Azar Lawrence, Al McLean - Frontiers

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:20
Size: 166,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:06) 1. Mystic Journey
(16:21) 2. Lonnie's Lament
( 9:37) 3. Ruby My Dear
(12:07) 4. Spirit Night
(11:03) 5. Get Up
( 5:48) 6. Round Midnight
( 8:16) 7. Up Jumped Spring

One of Canada's finest saxophonists, Montreal based Al McLean showcases an early mentor on this thrilling recording. New York based Azar Lawrence joins McLean in an all-out, take-no-prisoners session, captured 'live off the floor'. The group seethes with energy and raw passion, and a vivid performance is captured entirely in almost one take. Azar Lawrence was once tapped to fill the shoes of John Coltrane in McCoy Tyner's early '70's quintet. Fiery, spiritual, and steeped in the language of Trane, Lawrence was just 19 years old when he left the tutelage of Elvin Jones, and joined Tyner on tour. Al McLean counts Lawrence as one of his early influences, having listened intently as a young player to Tyner's 1973 "Enlightenment", and Mile's Davis' 1974 "Dark Magus", both albums featuring Lawrence. To McLean's delight, the two met in 2012 at the now defunct Lennox Lounge in Harlem, New York. This fortuitous meeting kicked off one of the most musically rich cross-border collaborations Montreal Jazz fans have seen, opening the floodgates for the pair's torrid musical offerings.
https://mvdb2b.com/s/AzarLawrenceAlMcleanFrontiers/CL073116

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Al McLean, Azar Lawrence; Acoustic Bass – Adrian Vedady; Drums – Greg Ritchie; Piano – Paul Shrofel

Frontiers

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Max Roach - The Max Roach Trio, Featuring The Legendary Hasaan Ibn Ali

Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:45
Size: 94,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:40) 1. Three-Four vs. Six-Eight Four-Four Ways
(5:13) 2. Off My Back Jack
(3:52) 3. Hope so Elmo
(6:39) 4. Almost Like Me
(6:09) 5. Din-Ka Street
(8:08) 6. Pay Not Play Not
(5:00) 7. To Inscribe

Hardly any other musician has released so little as Hasaan Ibn Ali, born William Henry Langford Jr., in 1931, who died in 1980. Just seven titles in all are his complete output, all of which he composed himself, all of them on the present Atlantic LP, and all recorded in December 1964. The saxophonist Odean Pope, who often practised with him, talks of a second recording session in 1965 for Atlantic, but the recordings were never released because Hasaan was sent to jail shortly afterwards; rumour has it that the tapes were destroyed in a fire and it might well be that recordings with John Coltrane still exist somewhere or other.

Until then, one should enjoy the Max Roach Trio with Art Davis on the bass to the full. We have here a recording that will astound and fascinate your ears with its originality. A first impression conjures up reminiscences of Cecil Taylor and Herbie Nichols, while Hasaan himself talks of the pianist Elmo Hope as the man who brought him closer to the ‘mystery of music’. When asked how the recording session with maestro Max Roach went, Hasaan said: »They scared me to death.«

According to Odean Pope, Hasaan was not an easy person to get on with, and he was convinced of his talent to the point of arrogance. But despite this or perhaps because of this one listens spellbound to the 40 minutes on this LP, a legacy and never-fulfilled promise of an extremely talented man. We are indebted to Max Roach, who persuaded the bosses of Atlantic Records to make these recordings. For many, many years they had vanished from the record market, but fortunately they are now available as an audiophile re-release to be listened to and admired. https://lightintheattic.net/releases/5903-the-max-roach-trio-featuring-the-legendary-hasaan

Personnel: Max Roach - drums; Hasaan Ibn Ali - piano; Art Davis - bass

The Max Roach Trio, Featuring The Legendary Hasaan Ibn Ali

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Jeannette Lambert - Ask Her

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:16
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:55) 1. Givre
(3:26) 2. Someone Else
(5:12) 3. Dreamcatcher
(3:44) 4. Ask Her
(1:32) 5. Sintra Song
(3:36) 6. Alfama
(4:08) 7. Tango for One
(4:51) 8. Reminders
(3:22) 9. Salobreña
(3:50) 10. Where We Live
(3:35) 11. Winter Solstice

This is the first digital release of this newly mastered recording from 1994, a collection of songs with lyrics by Jeannette Lambert and music by the members of the band. These are torch songs and love songs coloured by the spirits of place with hints Spain, Portugal and Quebec. https://jeannettelambert.bandcamp.com/album/ask-her

Personnel: Jeannette Lambert, voice, Reg Schwager, guitar, Kiki Misumi, cello, Michel Lambert, drums. With guests Herbie Spanier, trumpet, Michael Stuart, saxophone and John McGarvie, violin.

Ask Her

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Ida Sand - Do You Hear Me?

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:37
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:29) 1. Wasted on the Youth
(4:20) 2. Burning
(4:45) 3. Can You Hear Me Now
(5:34) 4. Waiting
(4:33) 5. Now Is Not the Time
(5:24) 6. Sweet Child
(5:15) 7. Too Close for Comfort
(4:14) 8. Don't Run Away
(3:46) 9. Let Go
(3:12) 10. Go Be with Her

Born out of the dire situation of not being able to perform or make music per se during last year’s lockdown, Swedish singer, songwriter, and pianist Ida Sand has come up with a stylish pop/soul album called “Do You Hear Me?”, to be released on the German ACT Music label this Friday. And on vinyl too! What started out as a session with her longtime keyboardist and organist Jesper Nordenström, ended up with 10 songs and a group of musicians like Per Lindvall on drums and percussion, Dan Berglund on bass, and Ola Gustafsson on guitar, rounded up with a few special guests on brass, vocals, and harmonica. The result is a singer/songwriter album with all tracks penned by Ida herself. Highlights of this pretty enjoyable set can be found midway through the album. The instant classic “Now Is Not The Time” sounds like the slickly produced, timeless West Coast blue-eyed soul pieces of the late 70s/early 80s. Ida’s voice remains to be one of the most distinguished in Europe, with a vast array of different sides, from elegant to robust, from tender to firestorm, always with a charming color which makes you want to hear more and more.

The other pivotal track here reminds me of one of the bittersweet tracks of Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie: “Sweet Child” is another one of those perfect pop songs you don’t find a lot these days. Instrumentation is sparse and more on the folk/indie side of things and has some Joni Mitchell elements in it as well. Some of the pieces, like the intimate “Too Close For Comfort”, are skidding towards rather slippery roads, but Ida compensates with wonderful background vocals. “Where Did All The Good Times Go”, she asks on the forceful album opener “Wasted On The Youth”, as if she wants to remind us how serious our current situation is. She turns bluesy on “Burning”, wistful on “Can You Hear Me Now”, and ruefully arcane on the soulful “Waiting”, augmented by Mats Öberg on harmonica. I like the Phoebe Snow-ish shuffle of “Don’t Run Away”, where Ida is accompanied by Goran Kajfeš on trumpet and Per Johansson on sax. Turns out to be a sunny and bright endeavor. Ida concludes with a wonderful ballad which sounds like a Swedish lullaby. “Go Be With Her” is the perfect exclamation mark to an altogether satisfying new Ida Sand experience. http://ginalovesjazz.com/ida-sand-do-you-hear-me/

Personnel: Ida Sand vocals, piano & wurlizer; Jesper Nordenström organ, keyboard & synths; Per Lindvall drums & percussion; Dan Berglund upright bass & Höfner bass; Ola Gustafsson acoustic & electric guitars Anders Von Hofsten backup vocals;Goran Kajfeš trumpet; Per “Ruskträsk” Johansson saxophone; Mats Öberg harmonica (guest on “Waiting”).

Do You Hear Me?

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