Roy Hargrove & The RH Factor - Distractions

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:04
Size: 88,6 MB
Art: Front

(1:19) 1. Distractions (intro)
(2:23) 2. Crazy Race
(2:22) 3. Kansas City Funk
(4:59) 4. On the One
(5:43) 5. Family
(0:20) 6. Distractions 2
(4:22) 7. A Place
(3:53) 8. Hold On
(4:57) 9. Bullshit
(0:42) 10. Distractions 3
(2:48) 11. Can't Stop
(4:10) 12. Distractions 4

A straight-up hard bop player of often stunning ability, Roy Hargrove (RH) needs to play more than straight-up hard bop, and sometimes he embarks on outside projects like The RH Factor for explorations beyond the jazz repertoire. He performs on trumpet and flugelhorn here, with an experimental laboratory that includes a double rhythm section (bassists Reggie Washington and Lenny Stalworth; drummers Jason "JT Thomas and Willie Jones III), guitarist Todd Parsnow, and three keyboard players (Bobby Sparks, Charles McCambell, Renee Neufville), plus David "Fathead Newman as featured saxophone soloist and neo-funk mystery man D'Angelo guest-starring on "Bull***t.

The set begins with the promise of Hargrove's trumpet quicksilver runs through the opening "Distractions (Intro). Then his hot trumpet bounces through the second tune, "Crazy Race ... but these opening glimmers prepare expectations for greatness that the rest of the music just never reveals. Distractions basically offers two solid pieces: the title track, chaotic yet streamlined modern jazz chopped into four servings as brief as twenty seconds ("Distractions 3 ) and as long as four minutes (the set-ending "4 ); and the track with D'Angelo. The remainder, mainly co-composed by Neufville and featuring her lead vocal, sound like bargain bin Patrice Rushen, limpid music that's not quite jazz or funk.

To be fair, "A Place cops the guitar voicings from Heatwave's classic "Groove Line and scratches them against powerful trumpet blasts; Hargrove opens soft around the edges in a romantic Herb Alpert mood before soaring high and mighty mighty, like Lee Morgan just lettin' it all hang out. Hargrove also finds much inspiration in D'Angelo's bad-ass hip-hop funk groove, singing through his mute just to sound a little edgy, like he was beaming through some magical, time-traveling old-time radio into its thick, rubbery jam. The fact that he further blows his ass off over the blistering groove of "Distractions 4 more than four minutes, thankfully, of steady rockin' instrumental boil almost makes the rest of these Distractions more disappointing. The whip-crack sound of the snare drum, its almost ridiculous, sustained fast tempo, and the monumental energy and fever of Hargrove's trumpet are enough to make you wonder, "Where was this guy for the past half hour?~ CHRIS M. SLAWECKI https://www.allaboutjazz.com/distractions-roy-hargrove-verve-music-group-review-by-chris-m-slawecki

Personnel: Roy Hargrove: trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals; Keith Anderson: saxophone; David "Fathead" Newman: saxophone, flute; Bobby Sparks; organ, Moog, Rhodes, piano, clavinet; Renee Neufville: Wurlitzer, vocals; Charles McCampbell: clavinet, piano, XP80; Todd Parsnow: guitar; Lenny Stalworth: bass; Reggie Washington: bass; Willie Jones III: drums; Jason "JT" Thomas: drums, vocals; D'Angelo: vocals, ASR 10.

Distractions

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Tia Fuller - Pillar Of Strength

Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:50
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:34) 1. Pillar Of Strength
(6:50) 2. New Life
(6:02) 3. Rain Of Patience
(5:26) 4. Bookie-Head
(2:57) 5. Easy Living
(7:15) 6. Golden Lady
(6:09) 7. Sunday Nostalgia
(5:22) 8. In Her Honor
(5:44) 9. My Secret Love
(8:05) 10. Little Big Sis
(1:22) 11. I Surrender All

Saxophonist and flutist Tia Fuller stakes her claim to being one of the finest new musicians on the scene with her exhilarating debut as a leader, Pillar of Strength. Her top-shelf chops on reed and wind instruments are complemented by her formidable skills as a composer and arranger, and she has an excellent band along for the ride. Things jump off at the top with the burning title cut, a Marion Jones sprint, with Fuller playing an alto solo bursting with passion and dexterity. Kim Thompson thunders behind her on drums, Miriam Sullivan's bass pumps the bloodstream, and Miki Hayama comps nimbly on piano. Fuller displays a light, airy touch on soprano on the Afro-Cuban blend "New Life. Sean Jones' well-spaced, eloquent trumpet solo stokes the fire and is followed by another solid Hayama solo. Fuller and Jones bring the song home with a tight trumpet/soprano tandem.

The virtuosity continues as Fuller picks up the flute on her introspective, sultry original "Rain of Patience, her light, beautiful touch supplemented by Sullivan's strong plucked solo. Fuller returns to alto on the groovin' "Bookie-Head, whose fine horn play recalls the kind of Blue Note riffs that formed the backbone of acid jazz. "Easy Living is a soothing bass/alto duet that Sullivan closes with an arco flourish. Hayama's Wonder-esque chords on the Fender Rhodes are the highlight of "Golden Lady. Fuller plays more richly harmonic soprano on "Sunday Nostalgia," sharing more simpatico with Jones' flugelhorn. "In Her Honor, a tribute to Fuller written by Jones, is a straight-ahead jumper with a Latin twist. After Fuller's strong solo the composer takes his own dynamic turn, blowing the song out. "My Secret Love, a slice of romance nicely rendered by the band all around, more than fulfills the standard requirement.

Fuller commits a glorious act of self-destruction on "Little Big Sis by blowing her own tune to smithereens with an absolutely blistering solo. On-point playing by the rhythm section and another high- act by Jones makes this tune the highlight of the disc. Fuller closes the show with a reverent solo soprano on "I Surrender All. It's unfortunate that, in a diminishing jazz market, artists like Tia Fuller and her bandmates must struggle to be heard. Here's to hoping that this refreshing talent breaks through the wall of silence.~ TERRELL KENT HOLMES https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pillar-of-strength-tia-fuller-wambui-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes
wire Personnel: Tia Fuller: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Miki Hayama: piano, Fender Rhodes; Miriam Sullivan: acoustic bass; Kim Thompson: drums; Ashton Fuller: drums (9); cowbell, woodblock (2); Daisy Shumake-Taylor: congas (2).

Pillar Of Strength

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Mulgrew Miller - Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 127,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:38) 1. If I Should Lose You
(11:46) 2. When I Get There
(10:22) 3. From Day to Day
(12:19) 4. Skylark
(11:05) 5. Relaxin' at Camarillo

The best thing about Live at the Kennedy Center, Volume 1 is that there will be a Volume 2. Mulgrew Miller is a consummate captain of the piano trio and larger ensembles and has released a string of fine recordings on the MaxJazz imprint, including Live At Yoshi's, Volume 1 & Volume 2 and The Sequel. Miller is a large man and a commanding pianist, like Oscar Peterson, and I suspect that he will inherit the mantle that once belonged to Art Tatum.

Live at the Kennedy Center is a Thanksgiving Feast in five courses. Each of the carefully crafted selections clocks in, on average, at eleven minutes plus. That's a lot of music from few pieces, betraying Miller's tendency for fully exploring compositions in live settings. This is jazz studiously examined and freely performed. In 2002, the Kennedy Center inaugurated the KC Jazz Club, an intimate room on the roof of the center. Mulgrew Miller and his trio opened the club with the performance documented on this disc.

All the selections on this performance were arranged by Miller, who proves superb at the task. The majority are taken at a fairly fast clip. "If I Should Lose You is introduced with a highly impressionistic prelude, before breaking out as a 4/4 juggernaut with Rodney Green keeping time on the ride while dropping cymbal and drum bombs left and right in homage a la Tony Williams. Bassist Derrick Hodge stays right on the beat, if not a little ahead, giving the piece the feeling of spinning out of control, save for the centrifugal force of swing. His solo is at once progressive and traditional. Miller's harmonic sense is never taxed, and he spins out chorus after chorus of fresh ideas.

Miller's two original compositions, "When I Get There and "From Day to Day, juxtapose very different styles of writing. "When I Get There is frankly Monkian in tempo and harmony, with a heavy smattering of church and blues. Sections recall the late Gene Harris' impeccable command of the blues. The rhythm section brings the piece off with an orchestral flair. "From Day to Day, a lilting waltz of a certain complexity, is a bit of a different animal. Few traces of Monk here, more Bill Evans and, well, Mulgrew Miller.

The single ballad is a crackerjack. Miller is gentle with Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark. Hodge and Green are equally gentle, softly propelling the song. Midway through, the band breaks into a brisk 4/4 stride as Miller probes every nook and cranny of the standard. The trio takes the coda, Bird's "Relaxin' at Camarillo, at breakneck speed, as bebop should be. Miller demonstrates his grasp of the genre while remaining fresh and vibrant in his approach. I hope we don't have too long a wait for Volume 2.~ C. MICHAEL BAILEY https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-kennedy-center-volume-1-mulgrew-miller-maxjazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey
Personnel: Mulgrew Miller: piano; Derrick Hodge: bass; Rodney Green: drums.

Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 1

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Mulgrew Miller - Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:58
Size: 147,4 MB
Art: Front

( 9:26) 1. Song for Darnell
(12:34) 2. Grew's Tune
(12:41) 3. Farwell to Dogma
(13:05) 4. Old Folks
(16:10) 5. Eleventh Hour

Mulgrew Miller was once opined as being one of the most underrated pianists in jazz, belonging to a middle generation of musicians between the 1950s-'60s masters and the "young lions of the 1990s. Proving patience is a virtue and there is something to be said for simply doing one's job consistently (citing Cal Ripkin, Jr.) Miller is in the midst of making the finest music of his distinguished career. Live at the Kennedy Center Volume 2 completes Miller's inauguration of the KC Jazz Club atop Washington, DC's Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following Live at the Kennedy Center Volume 1 (MaxJazz, 2006).

Miller's Kennedy Center recordings come on the heels of another two-disc live set Live at Yoshi's Volume 1 (MaxJazz, 2004) and Volume 2 (MaxJazz, 2005) which complement those of Jessica Williams' Live at Yoshi's Volume 1 (MaxJazz, 2004) and Volume 2 (MaxJazz, 2005). All are trio formats that allow the listener to hear Mulgrew Miller as a pianist with a rare command of his instrument.

Volume 2 picks up where Volume 1 leaves off, basically staying in an up-tempo mode and demonstrating Miller's intelligent compositions. Miller mixes things up on "Song for Darnell, beginning in a melodically minimalist manner before transforming into an assertive ballad whose swing coefficient goes off the chart with several 4/4 breaks where Miller plays his piano like a bulldozer leveling a lot. "'Grew's Tune is structured staccato romp that recalls much of the late Gene Harris' playing. Miller's double-stops are fun and exciting, accenting the piece with a drama that extends to Derrick Hodge's bass solo.

"Farewell to Dogma teases the listener with gospel chords and phrasing that draw the expectant listener in, thinking Miller is about to embark on a soul jazz extravaganza. Miller, all the while, is deconstructing that same soul jazz into its individual elements, exploring each with care and completeness: A style palette, if you will. "Eleventh Hour is much the same way. It is five minutes of boogie-blues and the rest proto-hard bop. Mulgrew Miller proves a master at compelling jazz, drawing listeners close and then surprising them. That is the fun of jazz.~C. Michael Baileyhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-kennedy-center-volume-2-mulgrew-miller-maxjazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey

Personnel: Mulgrew Miller: piano; Derrick Hodge: double bass; Rodney Green: drums.

Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 2

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Deborah Silver - Sunny Side

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 15:51
Size: 36,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:59) 1. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
(3:02) 2. Straighten Up and Fly Right
(2:31) 3. Almost Like Being in Love (Acoustic Version)
(2:52) 4. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(3:25) 5. I Got Rhythm

Mississippi born vocalist, Deborah Silver is back to follow up her chart-topping album, Glitter & Grits, with her new EP, Sunny Side, which delivers thrilling versions of some of jazz’s greatest standards including ‘You’re Nobody ‘Till Somebody Loves You,’ ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right,’ ‘Almost Like Being in Love,’ ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street,’ and ‘I Got Rhythm.’ Sunny Side (produced by Steve Tyrell & Ray Benson, who also produced Glitter & Grits, featuring musicians from his 10x GRAMMY award-winning band, Asleep at the Wheel) includes duets with Bill Medley (Righteous Brothers), Ann Hampton Callaway (TONY nominated Jazz diva) and American Idol finalist Casey Abrams (Postmodern Jukebox). There’s no doubt that Deborah’s wide appeal lies in her ability to reinterpret classics and combine genres to create exciting fresh takes on some of Jazz’s most loved songs. https://newworldnjazz.com/deborah-silver-sunny-side-ntl-records/

Sunny Side

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Johnny Griffin, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Pisces

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:17
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Pisces
(4:36)  2. Midnight Sun
(4:32)  3. Willow Weep For Me
(3:44)  4. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
(3:33)  5. What Is There To Say?
(4:32)  6. She's Funny That Way
(4:16)  7. Yesterdays
(4:09)  8. Sophisticated Lady
(4:46)  9. Willow Weep For Me (alternate)
(4:14) 10. She's Funny That Way (alternate)
(4:06) 11. Sophisticated Lady (alternate)
(3:31) 12. What Is There To Say (alternate)

The early '60s was a golden age for tenor tandems. Towering team-ups like Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Johnny Griffin were illustrative of the Zeitgeist. Such a simple formula, joining the talents of two titans on that most popular of jazz horns, but it's one that consistently yielded both artistic and financial profit. For a time the partnership of Davis and Griffin stood at the front of the pack. The 1962 recording Pisces is unique in discography of Davis and Griffin for several reasons. Firstly, though the saxophonists share billing on the traycard as well as the same rhythm section, none of the tracks feature the pair together. Secondly, the set list is comprised almost completely of ballads. The only exception arises in the Griffin-penned title waltz that ambles along at a medium tempo. Thirdly, and perhaps most surprisingly, the tape reel sat sequestered on a shelf for the better part of forty years. The chosen schematic removes the possibility of sparks striking between the two men, but each is so versed at fronting an ensemble that it's worth paying attention to his interplay with the Parlan-led rhythm team that also employs supple bass of Buddy Catlett and the always ecumenical drumming of Art Taylor. 

Aside from Griffin's jovial opener the remaining cuts predictably draw from the jazz standard songbook. For some inexplicable reason Davis is saddled with Parlan's decision to play celeste on his featured tracks and the cloying wind chime tonalities of the instrument quickly pall. Even Catlett and Taylor sound a bit stultified by the situation. Luckily the robust purr of Davis' horn acts as an effective antidote, gliding eloquently through choruses and offering a salty tang to the otherwise saccharine surroundings. Parlan's piano work is a different story, nimble and elegant and dulcetly supportive of Griff's mellifluous lines, particularly on pieces like the positively intoxicating reading of "Willow Weep For Me." Adding measurably to an already valuable trove are four alternate takes (three by Griff and one by Jaws) that bolster the running time to just over fifty fulsome minutes. According the liner notes, the pair cut the date at a New York studio and interest swiftly waned toward the results. Davis' topflight session at Rudy Van Gelder's taped two days earlier with the same rhythm section and conguero Willie Bobo added (released as Goin' to the Meeting ) may have also swayed opinions against releasing the material. Today's vantage point makes room for a different appraisal. Davis' catalog is now a finite commodity, making virtually any "new" work worth scrutiny. Griffin continues to record, but again anything of antique vintage unearthed in his oeuvre is cause for collectors and casual fans to take notice. Despite a minor complaint or two, this collection is certainly that, and one that any fan of either man should waste no time in checking it out. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pisces-johnny-griffin-riverside-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Johnny Griffin- tenor saxophone; Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis- tenor saxophone; Horace Parlan- piano, celeste; Buddy Catlett- bass; Arthur Taylor- drums.

Pisces

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