Eric Reed - The Baddest Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:37
Size: 123,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Rhythm-a-ning
(7:13)  2. Epistrophy
(6:19)  3. Green Chimneys
(4:06)  4. Monk's Mood
(8:22)  5. 'Round Midnight
(9:12)  6. Evidence
(5:59)  7. Monk Beurre Rouge
(3:28)  8. Bright Mississippi
(3:45)  9. The Baddest Monk

Eric Reed is making a habit of covering Thelonious Monk. A year after releasing The Dancing Monk, the pianist has issued another album of Monk tunes. The Baddest Monk includes seven of the bebop father’s tunes and two Monk-ish originals. In doing so, Reed proves that there is always something new to say about, and through, Monk’s music. The core of the band is the rhythm section, with Matt Clohesy on bass and Henry Cole on drums. Tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake appears on four tunes and trumpeter Etienne Charles on three. When the whole quintet plays, it gets into some spirited grooves. The funky bop of a rearranged “Rhythm-a-Ning” sets up Reed’s solo nicely; he smooths Monk’s jagged edges even as he lets a hail of notes fly. After horn solos on “Epistrophy” marked by crisp staccatos (Charles) and winding, curving figures (Blake), Reed plays contrapuntally and counter-rhythmically as he sinks his claws into the chord changes. 

By itself the trio is equally powerful. “Green Chimneys” features an unusual rhythm, one that feels drawn from bebop, marches and West African music. Indeed, Cole’s masterful drumming is the focus; the melody disappears beneath the beat, the blistering bass and the piano’s flurry. The three are reflective on a soft rendition of “Monk’s Mood,” and they gallop through “Evidence,” with Reed taking a long workout of a solo. Reed’s originals “Monk Beurre Rouge,” which seems to interpolate part of “Crepuscule With Nellie,” and the title track, a bluesy piano solo fit in perfectly. The disc’s literal and figurative center is “’Round Midnight,” a vocal performance by José James, who revamps the melody with his velvety baritone, Reed comping behind him. ~ Steve Greenlee   http://jazztimes.com/articles/30417-the-baddest-monk-eric-reed.

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Seamus Blake (tenor saxophone); Etienne Charles (trumpet); Henry Cole (drums).

The Baddest Monk

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George Shearing - Lullaby Of Birdland

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:34
Size: 97.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1953
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Lullaby Of Birdland
[3:02] 2. I'll Never Smile Again
[2:41] 3. I Remember You
[2:54] 4. My Silent Love
[2:29] 5. They All Laughed
[2:31] 6. Loose Leaf
[2:32] 7. Minoration
[3:15] 8. Midnight Mood
[2:48] 9. Simplicity
[2:23] 10. Over The Rainbow
[2:47] 11. How High The Moon
[2:42] 12. When Lights Are Low
[2:17] 13. Basic English
[2:34] 14. I Hear A Rhapsody
[2:36] 15. Undecided
[2:18] 16. Lullaby Of Birdland

About the song "Lullaby Of Birdland": George Shearing's biggest hit is easily "Lullaby of Birdland," which is based on the chord changes to the now easily overshadowed standard "Love Me or Leave Me." This swinging tune caught on as the theme song used during radio broadcasts from the original Birdland club, with both swing bands and boppers alike putting their touch on it. Shearing's song has never really fallen out of favor since he first recorded it for MGM in 1952, countless recordings (either studio, concert or air checks from Birdland broadcasts) have been issued commercially; some of the many musicians who can be heard playing it include Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Bud Powell, Stan Getz, Erroll Garner, Miles Davis, Art Blakey and even Charlie Parker, for whom Birdland was named. Once lyrics were added by George Weiss, its appeal widened to singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Mel Torme. Shearing has revisited his magnum opus on several occasions, and it still must bring in fairly hefty royalties for its composer, as its appeal has hardly declined since its initial surge of popularity. ~Ken Dryden

Lullaby Of Birdland

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Sonny Stitt - How High The Moon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:04
Size: 151,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Koko
(4:00)  2. Easy Living
(4:43)  3. It's Hipper Than That
(4:47)  4. How High The Moon
(3:49)  5. Lover Man
(5:28)  6. Fools Rush In
(7:13)  7. Lonesome Road
(4:23)  8. I Want To Go Home
(6:38)  9. Katea
(4:30) 10. Flame And Frost
(5:14) 11. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(5:17) 12. Our Day Will Come
(5:57) 13. My Main Man

This is a 1998 CD reissue guaranteed to frustrate completists. Rather than bring back a complete session or two, the CD has "highlights" from three vintage Sonny Stitt dates owned by Chess and originally put out by Argo and Cadet. Five of the ten numbers cut at a superb 1958 quartet date with pianist Barry Harris (Burnin'), four of the six selections from a rare meeting with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims (Inter-action) and four of the seven performances from a more routine encounter with trombonist Bennie Green and organist Bobby Buster (My Main Man) are included. The music is generally quite good (particularly "Koko," "How High the Moon," "Lonesome Road" and "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes"), and Stitt plays eight songs on tenor and five on alto, showing off his solid sense of swing and his command of the bebop vocabulary. One just wishes the music had been reissued more coherently. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/how-high-the-moon-mw0000036216

Personnel: Sonny Stitt (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Joe Diorio (guitar); Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone); Bennie Green (trombone); John Young , Barry Harris , Barry Harris Trio (piano); Bobby Buster (organ); Frank Gant, Dorel Anderson, Phil Thomas (drums).

How High The Moon

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Petra Van Nuis, Andy Brown - Lonely Girl: I Remember Julie

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:40
Size: 134,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:05) 1. Lonely Girl
(4:30) 2. Trav'lin Light
(4:51) 3. You've Changed
(3:28) 4. The End Of The World
(5:02) 5. Something Cool
(3:44) 6. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:58) 7. The Meaning Of The Blues
(5:11) 8. Blues In The Night
(4:58) 9. It Never Entered My Mind
(3:45) 10. I Should Care
(3:10) 11. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
(6:54) 12. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(4:58) 13. Cry Me A River

Julie London made a name for herself as an actress and a singer during the '50s and '60s. Today, however, her legacy as a singer overshadows her acting career. During her lifetime, she released around thirty albums, and several of the recordings still continue to influence jazz performers. Chicago-based singer Petra van Nuis is among these, and Lonely Girl I Remember Julie is her tribute to this legendary performer.

Judging from the title alone, it might be tempting to assume that this is a track-by-track recreation of London's 1956 album Lonely Girl (Liberty). However, that is not the case. For this album, van Nuis focused more on London's overall influence, and the selections range from standards to popular songs which London recorded over the years.

One thing that set London apart from many other vocalists was her instrumentation. While many jazz vocalists recorded with lush orchestration or full bands backing them up, London's records often featured vocals only accompanied by a guitar. Julie Is Her Name (Liberty 1955) had Barney Kessel on guitar and Lonely Girl featured guitarist Al Viola. In keeping with that spirit, van Nuis recorded Lonely Girl I Remember Julie as a duet with her husband, Andy Brown, on guitar. Brown discusses this approach in the liner notes. Before London came along, the idea of simply having a singer backed by a guitarist "was unthinkable. Julie's landmark first album Julie Is Her Name changed that landscape forever."

Julie Is Her Name and Lonely Girl were both important albums for van Nuis. She describes how London was one of her earliest influences, "I studied every nuance of Julie's singing, and she became my teacher." Her albums became "my assignments." It is obvious that van Nuis did her homework because she manages to flawlessly capture the true spirit of London's recordings.

Along with van Nuis' vocals, Brown's guitar work deserves recognition. From listening to this recording alone, it is easy to see that he is one of the finest contemporary jazz guitarists. His playing is deeply rooted in jazz guitar tradition, and he has certainly listened to his share of Kessel and Viola. However, there are hints of Johnny Smith, Kenny Burrell, and Joe Pass in his style as well. His tasteful chord melody arrangements complement van Nuis' vocals in a way which brings out the emotional impact of each song. From melancholy songs such as "You've Changed" to upbeat numbers such as "Travelin' Light," there is a unique musical conversation going on here.

Something that is evident from Lonely Girl I Remember Julie is that van Nuis and Brown provide more than just excellent performances. They are able to convey a sense of true passion for the music, which greatly enhances the listening experience. It is easy to see that both are not only excellent musical performers but are also serious music listeners. This album successfully showcases their talents and presents a worthwhile tribute to Julie London's legacy. By Kyle Simpler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lonely-girl-i-remember-julie-petra-van-nuis-string-damper

Personnel: Petra van Nuis: voice / vocals; Andy Brown: guitar.

Lonely Girl: I Remember Julie

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Enrico Pieranunzi - Blues & Bach: The Music of John Lewis

Styles: Piano Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:54
Size: 121,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:36) 1. Skating In Central Park
(6:03) 2. Spanish Steps
(4:59) 3. Vendome
(6:12) 4. Autumn In New York
(7:53) 5. Django
(7:30) 6. Concorde
(7:31) 7. Milano
(5:06) 8. Jasmine Tree

If the work of any jazz composer lends itself to elegant reframing, as opposed to crass sweetening, by a chamber orchestra, it is that of John Lewis, co-founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Lewis' ambition, most often metaphorically realised but sometimes literally so, was to achieve a synthesis of blues and Bach. His blends were mostly successful and only occasionally, in self-conscious forays into "third stream" music, did his innate vibrancy become subsumed in arid academia.

Lewis composed and recorded a large body of work under his own name and for other bandleaders, but for many people his apotheosis was with the MJQ. Pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and arranger Michele Corcella, here leading the Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana, appear to agree, for all but one of the pieces on the delightful Blues & Bach: The Music Of John Lewis were written by Lewis for the quartet. The exception, Vernon Duke's "Autumn In New York," was recorded by the MJQ for its debut album, Modern Jazz Quartet (Prestige, 1953). A more accurate, though clunky, subtitle for Blues & Bach would be The Music John Lewis Composed For The MJQ.

Anyway, along with Duke's evergreen, there are seven Lewis originals: "Skating In Central Park," "Spanish Steps," "Vendome," "Django," "Concorde," "Milano" and "Jasmine Tree." A mere seven tracks could not possibly include everyone's favourite Lewis/MJQ tunes, but there is a good chance that most of these titles would be on most people's shortlists. The least well known track is probably "Jasmine Tree," from Under The Jasmin Tree (Apple, 1968), a beauty that thoroughly deserves its inclusion.

As collaborators on this project, Pieranunzi and Corcella are well matched. Pieranunzi is as well versed in classical music as he is in jazz, while Corcella has orchestrated for other A-list jazz musicians including Dave Liebman, Steve Swallow, John Taylor and Norma Winstone. Pieranunzi leads his regular trio with bassist Luca Bulgarelli and drummer Mauro Beggio. Corcella conducts ten players, comprising five strings, four woodwinds and one brass. He is also credited as arranger, but whether this is of the Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana, or the orchestra plus Pieranunzi's trio, is not clear. It is inconceivable, however, that Pieraunzi was a passive spectator of the process, even if Corcella wrote the first drafts.

The project was several years in progress, as indicated by the YouTube clip below of a 2018 concert performance with a considerably larger orchestra. The album itself was not recorded until late 2021, and plenty of honing, tweaking and fine focussing happened between times.

It is foolish and presumptuous to attribute opinions to people who are no longer with us. But it is probably safe to say that the odds are that Lewis would enjoy Blues & Bach. The orchestrations bring new facets to the familiar compositions and are as light on their feet as the source material, while Pieranunzi's trio, collectively and as soloists, keeps the music foursquare in the realm of creative jazz.

Footnote: It would be fascinating to hear how Bach would have worked with the blues. The closest we are likely to get is with the MJQ's Blues On Bach (Atlantic, 1974), a concept album built around blues written by Lewis based on various Bach chorales and fugues.By Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blues-and-bach-the-music-of-john-lewis-enrico-pieranunzi-trio-and-orchestra-challenge-records

Personnel: Enrico Pieranunzi: piano; Luca Bulgarelli: bass; Mauro Beggio: drums
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Additional Instrumentation: Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana: Cesare Carretta: first violin; Silvia Maffeis: second violin; Erica Mason: viola; Nicolo Nigrelli: cello; Andrea Sala: double bass; Serena Bonazzi: flute; Carlo Ambrosoli: oboe; Damiano Bertasa: clarinet; Luca Reverberi: bassoon; Angelo Borroni: French horn; Michele Corcella: arranger, conductor.

Blues & Bach: The Music Of John Lewis

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