Dizzy Gillespie - Free Ride

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:56
Size: 110,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:54) 1. Unicorn
(4:29) 2. Fire Dance
(6:44) 3. Incantation
(4:37) 4. Wrong Number
(5:23) 5. Free Ride
(6:33) 6. Ozone Madness
(4:38) 7. Love Poem for Donna
(4:32) 8. The Last Stroke Of Midnight

Although Lalo Schifrin is justifiably praised for his soundtrack work, many jazz purists turn up their noses at his jazz dates, such as his '60s work with Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery. The things that make Schifrin an anathema to the diehards the huge orchestras, the pop and soul riffs, the general air of over the top theatricality are all over 1977's Free Ride, his reunion date with Dizzy Gillespie. (Schifrin had been Gillespie's arranger in the late '50s.) In fact, Free Ride is so painfully dated that it's transformed into cockeyed cool, just the sort of record ironic hipsters should listen to while they're reading the novelizations of '70s cop shows that they bought for a bundle off of eBay. Gillespie plays with his usual wit and panache, but most of the time, he sounds like a sideman on his own album; the real focus of Schifrin's arrangements is the funky wah-wah guitars and ARP synthesizer solos that take center stage on tracks like "Fire Dance" (which sounds exactly like it should be the theme for a Charlie's Angels spinoff) and the mellow disco of the closing "Last Stroke of Midnight." Occasionally, Gillespie gets to break out on his own album, with the lovely solo on "Love Poem for Donna" his particular standout. For what it is, Free Ride is really quite good (guests include Lee Ritenour and future star Ray Parker, Jr.), but it's very much a record of and for its time.~Stewart Mason https://www.allmusic.com/album/free-ride-mw0000102458

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet; Lalo Schifrin - keyboards, arranger, conductor; Oscar Brashear, Jack H. Laubach - trumpet; Lew McCreary - trombone; Jerome Richardson - flute; Ernie Watts - saxophone; James Horn - saxophone, flute; Sonny Burke - piano, electric piano; Charles E. Spangler - synthesizer; Ray Parker Jr., Lee Ritenour, Wah Wah Watson - guitar; Wilton Felder - bass; Ed Greene - drums; Paulinho Da Costa - percussion

Free Ride

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Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass - Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass

Styles: Vocal, Big Band
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:34
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:47) 1. Just Friends
( 4:57) 2. September Song
( 4:28) 3. Don'cha Go 'Way Mad
( 3:38) 4. A House Is Not A Home
( 3:46) 5. The Song Is You
( 4:03) 6. Cow Cow Boogie
( 5:36) 7. A Handful Of Stars/Stars Fell On Alabama
(12:15) 8. Duke Ellington Medley

This was a very logical matchup that came out as well on record as it looked on paper. Valve trombonist/arranger Rob McConnell has long led one of the top mainstream jazz big bands, while Mel Tormé blossomed into one of the truly great jazz singers in the 1980s. McConnell's charts suited Tormé perfectly, and the result is this consistently enjoyable and swinging album. The singer is quite enthusiastic and in top form on "Just Friends," a touching "September Song," "Don't 'Cha Go 'Way Mad," "A House Is Not a Home," "The Song Is You," a whimsical "Cow Cow Boogie," a "Stars" medley, and an exciting six-song Duke Ellington medley. Highly recommended.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/mel-torm%C3%A9-rob-mcconnell-and-the-boss-brass-mw0000188380

Personnel: Mel Tormé - vocals

The Boss Brass: Arnie Chycoski - trumpet, flugelhorn; Erich Traugott, John MacLeod, Ian McDougall - trombone; Dave McMurdo, Bob Livingston, Ron Hughes - bass trombone; James MacDonald - french horn; Eugene Amaro - flute, tenor saxophone; Moe Koffman - clarinet, flute, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Bob Leonard - flute, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; Rick Wilkins - clarinet, tenor saxophone; Dave Woods - trumpet, violin, flugelhorn; Robert Leonard - flute, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; George Stimpson, Jerry Toth - flute, alto clarinet; Jimmy Dale - piano, electric piano; Guido Basso - harmonica, trumpet, flugelhorn; Ed Bickert - guitar; Jerry Fuller - drums; Brian Leonard - percussion; Steve Wallace - double bass; Rob McConnell - arranger, conductor, trombone.

Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass

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Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:28
Size: 137,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:45)  1. Recorda Me
( 9:56)  2. Mamacita
( 9:18)  3. Afro-Centric
(11:15)  4. Black Narcissus
( 8:52)  5. Blue Bossa
( 8:20)  6. Inner Urge

So what makes The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson different from trombonist Conrad Herwig's previous Latin Side albums? Well, for starters, Herwig played with Henderson for several years, an experience which gave him great insight into the music and the man who made it. Then there's the material itself. Henderson's music, more so than that of previous Latin Side honorees like Herbie Hancock or John Coltrane, is tailor-made for this type of project, as some of the songs already lean toward the Latin side. This album, recorded live at New York's Blue Note in July of 2012, gives Herwig and some other A-list musicians featured guest Joe Lovano and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin chief among them a chance to cut loose on six spicy numbers. Stellar arrangements, feisty percussive tides, and strong solos are all here, as expected, but that doesn't mean things are predictable. Plenty of surprises await. Herwig and company cook right out of the gate with a sizzling "Recorda Me." Hot saxophone work, fun exchanges between Herwig and Sipiagin, winning piano work from Bill O'Connell, and over-a-vamp soloing from drummer Robby Ameen and percussionist Richie Flores all help to make this a memorable one. Next comes the Latin hard bop blues of "Mamacita," which proves to be another album highlight, followed by "Afro-Centric," which features some tight ensemble work and memorable soloing. 

The gentler flow of "Black Narcissus" serves as a brief respite from the heat, but the temperature rises again with the musical one-two punch that brings the album to its end. First up is "Blue Bossa," which finds Sipiagin in fiery form and features a thrilling percussion breakdown over a vamp in seven. Then the group finishes off with "Inner Urge," which may be the best showcase for Herwig's writing; the band sounds like it's twice its true size here. Herwig finished a stint at the Blue Note with his Latin Side Of Horace Silver project shortly before this review went to press, so it's fairly certain that this won't be the final Latin Side release. This will, however, be hard to top. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-latin-side-of-joe-henderson-conrad-herwig-half-note-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Conrad Herwig: trombone; Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone; Ronnie Cuber: baritone saxophone; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Bill O'Connell: piano; Ruben Rodriguez: bass; Robby Ameen: drums; Richie Flores: percussion.

The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson

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Joe Krown - Just The Piano... Just The Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:16
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Pudding Time
(4:53)  2. All That
(4:39)  3. Rockhouse
(4:29)  4. Midnight Boogie
(4:42)  5. Grind
(4:40)  6. 15@7
(4:44)  7. Pinetop Boogie
(2:35)  8. Swinging the Gate
(2:49)  9. Allie's Lament
(4:04) 10. Easy Does It
(4:31) 11. Big Chief/Mess Around
(3:56) 12. Jump Rope

Joe Krown is a resident and is based out of the city of New Orleans. He is a New Orleans styled piano and Hammond B-3 player. He has been nominated twice and won a New Orleans Big Easy Award in the Blues category in April 2001. His blues trio, Sansone, Krown & Fohl won a 2004 Big Easy Award. Krown has been highlighted in a feature article in the September 2000 and April 2005 OffBEAT Magazine. Joe's third compact disc, Buckle Up, was picked #4 CD, "Best of 2000CDs" in the Times Picayune, and "Best CDs of 2000" in OffBeat magazine. Joe was also selected "Best Keyboardist, Editor's Choice" at CitySearch.com for New Orleans. Joe's fourth CD, Funkyard was picked #4 CD in Gambit Magazine and #15 in the Times Picayune "Best CD's of 2002" and "Critic's Choice Best of 2002" in Offbeat Magazine. Joe's band, the Joe Krown Organ Combo was the front page feature "Fest Focus" article for the Times Picayune 2003 Jazz Festival Focus series. Joe's latest CD, Livin' Large clocked in at #11 in overall sales for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2005.

Joe held the keyboard chair with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown & Gate’s Express from 1992 until Gatemouth's passing in the fall of 2005. Joe is featured on the chart topping albums The Man, Gate Swings, American Music, Texas Style and most recently Back to Bogalusa albums. In 1995, Gatemouth and the Gate's Express including Joe on keyboards, did a 62 date world tour as the opening act for Eric Clapton. The band, Gate’s Express won an Offbeat 2004 Best Band in the Blues Category. More... http://www.jambase.com/Artists/6738/Joe-Krown/Bio

Just The Piano... Just The Blues

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