Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Hal Smith's Roadrunners, Rebecca Kilgore - Waiting at the End of the Road

Styles: Post Bop, Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:15
Size: 166,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:21) 1. I Need Lovin'
(5:28) 2. What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry
(5:13) 3. Wolverine Blues
(4:13) 4. You're Luck to Me
(3:18) 5. San Antonio Rose
(5:38) 6. Creole Love Call
(4:20) 7. Once or Twice
(3:45) 8. Someday You'll Want Me to Want You
(4:05) 9. Who Walks in When I Walk Out?
(4:42) 10. When I Dream Of You
(4:18) 11. Mutiny in the Parlor
(3:44) 12. True Blue Lou
(3:45) 13. It Must Be True
(3:01) 14. Texas and Pacific
(4:11) 15. Sorry
(4:48) 16. Waiting at the End of the Road
(3:16) 17. Your Mother's Son in Law

A drummer with strong inclinations toward traditional jazz performance, Hal Smith was born in Indianapolis, IN, on July 30, 1953. Taking up drums at the age of ten among his teachers was the great Jake Hanna he made his professional debut in 1978, and in the years to follow served with the likes of the Dukes of Dixieland and the Grand Dominion Jazz Band. Smith also led groups including the Frisco Syncopaters and the Down Home Jazz Band, and regularly collaborated with Butch Thompson and Bobby Gordon. Among his recording dates are 1994's California Here I Come, 1995's Swing, Brother, Swing, and 1996's Bourbon Street Memories. Smith was also a respected jazz journalist, contributing countless articles to publications including Jazz Rambler, Mississippi Rag, and West Coast Rag.~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hal-smith-mn0000660509/biography

Personnel: Rebecca Kilgore - vocals, Hal Smith - drums, Bobby Gordon - clarinet, Ray Skjelbred - piano, Mike Duffy - bass.

Waiting at the End of the Road

Jessie Gordon - A Work of Friction

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:39
Size: 93,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:41) 1. Dissolve Me
(4:42) 2. Boredom and Ire
(3:14) 3. Precious
(6:01) 4. Slow Burn
(2:54) 5. So Long
(2:43) 6. Fill Me Up With Words
(3:45) 7. Light Up
(5:11) 8. Breathing City
(4:02) 9. Poisoned Darts
(4:21) 10. Leaving No Trace

Jessie is a very sun-shy Perth red-headed jazz singer who enjoys swing music, dancing in her kitchen to Otis Redding, eating cheese at any given opportunity and singing in the shower and every other (shaded) venue. Her main musical passions are jazz, blues and roots music. She started singing professionally at the age of 15 and has fronted big bands, jazz duos and every sized band in-between. She has toured Australia, America, South East Asia, Germany, France, Spain, Poland and the UK. She is also a 20 time Fringe World Music and Cabaret Award winner.

She has also recorded nine albums, including one with Mark Turner (Best Friends 2019), an original album (A Work of Friction 2018), two intercontinental albums entitled Berlin Nights (2017) and Unknowable Journey (2020) with Berlin band Ginger Blues, the latter of which won the German Blues Award for 2020, and most recently the eponymous Sassafras (2021). http://www.jessiegordon.com.au/bio

A Work of Friction

Joe Locke - Slander (And Other Love Songs)

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:36
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:08) 1. Song For Cables
(7:35) 2. Saturn's Child
(5:27) 3. Tuesday Heartbreak
(5:01) 4. Mission Impossible
(3:55) 5. Blue
(4:49) 6. Cecil B. DeBop
(9:03) 7. Slander
(6:36) 8. Can't Help Falling In Love
(4:58) 9. Second Story Man

This superb quintet session is the third, and undoubtedly best Milestone disc 39-year-old vibraphonist Joe Locke has released to date. Locke, a veteran of the Mingus Big Band and former Pepper Adams, Eddie Henderson, Dianne Reeve and Hiram Bullock sideman, has made his strongest personal statement with Slander (And Other Love Songs).

The influence of Bobby Hutcherson is overwhelming here especially as evidenced by the strong boppish originals Locke has crafted (the exceptional "Song for Cables," "Saturn's Child," "Cecil B. DeBop," "Second Story Man" and "Slander"). But Locke is a more aggressive, and at times, more interesting "inside" player.

The vibraphonist, whose inspiration comes from such horn players as Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane and Steve Grossman, is aided by some exceptional folks here too. Pianist Billy Childs, who has walked this ground before with Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson, is muscular and consistently interesting as he alternates between acoustic and electric pianos. Bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Jackson round out the rhythm section. But it is undersung guitarist Vic Juris - appearing on five of the nine tracks here, a sort of cross between early Pat Metheny and jazzier John Scofield - who is the second star here. His commentary is really something special, providing an edgy counterpoint to the mellifluous strength of Locke's melodic vibe work.

A nice surprise is Locke's improving take on strong source material. In the past he's taken well-known works - like film themes or Henry Mancini's music - and found more than his share of sap to squeeze. But on Slander, he reworks, rethinks and reinvents Lalo Schifrin's "Mission: Impossible," refashions Joni Mitchell's "Blue" into a lovely piano/vibe duet and manages to restructure the pop hit, "Can't Help Falling In Love," transcending each into something truly personal. Nice touch.

Slander (And Other Love Songs), the tenth of Joe Locke's solo discs since his 1983 debut, is a memorable representation of what good contemporary mainstream jazz can accomplish. And, if things are right in the world, it should help Joe Locke ascend to become one of the more important figures in contemporary jazz. Recommended.~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/slander-and-other-love-songs-joe-locke-fantasy-jazz-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel: Joe Locke Vibes; Billy Childs; Piano: Vic Juris; Guitar: Rufus Reid; Bass: Gene Jackson; Drums.

Slander (And Other Love Songs)

Dave Pell - A Pell Of A Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:41
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Jazz Goes To Siwash
(3:07)  2. Suze Blues
(6:41)  3. Grey Flannel
(5:38)  4. Angel Eyes
(2:42)  5. G Tune
(5:18)  6. Sandy Shoes
(4:11)  7. Cameo
(7:14)  8. Love Me Or Leave Me
(5:19)  9. Them There Eyes

The Dave Pell Octet was one of the great cool jazz bands of the mid- to late '50s. This fairly rare LP found Pell altering the personnel greatly, with Pell and pianist/arranger Marty Paich being the only holdovers. In addition, the arrangements of Paich, Bill Holman, Paul Moer (who, like trombonist Ray Sims, is a substitute on three songs), and Jack Montrose are opened up, and the musicians take much longer solos than on Pell's earlier albums. With trumpeter Jack Sheldon often starring and there being some excellent spots for baritonist Pepper Adams, this is a rather different album by the Dave Pell Octet, a bit harder-charging and more hard bop-oriented while still retaining the identity of the original group. Worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-pell-of-a-time-mw0000314352

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Leader – Dave Pell;   Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams;  Bass – Tom Kelly;  Drums – Mel Lewis;  Guitar – Tommy Tedesco;  Piano – Marty Paich, Paul Moer;  Trombone – Bobby Burgess, Ray Sims;  Trumpet – Jack Sheldon

R.I.P.
Born: February 26, 1925
Died:  May 8, 2017

A Pell Of A Time