Donny McCaslin - In Pursuit

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:32
Size: 141,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:13)  1. A Brief Tale
( 6:35)  2. Descarga
(10:00)  3. Madonna
( 8:10)  4. Sea Of Expectancy
( 5:11)  5. In Pursuit
( 4:34)  6. Village Natural
( 3:15)  7. Send Me A Postcard
( 7:47)  8. Fast Brazil
(11:42)  9. Festival In 3 Parts

In the follow-up to his critically acclaimed Soar (Sunnyside, 2006), saxophonist Donny McCaslin continues to evolve his interest in blending advanced jazz harmony and improvisation with world music in general, and the rhythms of Latin and South America in particular. But while Soar's core quintet expanded to a nine-piece at times, here it remains intact, with the addition of producer/altoist David Binney creating a consistent sextet that forges an even stronger group identity. It's also an album composed entirely by McCaslin. All but the opening "A Brief Tale was funded, in part, by Chamber Music America's New Works: Creation and Presentation Program, creating an even stronger musical narrative. All these essentials a funded compositional opportunity, fixed personnel and the chance to evolve previously introduced interests make In Pursuit an even better record, with outstanding performances by everyone involved. "A Brief Tale begins as a tenor/drums/percussion trio, but just past the half-way mark Ben Monder enters with an Afro-tinged guitar pattern that quickly leads to the rest of the group in the pool, with McCaslin's overdubbed tenor creating a rich and compelling sonority that's a definitive characteristic of the entire record. On "Descarga, bassist Scott Colley solos in tandem with percussionist Pernell Saturnino and drummer Antonio Sanchez, before leading into a gentle yet undeniable groove that drives McCaslin and Binney's contrapuntal theme, a blend of saxophones and flutes that's as appealing as it is challenging. McCaslin's tone is robust no matter where he is in the tenor's range and, while he's a passionate soloist, he's driven by internal motivic ideas that create a focused story with every solo. 

While the majority of the highly accessible In Pursuit is about fluid ideas combined with muscular weight, there are times when the sextet goes to unexpected places. The title track begins with an idiosyncratic tenor/alto unison theme, but dissolves into a middle section of greater freedom where it's hard to know who Monder, with his harshly overdriven tone or McCaslin, exploring the entire range of his instrument is in pursuit of whom. That this cadre of New York musicians, including everyone here and others like Chris Potter, Adam Rogers and Alex Sipiagin, are creating a larger discography that has a marked aesthetic still distinguishable by the leaders of individual projects is remarkable and with rare precedent. McCaslin and Binney have been working together since the days of their cooperative 1990s group Lan Xang, and when they play in unison here it truly feels like a single voice. Binney is becoming an increasingly in-demand producer also co-producing Colley's superb Architect of the Silent Moment (CamJazz, 2007) and is developing a distinctive voice in that capacity. Still, while his earmarks are all over In Pursuit, it remains undeniably McCaslin's record, evidence of rapidly growing compositional and playing skills that are positioning him as one of his generation's most important tenorists. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-pursuit-donny-mccaslin-sunnyside-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone, flute, alto flute; David Binney: alto saxophone; Ben Monder: guitars; Scott Colley: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums; Pernell Saturnino: percussion.

In Pursuit

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Yvonne Walter - I Wish I Knew (Yvonne Walter Sings the Coltrane Ballads)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:43
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Say It - Over and Over Again
(5:51)  2. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:00)  3. Too Young to Go Steady
(4:22)  4. All or Nothing At All
(5:42)  5. I Wish I Knew
(4:28)  6. What's New
(4:40)  7. Nancy - With the Laughlin Face
(5:06)  8. Lushlife
(4:36)  9. It's Easy to Remember
(3:32) 10. Autumn Serenade
(3:27) 11. My One and Only Love
(3:18) 12. Naima

After singing jazz standards for more than two decades as Yvonne de Kok, she changed her artist name into Yvonne Walter (her mother’s name) and started to record her own compositions. On stage she merges jazz standards with her own songs and with today’s composers like Ivan Lins, Johnny Mandel and works of the hands of talented friends. Yvonne Walter was born in Eindhoven, a town in the southern part of the Netherlands. She started studying piano at the age of seven and in her teens, she performed as a singer in high school bands. At that time she started to compose songs. Yvonne lives in Antwerp, Belgium. Yvonne likes to work with different accompanists to keep the real jazz spirit high. Although she will not avoid arrangements, which are necessary for a larger band, she prefers the challenge of a fresh rendition in duo, trio or quartet in which her only demands are tempo, rhythm and key. http://yvonnewalter.com/about/

I Wish I Knew (Yvonne Walter Sings the Coltrane Ballads)

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Jane Ira Bloom - Mighty Lights

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:27
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:03)  1. 2--5--1
(7:10)  2. Lost in the Stars
(5:48)  3. I Got Rhythm but No Melody
(6:15)  4. The Man with Glasses
(7:05)  5. Change Up
(6:06)  6. Mighty Lights

This was, in a way, soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom's debut, in that it was the first of her albums to be put out by a label she did not herself own her first two records were self-produced. Even at such an early stage in her development one can hear the attention to craft that would always characterize her work, though her skills at this point were not what they would later become. Bloom's control over the horn was occasionally dubious, but she evidenced an attractive tone and a coherent (if a bit immature and self-conscious) manner of phrasing. Her tunes were already quite sophisticated and distinctive, pointing to the even more ambitious composer into which she evolved. On the other hand, her band for this album will probably not be excelled for the rest of her career. Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell are pretty heavy company for such a callow young musician to be keeping, and pianist Fred Hersch is certainly no slouch. Obviously, the rhythm section's work raises this music to a higher plane than it would have reached had not Bloom the wherewithal to engage the services of these gentlemen. ~ Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/album/mighty-lights-mw0000267377

Personnel: Jane Ira Bloom - soprano saxophone; Fred Hersch - piano;  Charlie Haden - bass; Ed Blackwell - drums

Mighty Lights

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Michael Kanan - The Gentleman is a Dope

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:42
Size: 113,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Tautology
(6:05)  2. Adorée
(5:31)  3. Ghost of Yesterday
(6:04)  4. Unbelievable
(4:22)  5. The Gentleman is a Dope
(4:51)  6. I Don't Know Where to Turn
(4:52)  7. The Blues at Roslyn's Court
(6:59)  8. Red on Maroon
(5:09)  9. Thelonious

Michael Kanan hails from Boston, Massachusetts where he first began to play the piano at age 7. He started improvising at the keyboard early on, and by age 10 he was listening to jazz. His first instructor was pianist Harvey Diamond, a student of jazz innovator Lennie Tristano. During his years at Boston College, Michael had the opportunity to perform with several jazz greats including Tal Farlow, Lee Konitz, Al Cohn, and Alan Dawson. After graduating college and doing some freelance work around Boston, he moved to New York in 1991 to study with another Tristano student, the pianist Sal Mosca. He established himself in New York, playing and recording with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, and Jorge Rossy, among others. He also developed a growing reputation as a vocal accompanist. In 1996, he joined the band of legendary singer Jimmy Scott, touring the US, Europe, and Japan and recording 4 CDs. In 2001, Michael became the accompanist and arranger for one of today's most celebrated vocalists, Jane Monheit. With Ms. Monheit's group, he has toured all over the world, recorded several CDs and DVDs, and made many TV appearances, including The David Letterman Show and The Conan O'Brien Show. When not on the road with the Monheit band, Michael performs and records with his own groups. He has made two trio recordings for Barcelona's Fresh Sound New Talent label: "Convergence" and "The Gentleman Is A Dope", both featuring bassist Ben Street and drummer Tim Pleasant. He has also recorded a duet with his longtime collaborator, alto saxophonist Nat Su, entitled "Dreams And Reflections". He can be heard around New York with his trio featuring guitarist Greg Ruggiero and bassist Neal Miner. Today, Michael lives in Brooklyn, and is a student of classical piano teacher Sophia Rosoff. http://www.michaelkanan.com/bio.htm

Personnel: Piano – Michael Kanan; Bass – Ben Street; Drums – Tim Pleasant

The Gentleman is a Dope

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Kevin Eubanks - Face To Face

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:43
Size: 95,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Face To Face
(5:06)  2. That's What Friends Are For
(5:37)  3. Essence
(4:55)  4. Silent Waltz
(4:45)  5. Moments Aren't Moments
(5:31)  6. Wave
(3:23)  7. Relaxin' At Camarillo
(3:50)  8. Ebony Sunrise
(3:08)  9. Trick Bag

Kevin Eubanks' first album with a string section is a triumph of good taste, both in the guitarist's gently swinging work and in GRP chief Dave Grusin's unobtrusive, intelligent, unsentimental string charts. Grusin's gorgeously recorded strings seem to seep into the texture, filling the spaces with just enough mortar. 

The backings alternate between an electric group with Marcus Miller on bass and Grusin applying the Yamaha DX7 electric piano sound and often just Ron Carter on acoustic bass (plus the strings, of course). The treatment of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" is a beaut, with a lot of rapid acoustic guitar figurework in mid-track. Even unreconstructed beboppers will enjoy the fluid duo-only exchange between Carter's 4/4 bass and Eubanks' electric guitar on Wes Montgomery's "The Trick Bag" and Bird's "Relaxin' at Camarillo," the latter of which Eubanks immodestly calls attention to in his liner notes. But he's entitled; it is impressive. ~ Richard S. Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/face-to-face-mw0000187982

Personnel:  Kevin Eubanks - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar; Marcus Miller - Electric Bass; Ron Carter - Double Bass; Dave Grusin - Keyboards; Buddy Williams - Drums; Ralph McDonald, Crusher Bennett, Paulinho Braga - Percussion

Face To Face

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