Carl Saunders - Be Bop Big Band

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:36
Size: 179,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:31)  1. Compilation
(8:20)  2. Love Dance
(3:39)  3. Emily
(8:36)  4. I'm All For You
(8:08)  5. Perceptive Hindsight
(6:38)  6. Never Always
(5:42)  7. Some Bones Of Contention
(5:19)  8. Strike Out The Band
(5:10)  9. Autumn In New York
(6:34) 10. Dearly Befuddled
(5:07) 11. An Apple For Christa
(7:48) 12. Baby Blues

I'd best take care when reviewing this album by trumpet maestro Carl Saunders, as I could run short of laudatory adjectives before the appraisal has been completed. For those who are unfamiliar with his c.v., Saunders has been enriching big-band trumpet sections for more than four decades, having cut his teeth with the renowned Stan Kenton Orchestra while still a teen-ager in 1960. The pedigree is immaculate too; Carl's mother, Gail Sherwood, once sang with Kenton, and his uncle, Bobby Sherwood, was a well-known bandleader in the '40s. While Saunders has presided over a number of bands in his hometown of Las Vegas, he has recorded only twice before as leader, and never with an ensemble that is in any way comparable to this one. Saunders has made a lot of friends in the music business, and with friends like these one is able to put together a big band so proficient and powerful that it can easily blow almost any adversary out of the water. But no orchestra is better than its charts, and here Saunders scores another coup with the inclusion of half a dozen incontestably brilliant compositions and arrangements by his long-time friend and mentor, the late Herbie Phillips, to whom the album is dedicated. To them Saunders adds three of his own ("I'm All for You," "Never Always," "Baby Blues"), Ivan Lins' "Love Dance" and the beauteous standards "Emily" (a tour de force for the superb young trombonist Andy Martin) and "Autumn in New York" (showcasing Saunders' mind-blowing trumpet). Phillips was fond of clever titles, and his tunes include "Perceptive Hindsight," "Some Bones of Contention" (the "'bones" in question belonging to Martin and Bob McChesney), "Strike Out the Band," "Dearly Befuddled" and "An Apple for Christa" (for the late teacher-turned-astronaut Christa McAuliffe). Phillips also wrote the sunny opener, "Compilation," which serves to introduce another of the band's stellar improvisers, veteran alto saxophonist Lanny Morgan, whose fiery deposition complements those by Saunders, McChesney, tenor Jerry Pinter and pianist Christian Jacob. Saunders is featured on trumpet and flugel on "Love Dance," on trumpet (with Morgan) on "I'm All for You," but he's not the only member of that section to make the spotlight his own. Ron Stout is bright and agile on "Hindsight" and "Never Always," Bobby Shew smooth and steady on "Strike Out the Band," Bob Summers quick and expressive on "Christa" before Saunders returns to close the show with a typically eloquent discourse on "Baby Blues." Other soloists of note include tenor Doug Webb ("Hindsight," "Dearly Befuddled"), alto Brian Scanlon ("Never Always") and bassist Kevin Axt ("Baby Blues"). Well, we're nearing the end of the review and have a few adjectives left, so we may as well use some of them now. Awesome. Spectacular. Breathtaking. Sublime. Be Bop Big Band is all of that and more. Simply put, one of the most memorable big-band albums in recent memory, one that should not be passed over by anyone who admires the genre. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/be-bop-big-band-carl-saunders-sea-breeze-jazz-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Carl Saunders,Frank Szabo,Bobby Shew,Ron Stout,Bob Summers,Scott Englebright,trumpet; Charlie Loper, Andy Martin, Bob McChesney, trombone; Pete Brockman, Sam Cernuto, bass trombone; Lanny Morgan, Brian Scanlon, alto sax; Jerry Pinter, Doug Webb, tenor sax; Bob Efford, baritone sax; Christian Jacob, piano; Kevin Axt, bass; Santo Savino, drums.

Be Bop Big Band

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Dexter Gordon - Doin' Allright (Remastered 2015)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:18)  1. I Was Doing All Right
( 7:27)  2. You've Changed
( 5:45)  3. For Regulars Only
(12:21)  4. Society Red
( 6:14)  5. It's You Or No One
( 6:14)  6. I Want More
( 6:21)  7. For Regulars Only (Alternate Take)

From the first track of this record in Blue Note's 45rpm double-disc reissue series tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon certainly seems to be doing just fine. That opener, "I Was Doing All Right," lilts along with a nice 'n' easy, early 1960s treatment of an insistently positive George Gershwin melody. Gordon doesn't rush his solo, but allows it to intensify naturally from the surrounding breeze. He explores the entire range of his instrument, allowing his pace to ebb and flow while never jettisoning himself from the track of comfortable swing. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard enters on and retains a brasher course, slashing through a stream of jagged, harmonic lines. Pianist Horace Parlan goes farther afield, injecting the tune with some passing abstract figures. Coming back from the R&B-tinged fade with which he ends the first track, Gordon enters "You've Changed" with acrobatic flips and spirals before settling his horn into the rhythm's crackling warmth. Again, the saxophonist leaves no point on his horn's tonal spectrum untouched, all along dipping into the sugary pools of regret left by the passage of time. Hubbard traces the low, stretched breaths of drummer Al Harewood's brushes, then works the harmony and, later, moans along with Gordon as the leader makes his return. "For Regulars Only," the first of two Gordon originals, lifts the record's spirits back to its opening contentment. Together, Gordon and Hubbard graph a sharp-toothed, yet pleasant, bop melody. Alone, Gordon's tone is bright and forceful, his lines angular and dancing. 

Hubbard, for whom this racing, riff-heavy tune seems tailor-made, surprises a bit by softening the edges of his blowing, rather than cutting into the listener with the expected blare. It's a relaxed, somewhat against-type approach that works to excellent effect. Parlan, for his part, operates here like a film editor, attaching several unresolved passages into a series of piano jump-cuts before the horns return to restate the theme. Yet, despite the solid work heard throughout the first three numbers, the album's lasting value resides on what originally constituted its second side (and which here comprises the second disc). "Society Red," the second Gordon original, is a relaxed, yet powerful, blues that first hands the solo reins to Hubbard. He's in no hurry to jolt the listener, but rides the relaxed vibe awhile. Soon, however, he enters his familiar blowing terrain, spitting piercing shots to the heavens. Gordon revisits some of these volleys with a deeper, warmer sound and the occasional growl. Much as in the album's opener, he steadily builds his story, ever filling the available space with more information more details without ever disrupting the flow, like a boxer expertly working the speed bag. Parlan applies a soft, rolling touch, skewing the blues into an abstract take on ragtime. This nice recollection of jazz's first steps gives way to bassist George Andrew Tucker's only individual statement on the record: a loping bend to the space-time continuum. "It's You or No One," brings all the aforementioned together to close the album. 

A burning bop pow-wow, it's awash with quick, flowing lines, staccato shots, trills and R&B warble. Gordon turns in what may be his best solo of the set here, augmenting the curls of his Spirograph drawing with sharp cutbacks and drooping sighs. While brief, Hubbard's sprinting effort also impresses, retaining through the speed the kind of warmth that made Miles Davis' trumpet smile. Parlan spins a spiked wheel, twirling through cyclical motifs with a cubist touch. The horns blow in to clear the field, then trade with Tucker's bass before giving way to Harewood's brief, but aggressive drum solo. Gordon and Hubbard then join forces a last time to see the album out with a final battle charge. It's a glorious send-off for an album that's rote procedure in spots, but comes on in the second half with two inspired hard bop attacks. ~ Matt Marshall https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dexter-gordon-doin-allright-by-matt-marshall.php

Personnel: Dexter Gordon, tenor sax; Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Horace Parlan, piano; George Tucker, bass; Al Harewood, drums.

Doin' Allright

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The Don Menza Quartet - Mostly Mancini - With a Jazz Touch

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:43
Size: 178,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:14)  1. Mr. Lucky
(12:37)  2. Dreamsville
(10:42)  3. Days of Wine and Roses
(11:57)  4. Cream Puff
( 9:24)  5. Loss of Love
( 7:41)  6. Brazilienza
(10:00)  7. My Huckleberry Friend
( 5:04)  8. I Like the Look

Don Menza is a powerful tenor saxophonist who, although able to effectively imitate most of the top stylists (from Coleman Hawkins to John Coltrane), has a distinctive sound of his own. Menza started playing tenor when he was 13. After getting out of the Army, he was with Maynard Ferguson's Orchestra (1960-1962) as both a soloist and an arranger. A short stint with Stan Kenton and a year leading a quintet in Buffalo preceded a period living in Germany (1964-1968). After returning to the U.S., he was with Buddy Rich's big band in 1968, recording a famous solo on "Channel One Suite" that utilized circular breathing and was quite classic. He settled in California and has worked with Elvin Jones (1969), Louie Bellson, as an educator, and in the studios. Don Menza, who has made far too few records, recorded as a leader for Saba (1965) in Germany, Discwasher (1979), Realtime, and Palo Alto (the latter two in 1981). ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-menza-mn0000184137/biography

Mostly Mancini - With a Jazz Touch

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Brian Culbertson - Nice & Slow

Styles: Jazz,  Smooth Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:04
Size: 111,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Just Another Day
(4:05)  2. Get It On
(4:43)  3. Nice & Slow
(4:22)  4. I Could Get Used to This
(4:48)  5. Without Your Love
(3:47)  6. Someone
(0:36)  7. Together Tonight - Prelude
(5:41)  8. Together Tonight
(3:56)  9. All About You
(6:42) 10. I Wanna Know
(4:17) 11. Someone

The artists in smooth jazz whose success endures the longest are those who develop an identifying trademark in their style when you hear their song, you know it's them. A veteran of the genre at age 28, keyboardist Brian Culbertson has over the years made his particular imprint a very distinctive interaction with horns. On his latest, Nice & Slow, he's sometimes even the one playing them. On the throbbing, funky "Get It On," his high register piano musings take verses on their own, then blend on the chorus sections with Jim Reid's tenor and a snazzy trumpet and trombone section played by Culbertson; there's also a brief section where his horns do a call and response with the keys. Reid's tenor takes on a Steve Cole like "double tone" flavor on the mid-tempo groover "Without Your Love," which is given a bluesy effect with the Hammond B-3 of Ricky Peterson. Peterson's B-3 simmers coolly behind Culbertson's reflective melody which joins on the chorus with Kirk Whalum's lush tenor on "I Wanna Know." Culbertson wrote the moody, retro soul-flavored "Just Another Day" with Jeff Lorber, and duets on the chorus with the unmistakable breezy tones of Herb Alpert's trumpet. The soft-spoken "I Could Get Used to This" features Dave Koz's soprano in a more quiet harmonic role. Koz co-wrote one of the most memorable tracks, the ultra-hooky "All About You," but ironically doesn't play a note; thus we get to hear Culbertson adorned only with the balmy acoustic guitar caress of Michael Thompson. Culbertson has also become a happy member of the "soulful vocals are cool" brigade, providing the grooves behind an emotional Sheree & Trey Lorenz on the title track and the ultra-romantic "Someone," featuring Kenny Lattimore. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/nice-slow-mw0000003444

Nice & Slow

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Nicki Parrott - Papa Loves Mambo

Styles: Vocal, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:18
Size: 168,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Papa Loves Mambo
(4:34)  2. Somos Novios
(4:02)  3. Perfidia
(4:06)  4. Kiss Of Fire
(3:15)  5. Historia De Un Amor
(4:02)  6. Te Extrano
(4:05)  7. Tango
(4:35)  8. Green Eyes
(3:52)  9. Dos Gardenias
(4:26) 10. Oblivion
(2:39) 11. Blue Tango
(3:15) 12. No Me Platiques Mas
(3:27) 13. Moliendo Cafe
(5:19) 14. Alfonsina Y El Mar

Nicki Parrott, an internationally acclaimed bassist, arrived in New York in May of 1994, the recipient of a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts allowing her travel to the US and study with her mentor, one of the world’s premiere double bassists, Rufus Reid. In the same year she was also nominated for the “Australian Young Achievers Award”. Today, Nicki Parrott is a world-class double bassist and an emerging singer/songwriter. In her work with artists from around the globe she has brought a signature sound to every bass part she has played. She performs regularly at the world’s best Jazz Festivals and can be seen Monday’s at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City with the legendary guitarist and inventor, Les Paul. Since June of 2000, this union has been an ideal showcase for her musical abilities, flair for improv, and gift for entertaining a crowd. Born in Newcastle, Australia, Nicki Parrott began her musical training on the piano at the age of four. She also took up the flute and continued to play both instruments throughout her school years. At the age of 15, Nicki switched her focus to the double bass, formed a band with her older sister Lisa (alto sax) and began composing instrumental pieces that they would eventually record for their premier CD release, The Awabakal Suite (2001). After completing high school, Nicki moved to Sydney and attended the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, where she graduated with an Associates degree in Jazz Studies. When bassists such as the legendary Ray Brown (Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson) and John Clayton (Diana Krall, Whitney Houston) were playing in town, Nicki would find them, contact them and arrange lessons from them. She was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Pan Pacific Music Camp, and soon after, took first place in the 1992 Jazz Action Society's Annual Song Competition for her composition, Come and Get It. In 1990, Nicki began touring Australia with Russian musicians Daniel Kramer and Alexander Fischer playing sold out shows across the country. This was followed by successful tours with American trumpeters Bobby Shew and Chuck Findley. When she was off the road, Nicki was consistently playing bass with other world-renowned jazz musicians like New Zealand’s Mike Nock (piano), Australia's Dale Barlow (tenor sax), Paul Grabowsky (piano), Bernie McGann (alto sax) and the explosive Ten Part Invention.

In May of 2002, The Nicki and Lisa Parrott Quartet headlined the prestigious Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The show was broadcast on NPR and was well received by the press. She was also the resident bassist with the Kitchen House Blend, a house band that premiered and performed new music from local New York composers. They would blend jazz, hip-hop, classical and rock in one evening...“It was a very creative experience”. Nicki expanded her musical repertoire and appeared on the Broadway stage in such shows as: Imaginary Friends, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Summer of '42, and Jekyll and Hyde. She is still active on Broadway today and regularly performs in the comedic musical, Avenue Q. Since coming to the United States Nicki Parrott has performed and/or recorded with such notable musicians as Randy Brecker, Skitch Henderson, Jose Feliciano, Rebecca Paris, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Warren Vache Jr., Clark Terry, Michel Legrand, Billy Taylor, Dick Hyman, Patti Labelle & the New York Pops Orchestra, Annie Ross, the Florida Pops Orchestra, Terri Thornton, Holly Hoffman, DIVA, Marlena Shaw, Monica Mancini, Patrice Rushen, Harry Allen, Red Holloway, Kenny Davern, Mike Stern, Bernard Purdie, John Tropea, David Krakauer, Howard Alden, Randy Sandke, Greg Osby, Jack Wilkins, Ken Peplowski, Johnny Frigo, Joe Wilder, Houston Person, Wycliffe Gordon, Rachel Z and Johnny Varro. 

Nicki has also performed at most of the world’s major jazz festivals. In the United States she’s appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival (2005), the Litchfield Jazz festival (2005), the Jazz in July concert series at the 92nd street Y (2003, 2004), the Detroit Jazz Festival (2005) and the Lionel Ha mpton Jazz Festival (2001). Outside the USA Nicki has appeared at the Cully Lavaux Festival (Switzerland - 1995), the Grimsby Jazz Festival (UK - 1996), Berlin Jazz Festival (Germany - 1998), the Ottawa Jazz Festival (2004), the Krakow Music Festival (Poland), JazzAscona (2005, 2006), Bern Jazz Festivals (Switzerland - 2005, 2006), Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (UK - 2006) and of course, she has played at numerous music festivals across Australia. Nicki Parrott is committed to the continuing musical education women receive in order to further their careers and ultimately remain active as musicians past their teen years. In keeping with her sense of community, Nicki’s desire is to teach underprivileged kids to play instruments and learn to enjoy music. It is her belief t hat teaching music to children helps keep them interested in school and out of trouble. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/nickiparrott

Personnel: Nicki Parrott - vocals & bass; Ken Peplowski - clarinet & tenor sax; Vince Cherico - percussion; Justin Poindexter - acoustic & electric guitar; Sam Reider - accordion

Papa Loves Mambo

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