Sunday, December 12, 2021

James Moody & Frank Foster - Sax Talk

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1951
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:52
Size: 170,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:43) 1. Bootsie
(3:08) 2. I Cover The Waterfront
(2:55) 3. Deep Purple
(4:37) 4. Lover Come Back To Me
(3:11) 5. That's My Desire
(3:12) 6. More Than You Know
(2:42) 7. Moody's Mode
(3:35) 8. This Is Always
(3:29) 9. Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves)
(2:26) 10. Chanter Pour Toi
(2:49) 11. Bedelia
(2:41) 12. Aimer Comme Je T'aime
(2:28) 13. Si Jolie
(2:57) 14. September Serenade
(6:08) 15. My Heart Stood Still
(4:52) 16. Fat Shoes
(5:25) 17. I'll Take Romance
(4:44) 18. Escale A Victoria
(4:03) 19. The Things We Did Last Summer
(4:36) 20. Just 40 Bars

James Moody was an institution in jazz from the late '40s into the 21st century, whether on tenor, flute, occasional alto, or yodeling his way through his "Moody's Mood for Love." After serving in the Air Force (1943-1946), he joined Dizzy Gillespie's bebop orchestra and began a lifelong friendship with the trumpeter. Moody toured Europe with Gillespie and then stayed overseas for several years, working with Miles Davis, Max Roach, and top European players. His 1949 recording of "I'm in the Mood for Love" became a hit in 1952 under the title of "Moody's Mood for Love" with classic vocalese lyrics written by Eddie Jefferson and a best-selling recording by King Pleasure. After returning to the U.S., Moody formed a septet that lasted for five years, recorded extensively for Prestige and Argo, took up the flute, and then from 1963-1968, was a member of Dizzy Gillespie's quintet.

He worked in Las Vegas show bands during much of the 1970s before returning to jazz, playing occasionally with Gillespie, mostly working as a leader and recording with Lionel Hampton's Golden Men of Jazz. Moody, who alternated between tenor (which he preferred) and alto throughout his career, had an original sound on both horns. He was also one of the best flutists in jazz. Moody recorded as a leader for numerous labels, including Blue Note, Xanadu, Vogue, Prestige, EmArcy, Mercury, Argo, DJM, Milestone, Perception, MPS, Muse, Vanguard, and Novus. He died of complications from pancreatic cancer on December 9, 2010 in San Diego, CA. James Moody was 85 years old.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-moody-mn0000786080/biography

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – James Moody; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – James Moody; Bass – Jean-Marie Ingrand, Pierre Michelot; Drums – Jean-Louis Viale, Pierre Lamarchand Drums, Strings, Woodwind – Pepito Riebe; Piano – Henri Renaud, Raymond Fol; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster; Trumpet – Roger Guérin

Sax Talk

Geoff Gascoyne - Keep It To Yourself

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:12
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:37) 1. Raggedy Ann
(4:02) 2. Love Won't Let Me Wait
(2:51) 3. God Only Knows
(4:02) 4. E Flat Triangle
(3:41) 5. Spring Is Here
(4:02) 6. Shapeshifter
(3:35) 7. Tribulation
(2:38) 8. All My Tomorrows
(6:04) 9. Lament
(4:26) 10. Keep It To Yourself
(4:31) 11. I'll Sing You
(3:10) 12. Somebody's Gotta Move
(4:41) 13. Theme From 'The Terminal
(3:29) 14. Scrapple From The Apple
(6:16) 15. Frankie & Johnny (Bonus Track)

Geoff Gascoyne is Jamie Cullum's bassist, and the leader of his regular band. Returning the favour Cullum turns up on two tracks here, and supplies the liner notes. But though the singer gives this set something of his familiar late-night soul-ballad spin (he sings Love Won't Let Me Wait and the Beach Boys' God Only Knows, the latter against a Gascoyne strings arrangement), and there are other guest vocalists in Trudy Kerr and the indestructible Georgie Fame, Keep It to Yourself feels like an open, if orthodox, exercise in instrumental jazzy swing, with some fine playing from pianist Tom Cawley, saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, trumpeter Martin Shaw and Gascoyne himself.

The sound of 1960s Blue Note soul-jazz hovers in the background, and Kaldestad suggests the smoky sound and leisurely pacing of that label's underrated sax master Hank Mobley on the train-rhythm hustle of Raggedy Ann or in Fame's Mose Allison cover Somebody's Gotta Move. Gascoyne's immaculate, full-bodied bass sound drives the music, and Cawley has rarely played better - both in his metallically Monkish solos (check out his playing on the fast, boppish E Flat Triangle) and in his creative prodding behind other improvisers. Fame achieves as much by insinuation as declaration on his two songs, and hangs so engagingly loosely around the beat that he seems about to fall asleep. Perhaps a bit too self-consciously a something-for-everyone set, but plenty of fine jazz for the cognoscenti. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/oct/14/jazz.shopping

Personnel: Geoff Gascoyne (acoustic bass); Gavyn Wright, Jackie Shave (violin); David Daniels (cello); Steve Kaldestad (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Martin Shaw (trumpet, flugelhorn); Tom Cawley (piano). Audio Mixers: Derek Nash; Geoff Gascoyne.; Liner Note Author: Jamie Cullum.

Keep It To Yourself

Barney Kessel - Some Like It Hot

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:26
Size: 131.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. Some Like It Hot
[3:40] 2. I Wanna Be Loved By You
[3:19] 3. Stairway To The Stars
[4:42] 4. Sweet Sue
[3:20] 5. Runnin' Wild
[3:40] 6. Sweet Georgia Brown
[4:03] 7. Down Among The Sheltering Palms
[3:27] 8. Sugar Blues
[3:16] 9. I'm Thru With Love
[3:10] 10. By The Beautiful Sea
[4:49] 11. Sweet Sue
[6:32] 12. Runnin' Wild
[3:11] 13. Fascinating Rhythm
[1:58] 14. Laura
[3:55] 15. The Abc Blues

The release of the movie Some Like It Hot served as a good excuse for guitarist Kessel to join together with Art Pepper (switching between alto, clarinet, and tenor), trumpeter Joe Gordon, pianist Jimmy Rowles, rhythm guitarist Jack Marshall, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Shelly Manne to interpret a variety of vintage numbers, most of which dated from the 1920s. Such tunes as "I Wanna Be Loved by You," "Runnin' Wild," "Down Among the Sheltering Palms," and "By the Beautiful Sea" are given fairly modern arrangements but still retain the flavor of the 1920s, and it's particularly interesting to hear Gordon and Pepper soloing on these ancient songs. [Some reissues add two alternate takes. ] ~Scott Yanow

Some Like It Hot

Joe Sample - Invitation

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 115,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Black Is The Color
(4:57)  2. A House Is Not A Home
(5:07)  3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(4:22)  4. Invitation
(6:49)  5. Summertime
(5:20)  6. Nica's Dream
(5:01)  7. Stormy Weather
(3:45)  8. Django
(6:12)  9. My One And Only Love
(4:26) 10. Mood Indigo

A luscious outing from piano great Joe Sample, this disc includes beautiful interpretations of ten standards and near standards. Featuring plush orchestral arrangements by Dale Oehler wrapped over and around Sample's piano trio, Invitation is simply one of the loveliest recordings of Sample's career. With a rhythm section made up of bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Victor Lewis, augmented by Lenny Castro on percussion, the music is of a piece from start to finish. Producer Tommy Lipuma has found a wonderful setting for Sample to show his gorgeous, acoustic piano stylings, and the orchestra feels like part of the trio instead of an add-on. When Sample uses synths, they are indistinguishable from the orchestra. Overall, a smooth, romantic, highly recommended recording. ~ Jim Newsom  http://www.allmusic.com/album/invitation-mw0000618430

Personnel: Joe Sample (piano, synthesizers); Cecil McBee (acoustic bass); Victor Lewis (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion). Additional personnel: New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (strings); Joe Mardin, Larry Williams (synthesizer programming).

RIP 
(February 1, 1939 – September 12, 2014)

Invitation

Kirk Lightsey - Nights Of Bradley's

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:04
Size: 146.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[ 7:02] 1. I Told You So
[12:01] 2. Speak No Evil
[10:38] 3. A Time For Love
[ 4:20] 4. Giant Steps
[10:51] 5. From Dream To Dream
[13:28] 6. In Your Own Sweet Way
[ 5:41] 7. Oleo

Pianist Kirk Lightsey and bassist Rufus Reid first played together on a regular basis as members of Dexter Gordon's quartet in the 1980s. Their duo session is particularly special due to the tight musical communication between the two players, and the fact that it took place at Bradley's. Open for 25 years in New York and usually featuring piano/bass duos, Bradley's was one of the Big Apple's top after-hours clubs and a place for pianists to play before their peers. Lightsey and Reid (who is showcased on Benny Golson's "From Dream to Dream") explore seven sophisticated compositions, all but Johnny Mandel's "A Time for Love" originating in the jazz world. The two musicians are heard at the top of their game (which two decades later they happily still are) and come up with an endless series of fresh variations, including on Wayne Shorter's haunting "Speak No Evil" and a cooking rendition of "Oleo." ~Scott Yanow

Nights Of Bradley's