Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Clifford Jordan - The Adventurer

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:11
Size: 81,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. He's A Hero
(7:08)  2. Quasimodo
(4:54)  3. No More
(5:06)  4. Blues For Muse
(6:49)  5. Adventurer
(5:55)  6. I'll Be Around

Clifford Jordan was a fine inside/outside player who somehow held his own with Eric Dolphy in the 1964 Charles Mingus Sextet. Jordan had his own sound on tenor almost from the start. He gigged around Chicago with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some R&B groups before moving to New York in 1957. Jordan immediately made a strong impression, leading three albums for Blue Note (including a meeting with fellow tenor John Gilmore) and touring with Horace Silver (1957-1958), J.J. Johnson (1959-1960), Kenny Dorham (1961-1962), and Max Roach (1962-1964). After performing in Europe with Mingus and Dolphy, Jordan worked mostly as a leader but tended to be overlooked since he was not overly influential or a pacesetter in the avant-garde. 

A reliable player, Clifford Jordan toured Europe several times, was in a quartet headed by Cedar Walton in 1974-1975, and during his last years, led a big band. He recorded as a leader for Blue Note, Riverside, Jazzland, Atlantic (a little-known album of Leadbelly tunes), Vortex, Strata-East, Muse, SteepleChase, Criss Cross, Bee Hive, DIW, Milestone, and Mapleshade.
By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/clifford-jordan-mn0000157487/biography

Personnel:  Clifford Jordan - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute; Tommy Flanagan - piano; Bill Lee - bass; Grady Tate - drums

The Adventurer

The Quentin Collins/ Brandon Allen Quartet - What's It Gonna Be?

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:58
Size: 128,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. What's It Gonna Be?
(8:18)  2. Until The Sun Rises
(8:22)  3. No Way Jose
(5:37)  4. Dark Shadows
(9:03)  5. Unfinished
(7:22)  6. Soluble Aspirin
(6:38)  7. Smile Please
(4:38)  8. Teeth For Tooth

Trumpet, tenor saxophone, organ and drums? Must be retro hard-bop in the classic Blue Note mould. Er, not exactly. Collins certainly plays bright, crackling trumpet and Allen's tenor is declamatory in the grand manner, but there's a restlessness about this band's music that defies expectations. Instead of grooving comfortably along, the drums (Enzo Zirilli) chatter away busily and the organ (Ross Stanley) produces sudden changes of register and great washes of harmonic colour. The compositions, Collins's especially, keep you guessing, too. It's disconcerting but wonderfully energising, once you get over the surprise. ~ Dave Gelly   http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/01/quentin-collins-brandon-allen-review

Personnel: Omar (vocals/keys), Quentin Collins (trumpet), Brandon Allen (saxophone/flute), Ross Stanley (organ), Enzo Zirilli (drums).

Gunhild Carling & The Carling Big Band - Variete

Size: 99,0 MB
Time: 41:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Big Band, Vocal Jazz Swing
Art: Front

01. I Love You Forever (2:57)
02. Million Melodies (3:19)
03. Bunk Johnson Stomp (2:38)
04. Lonesome With a Sweet Melody (3:12)
05. Die Sternen (2:26)
06. Panama Rag (4:57)
07. Universe (3:05)
08. Loosers Weaper (2:21)
09. Flamingo (2:10)
10. Love Letter (2:15)
11. Haya Sue Blues (2:48)
12. Monday Through Sunday (3:09)
13. Sophisticated Lady (3:33)
14. Carolina (2:52)

Carling Big Band with Gunhild herself in the forefront is the band that hit knockout on the entire world of music, dancers and audience. There is no band in the whole world that this original orchestra where all the musicians play multiple instruments composes dances and plays to the crowd roar.

The album variety show is a collection of Gunhild Carling Big Band's acclaimed show of the same name from the summer (2013) live performances.

This collection is also called the "Royal Edition" where all the songs from the album were performed in the Swedish king's palace in September-13, when the king was celebrating 40 years as a regent.

QUOTES ABOUT THE SHOW AND GUNHILD CARLING FROM THE PRESS:
“At the center of this multi-faceted and sometimes circus -like jazz show are the charismatic and multitalented Gunhild Carling. Her ability to articulate musical perfect score on just about any instrument is rather sensational.
Although it did Gunhild Carling vocal onslaught splendidly, mainly unmistakable Billie Holiday influence in “You are my only universe” and their own bittersweet song “Open love letter”.”

Mattias Carlsson - Orkesterjournalen
"Rafting, surprising and diverse"
Sydsvenskan

"True Fucking Jazz, straight out!"
Ulf Johansson Werre, Trombonist

Variete

Libby York - DreamLand

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:09
Size: 127,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:14) 1. Hit The Road To Dreamland
(5:33) 2. Estrada Branca (This Happy Madness)
(3:15) 3. Mountain Greenery
(4:59) 4. Cloudy Morning
(7:14) 5. Throw It Away
(3:44) 6. Rhode Island Is Famous For You
(4:32) 7. Still On The Road
(4:17) 8. When October Goes
(2:57) 9. Moonray
(4:27) 10. An Occasional Man
(5:24) 11. Something Cool
(4:27) 12. It's Love

The Johnny Mercer classic “Hit the Road To Dreamland” evoked the state of mind for singer Libby York and so many performers as stages in 2020 long went dark, but ultimately gifting the thrill of revival two years later. Dedication to the music and craft has flourished since, along with the connection to audiences and the music itself.

DreamLand was born from that landscape and York's chance encounter with guitarist Randy Napoleon, who was accompanying Freddie Cole at Chicago's Jazz Showcase. Randy’s playing and warm enthusiastic manner set the stage for their gathering in the studio in Fall 2021 for this intimate set of songs, each pure, classic, compositional gems in themselves. "..a gifted and experienced singer whose warm tone and sharp sense of humor bolster her restrained artistry." By The New Yorker
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/media/track-hit-the-road-to-dreamland-by-libby-york

Personnel: Libby York - vocals; Randy Napoleon - guitar; Rodney Whitaker - bass; Keith Hall - drums

DreamLand