano – Henri Renaud;  Tenor Saxophone – Andre Dabonneville, Clifford Solomon;  Trombone – Al Hayes, Benny Vasseur, Jimmy Cleveland

Clifford Brown Big Band in Paris

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Paulette Dozier - In Walked You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:45
Size: 117,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. The Days of Wine and Rosaes
(3:50)  2. Autumn Leaves
(5:39)  3. Just the Way You Are
(4:14)  4. In Walked You
(4:11)  5. Loving You
(3:23)  6. Together Yet Alone
(4:55)  7. How Am I Suppose to Live Without You
(4:10)  8. Sunny
(3:55)  9. Proud Mary
(4:16) 10. Let's Fall in Love
(3:35) 11. With You
(4:41) 12. Summer Breeze

A successful voiceover performer, model, and professional actress, with a commanding presence onstage, Paulette Dozier is also an exciting vocalist with a sultry appeal. In Walked You, her third full-length solo disc, reveals the tender side of the singer in a wonderfully charming album that combines standards from Great American Songbook with pop classic and original tunes from the vocalist and longtime collaborator and friend, pianist Mike Levine. Dozier's smooth and sensual delivery seems to be a defining characteristic, distinguishing her from the plethora of female vocalists that dot the jazz landscape these days. Her approach to "The Days of Wine and Roses," "Autumn Leaves" and Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are," shine new light to oft-recorded masterpieces, painted with new colors and feel. Her knack for scatting and the impressive musical support from Levine, electric violinist Nicole Yarling and bassist extraordinaire Jamie Ousley, among others, provide a stylish, light and pleasurable listening experience. Bobby Hebb's pop classic "Sunny" gets a fresh new treatment from Dozier, with amid-tempo romp aided by solid solo work from flautist Domenica Fossati, and the vocalist adding more sultry scatting for an interesting twist. John Fogerty's Creedence Clearwater Revival classic, "Proud Mary," is a rock tune rarely found in jazz circles and yet, here, the singer leaves her softer side behind and comes out swinging with the help of drummer Sammy Levine, and alto saxophonist Jesse Jones Jr. providing the fiery edge. Harold Arlen's immortal "Let's Fall In Love" is one of the sweetest numbers of the set, with Dozier demonstrating her power and vocal range in a superb performance. The original "With You" and Seals and Crofts' "Summer Breeze" close out a truly breezy performance from one of the most unheralded jazz vocalists around. Whether displaying a mastery of beautiful ballads or churning out a swinging song with a measure of sizzle, Dozier crafts a splendidly enchanting musical statement on In Walked You, the kind of jazz vocals album that bears sampling often. ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-walked-you-paulette-dozier-d-enterprises-inc-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Paulette Dozier: vocals; Mike Levine: piano; Sammy Levine: drums; Jamie Ousley: bass; Nicole Yarling: electric violin (1); Richard Bravo: percussion (1, 2, 5, 8, 9); John Lovell: shekere (1),flugelhorn (10); Domenica Fossati: flute (5, 8); Ira Sullivan: flugelhorn (6); Jesse Jones Jr.: alto saxophone (9); Alex Berti: bass (11); Dan Warner: guitar (11).

In Walked You

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Dave Valentin - Come Fly with Me

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:35
Size: 112,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Come Fly with Me
(4:53)  2. Twinkle Toes
(4:31)  3. Enciendido
(5:45)  4. Mind Games
(5:52)  5. If You Could See Me Now
(5:51)  6. Easy Street
(5:55)  7. Tu Pañuelo
(5:46)  8. House of the Sun
(4:10)  9. Song for My Brothers

Flutist Dave Valentin is a New Yorker who has capitalized upon a plethora of easy-to-take Latin-lite albums over the years, largely for the GRP label. The emphasis that Valentin lent those GRP albums was fusion-ish, with the perfectly syncopated sounds of smooth Latin jazz and R&B. Of the seventeen albums Valentin has recorded since 1980, only a handful have fallen outside of this categorization. The flutist also led dates on the more authentic Latin RMM label and one date on Concord Records. It is no coincidence that some of his best reviews have come from his two most recent dates for the mainstream HighNote label. There is no direct clue in the material chosen for Come Fly With Me; several tunes are originals from long-time Valentin pianist/arranger Bill O'Connell, along with two standards. Due to the specific personnel on this date, the true nature of the music is of a higher order. Some of the best Latino players are present, including percussionists Milton Cardona and Richie Flores, along with popular trombonist Papo Vazquez. Drummer Robbie Ameen and tenor saxophonist Chris Barretto (Ray's son) appear on the Tadd Dameron ballad "If You Could See Me Now." In a typical setting, the title tune, long associated with Frank Sinatra, features Dave Valentin's lilting, almost pop/jazz flute. In a nutshell, this is an Afro-Cuban gig, not a commercial or funk groove-type album. ~ Michael P.Gladstone https://www.allaboutjazz.com/come-fly-with-me-dave-valentin-highnote-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Dave Valentin: flute; Chris Barretto: tenor sax (5); Papa Vazquez: trombone; Bill O'Connell: piano; Liquez Cutris: acoustic bass; Robby Ameen: drums; Milton Cardona, Richie Flores: percussion.

Come Fly with Me

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Calvin Keys - Calvinesque'

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 136,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:07)  1. Witchcraft
(8:50)  2. Windows
(5:18)  3. Isotope
(2:11)  4. Marela
(6:17)  5. Cindy
(9:33)  6. What's go'in on
(8:02)  7. Lush Life
(7:18)  8. Dolphin Dance

Jazz guitarist Calvin Keys is a legend among soul-jazz fans for his appearances as a session musician and his small catalog of releases under his own name. Known for his lean, muscular single-string solo style, Keys was born in 1943 in Omaha, Nebraska. His first musical influence was his father Otis, a well-known drummer on the city's music scene. He passed the music bug on to Calvin, who picked up the guitar early. Keys eventually landed his first notable gig as a member of Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's band when he was 17. He first hit the road with sax player Little Walkin' Willie during his that same year, before moving on to Kansas City. There his first gigs were with Preston Love (of the Count Basie Orchestra) and later the Frank Edwards Organ Trio. After woodshedding with Edwards, he landed a spot in organist Jimmy Smith's road trio. After leaving Smith, Keys worked the rest of the 1960s with Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, and Richard "Groove" Holmes. Keys moved to Los Angeles in 1970. In 1971, he signed to Gene Page's fledgling Black Jazz label and cut his debut album, the now legendary Shawn-Neeq. He gigged on his own before auditioning for the Ray Charles Orchestra. Keys' unique phrasing and his ability to balance sophisticated jazz harmonics with tough R&B and soul grooves were showcased nightly in the Charles band. In 1973, Black Jazz released Keys' second offering, Proceed with Caution. He toured briefly before being snapped up by Ahmad Jamal. Keys spent the next seven years with the pianist, recording six albums and touring the globe. By 1975, Keys had relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he became and remains an avid participant in its jazz community. He worked in live settings and recording sessions with John Handy, Bobby Hutcherson, Eddie Marshall, Leon Williams, Bob Braye, Ed Kelly, Eddie Duran, Bruce Forman, Junius Simmons, and Eddie Moore. In 1976, he played on Doug and Jean Carn's Ovation album Higher Ground. The 1980s proved similarly fruitful; Keys was an in-demand studio and live sideman, with credits including appearances with Tony Bennett, Pharoah Sanders, and Sonny Stitt. Keys began recording another solo album in 1984. In 1985, Olive Branch Records released tracks from these sessions as the album entitled Full Court Press; it was followed a year later by Maria's First.

Keys continued playing sessions and performing with touring acts in the Bay Area and the occasional Los Angeles gig. In 1991 he was part of the band that recorded film composer James Newton Howard's original score for the film Dying Young. Working with his own trio, Keys released Standard Keys on Lifeforce Records in 1992; his session and live work continued at a relentless pace, which eventually took its toll. Some of his work included reuniting with Jamal for the pianist's 1994 album Night Song for Motown's MoJazz imprint, and a tour of Europe that resulted in Jamal's Live in Paris 1996. An Evening with Calvin Keys, taken from a radio broadcast, was released that same year. He was sidelined in 1997 by heart surgery, undergoing a quadruple bypass. Undaunted, he released the widely acclaimed Detours into Unconscious Rhythms on Wide Hive Records. The large cast included organist Chester Thompson (Ray Charles, Santana) and upright bassist Kenneth Nash (from Jamal's band). After the album's release, Keys toured regionally in the U.S. and in Europe before returning to the Bay Area, where he performed with organists Big John Patton and Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Taj Mahal. In 2005 Keys recorded Calvinesque for Silverado. The album hit number 30 on the jazz charts. His second Wide Hive release, Vertical Clearance, was issued in 2006. It reunited Keys with Doug Carn, and included Phil Ranelin, Sonny Fortune, Roger Glenn, and Babatunde in its lineup. In 2007 Keys released Hand-Made Portrait on Silverado, and received a tribute from fellow Midwesterner and fan Pat Metheny, who composed and included the tune "Calvin’s Keys" on his album Day Trip. Keys appeared on Ranelin's Living a New Day for Wide Hive and on organist Gloria Coleman's Sweet Missy for Doodlin in 2009. In 2012 Tompkins Square Records re-released Shaw-Neeq exclusively on 180-gram vinyl. Keys supported it by touring with a band, performing the album in its entirety. ~ Thom Jurek https://itunes.apple.com/mu/album/calvinesque/219705641

Personnel:  Guitar, Executive Producer – Calvin Keys;  Bass – Tim Hauff;  Drums – Mark Lignell;  Piano – Jeff Chimenti

Calvinesque'

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Tower Of Power - Soul Side Of Town

Styles: Funk, Soul
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:15
Size: 136,9 MB
Art: Front

(0:55)  1. East Bay! All Day!
(5:28)  2. Hangin' With My Baby
(4:37)  3. Do You Like That?
(6:40)  4. On The Soul Side Of Town
(3:53)  5. Do It With Soul
(4:40)  6. Love Must Be Patient And Kind
(5:28)  7. Butter Fried
(4:48)  8. Selah
(4:22)  9. Let It Go
(4:25) 10. Stop
(4:11) 11. When Love Takes Control
(3:33) 12. After Hours
(4:54) 13. Can't Stop Thinking About You
(1:16) 14. East Bay! Oakland Style!

A renowned horn-driven outfit, Tower of Power emerged in the late '60s playing a dynamic blend of R&B, soul, funk, and AM pop. Along with similarly inclined groups like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power helped push the sound of brass-infused music into the rock era. Led by Detroit-born tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo, the Oakland, California-based group scored hits like "You're Still a Young Man" and "What Is Hip?" throughout the '70s. They also became one of the most sought-after backing ensembles in pop, playing on recordings by Elton John, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Aerosmith, Josh Groban, and more. While their lineup has changed over the years, Castillo remains a constant and continues to guide the ensemble live and in the studio. Although born in Detroit, Castillo opted to pursue his musical dreams in Oakland, California. It was in Oakland that Castillo put together a group called the Motowns, which, as their name suggested, specialized in '60s-era soul. In 1967, Castillo teamed up with baritone sax player Stephen "Doc" Kupka, and soon the Motowns were transformed into Tower of Power. (One of the first tunes the duo penned together was "You're Still a Young Man," which would eventually go on to be one of Tower of Power's signature compositions.) The group played regularly in the Bay Area throughout the late '60s, as their lineup often swelled up to ten members, including such other mainstays as Greg Adams on trumpet and vocals, Lenny Pickett on sax, and Rocco Prestia on bass. By 1970, the funk outfit had inked a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records, resulting in the group's debut the same year, East Bay Grease, which failed to make an impression on the charts as Tower of Power were still trying to find their own sound.

But it soon came together for the group, as 1972's Bump City would touch off a string of classic hit albums, including 1973's self-titled release (which introduced vocalist Lenny Williams and included another of the group's most enduring tunes, "What Is Hip?"), 1974's Back to Oakland, and 1975's Urban Renewal and In the Slot. While Tower of Power remained a must-see live act, as disco became the new trend in R&B the group's original funk-laden style fell out of favor, and disco-oriented albums like 1978's We Came to Play and 1979's Back on the Streets didn't please critics or fans, and the band would go nine years without releasing an album. Despite it all, Tower of Power in particular their horn section remained a much in-demand backing group for some of pop/rock's biggest names, including Elton John, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Huey Lewis, Little Feat, David Sanborn, Michelle Shocked, Paula Abdul, Aaron Neville, Aerosmith, Public Image Ltd., and many others. In 1988, Tower of Power returned to the studio for the album Power, and in 1991 they signed with Epic Records, where they released five albums by the end of the decade. Into the new millennium, Tower of Power kept up their reputation as a strong live band, maintaining a steady touring schedule, and in 2009 they launched their own TOP Records label with The Great American Soulbook, in which they covered a dozen soul and R&B classics in the trademark Tower of Power style. In 2007, Tower of Power celebrated their fourth decade together with a special concert at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium, and a year later the show was issued in a special CD/DVD package, simply titled 40th Anniversary. In 2013, Tower of Power took a look back with the release of Hipper Than Hip: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, which documented a live radio broadcast from 1974. The bandmembers also announced they would be touring in 2013 and 2014 with two other iconic acts from Northern California, Journey and the Steve Miller Band. In 2018, they celebrated their 50th anniversary with the Joe Vannelli-produced studio album Soul Side of Town on Mack Avenue Records. 

~ Greg Prato & Steve Leggett https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/soul-side-of-town/1372978636

Soul Side Of Town

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