Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Allen Eager, Brew Moore - The Brothers

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:50
Size: 102,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:12) 1. Five Brothers
(3:36) 2. Five Brothers (Alternate Take)
(3:54) 3. Battle Of The Saxes
(3:48) 4. Four And One Moore
(3:33) 5. Four And One Moore (Alternate Take)
(3:23) 6. Battleground
(3:17) 7. Battleground (Alternate Take)
(4:35) 8. The Red Door
(4:22) 9. Zootcase
(4:28) 10. Tangerine
(5:37) 11. Morning Sun

The music on this LP recalls the airy "Four Brothers" sound that tenor saxophonists Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward, and baritone saxophonist Serge Charloff, plied in Woody Herman's band of 1947. For this outing, Steward and Charloff exit, and four become five with the addition of tenor luminaries Al Cohn, Brew Moore, and Allen Eager. The set appropriately kicks off with Gerry Mulligan's "Five Brothers," a tune reminiscent of Jimmy Giuffre's original "Four Brothers" in its fluid and bouncy arrangement.

Three other attractive and similarly disposed originals (one more by Mulligan and two by Cohn) complete the saxophone session from 1949, all featuring swinging statements by each soloist. A 1952 sextet date led by Sims and Cohn is also included, offering up another round of original and buoyantly swinging cuts, bolstered by lively contributions from trombonist Kai Winding and solid rhythmic support by pianist George Wallington, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Art Blakey. A fine release that nicely showcases the cool, proto-West Coast bop forged by both these soloists and Miles Davis.~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-brothers-mw0000652734

Personnel: Piano – George Wallington, Walter Bishop, Bass – Gene Ramey , Percy Heath; Drums – Art Blakey, Charlie Perry; Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, Allen Eager, Brew Moore, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims; Trombone – Kai Winding

The Brothers

---

John Scofield - A Go Go

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:37
Size: 118,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:35)  1. A Bo Go
(6:45)  2. Chank
(5:26)  3. Boozer
(5:12)  4. Southern Pacific
(4:26)  5. Jeep On 35
(2:14)  6. Kubrick
(5:11)  7. Green Tea
(6:45)  8. Hottentot
(6:21)  9. Chicken Dog
(2:39) 10. Deadzy

For those of us who found ourselves swept away by the funk and soulful precision of early seventies releases like the Crusaders' Chain Reaction, John Scofield's latest offering will find a grateful audience too long spoon fed and spiritually starved on lush over-productions. A Go-Go gets down to business with no-nonsense production values and grooves. Scofield's strings sing through melodies laden with R&B hooks and southern fried blues, wailing, jibing, taunting, and preaching to us the gospel of urban funk. Despite what may be a return to safe, familiar radio-friendly territory for Scofield, instead we're treated to an ambitious and yet genuinely felt jazz-pop instrumental. A Go-Go stands clearly as one of the year's top fusion releases-but these tracks deeply mine Scofield's blues and Blue Note roots, such that the "fusion" label can only be applied here in a narrow and out-of-kilter way. Isn't that the case with all strong jazz in the fusion vein? Not to discount Scofield's chromatic flights into bizzare little vignettes and his athletic, angular progressions. What comes through is how much fun Scofield had in crafting and recording these pieces-the side of Sco that can certainly command applause alongside an Anthony Braxton or Cecil Taylor takes a nap in the back seat for the most part. Here hip-hop shuffles dance to the relaxed pumping of Billy Martin's acoustic traps. "Chank" takes off on a classic James Brown vamp, and the mixed chord voicings of organ and Sco's hollow-body honk with texture richer than molassass; clever and hip melodies give way to ferocious soloing underpinned by slamming grooves.

Scofield's guitar and John Medeski's organ are weaving in and out of a urban tarantella twisted further by an ideal and versatile rhythm section. "Jeep On 35" is that light and airy style of fusion propelled by soulful acoustic strumming, that seems made for a summer day's coastal drive. As the grooves escalate, this funky vehicle increasingly overheats into a steamy, intoxicating funk. Given the tasty chunks of Hammond B3 organ and Wurlizter electric piano thrown into the mix, there's a decidedly early 70s NYC urban fusion vibe.The tracks are arranged meticulously with no shortage of delicious, quirky changes-the kind of stuff you imagine popsters of the Walter Becker/Donald Fagen variety taking their cues from. This is what happens when a serious jazz artist again takes their cues and melodic clues from urban streets Scofield's guitar tells his audience about the realities of fast cars and their thundering radios, clamoring dives, and serpentine swaying hips without need for words or synthesizers. Given the general level of musicianship in evidence, Scofield's tracks make for a perfect Sunday afternoon for all who that like their stiff shot of blues chased by the odd chord so characteristic of pianists like Bill Evans or Dave Brubeck. Such is the singular charm of John Scofield, who serves up a jazz concoction that dances that narrow alleyway between extremely relaxed and extremely serious music, and it has all the earmarks of a "breakthrough" for Scofield in terms of airplay (as if radio could really be this hip). ~ Christopher Hoard https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-go-go-john-scofield-verve-music-group-review-by-christopher-hoard.php
 

Personnel: John Scofield: guitar; John Medeski: organ, piano; Chris Wood: bass; Billy Martin: drums.

A Go Go

---

Allison Wheeler - Winterspring

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:16
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:02) 1. Winterspring
(5:57) 2. Something Good
(6:32) 3. Ophelia
(6:13) 4. The Hazel Wood
(2:35) 5. Lines
(7:31) 6. Nose Dive
(5:25) 7. The Giant
(0:53) 8. A Dream is a Wish
(5:52) 9. Love
(7:48) 10. Going Home
(7:22) 11. Dawn

Downbeat’s 2018 ‘Undergraduate Vocal Soloist of the Year’ Allison Wheeler is a rising talent from California (based in the Czech Republic), who’s now set to release her debut album winterspring. The album features leading Czech pianist Daniel Bulatkin and his trio, Max Makagonoy on double bass, Petr Nohavica on drums, as well as guest guitarist David Doružka and Luboš Soukup on saxophone and clarinet. This impressive instrumental ensemble fuses perfectly with Wheeler’s dynamic and folky vocals, creating an extraordinary sound world that dominates each track on the album. Wheeler successfully constructs a world of her own imagination, fuelled by her expansive vocal improvisation, folk-like nostalgia, and love for impressionism. Through crossing genre boundaries and combining various stylistic techniques, Allison Wheeler has created a contemporary jazz album which frequently borrows from folk and world music traditions. This can also be heard in the work of Wheeler’s musical influences, including Russian-American songwriter and vocalist Regina Spektor, experimental songwriter Fiona Apple and Irish American folk-rock vocalist Aoife O’Donovan.

The album begins with the title track ‘winterspring’ and a single-note piano introduction joined by Wheeler’s soothing vocals. The song slowly builds into a web of shifting time signatures and deviating harmonic structures, which are merged with Wheeler’s overlapping main and backing vocals. The lyrics provide a narrative based on the static and calm natural world, contrasting the busyness of the song's texture. Wheeler finds ways to create contrast throughout the track, with climactic and bustling sections instantly followed by more spacey moments, where her vocals shine through beautifully. The interactivity between the backing and main vocal lines can be heard further on in the song, where the melodies repeat each other canonically like a vocal chain heard in a traditional folk song. The prominence of the backing vocals is apparent throughout the album, particularly in the tracks ‘Ophelia’, ‘The Hazel Wood’ and ‘Nose Dive’.

Though Wheeler’s folk-like style shines through in ‘winterspring’, ‘Ophelia’ and ‘The Hazel Wood’, many of the other tracks on the album explore other contemporary jazz approaches. The second track, ‘Something Good’, with its more electronic and synthesised feel, references the sounds used by various musicians in the contemporary jazz scene. Wheeler’s ability to explore the music of the current jazz world while embracing her distinct style makes this album all the more exciting and unpredictable. The track features the virtuosic playing of Luboš Soukup, heard in his elaborate interjections throughout the verses and in his distinct improvisational style.

Wheeler’s impressive scat-soloing becomes more apparent, especially in ‘Nose Dive’, which spotlights her incredible vocal range and melodic creativity. The subsequent guitar solo also demonstrates dulcet originality, becoming more experimental and tonally explorative. The whole band drives the improvisation section to a climax before dramatically falling to a delicate piano moment, which is extremely effective. ‘The Giant’ also exhibits a more experimental side to Wheeler’s compositional style. The introductory sound world is based around the travelling drum line, with occasional high-pitched interjections from the piano, woodwind, strings, and Wheeler’s vocals. The use of extended performance techniques such as trills and growls create a setting which is sonically vibrant and unique.

‘A Dream is a Wish’ becomes a momentary pause from the chaotic nature of the previous track. Wheeler’s acapella singing of this popular Disney song is both nostalgic and soothing, perhaps allowing the listener to connect with the sounds of their childhood. This leads effectively into the graceful and scalic piano introduction of ‘Love’. The piano solo epitomizes the light-hearted feel heard from the starting melody, musically translating this message of love and warmth. The wordless tenth track ‘Going Home’ translates this message also, not through lyrics, but its introspective and sentimental feel. Each song throughout the album has its own narrative which can be heard through the instrumentation alone, making this album a very special and reflective listen indeed.
By Isabel Marquez https://www.jazzviews.net/allison-wheeler---winterspring.html

Personnel: Allison Wheeler - vocals & music; Daniel Bulatkin - piano/fender rhodes/prophet; Max Makagonov - double bass; Petr Nohavica - drums with special guests: David Doružka - guitar; Luboš Soukup - soprano and tenor saxophone/clarinet strings (tracks 3 &4); Lucie Agopianová - violin 1; Šárka Ozgová - violin 2; Zuzana Korenová - viola; Nozomi Sekine - cello

Winterspring

---