Ann Hampton Callaway - Easy Living

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:28
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:52) 1. Easy To Love
(4:15) 2. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(5:50) 3. Skylark
(2:33) 4. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(5:32) 5. The Very Thought Of You
(5:59) 6. 'Round Midnight
(3:37) 7. Come Take My Hand
(5:42) 8. Easy Living
(3:25) 9. All Of You
(3:43) 10. Bluesette
(3:28) 11. It Had To Be You
(5:24) 12. In A Sentimental Mood
(4:03) 13. You Don't Know What Love Is

This is Ann Hampton Callaway's seventh recording, Easy Living, is one of her very best. It's a program of well-known standards and fairly stock arrangements, but in the middle is her pristine, well-defined, flexible voice. She retains a lower-end range in her style that suggests only one singer: Sarah Vaughan. She's joined by several different rhythm sections and soloists, including pianists Benny Green (six cuts), Bill Charlap (five), and Kenny Barron (two); bassists Peter Washington or Neal Miner; drummers Clarence "Tootsie" Bean and Lewis Nash; percussionist Jim Saporito; saxophonists Andy Farber, Nelson Rangell, and Gerry Niewood; and on three selections, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.

A collection of love songs sung convincingly and with no frills, Callaway shows great depth in ballad singing. Hard evidence is presented in her takes of "Skylark" and "The Very Thought of You," with Charlap's glistening piano tones ringing bells for the singer and Farber's tenor sax replies. "'Round Midnight" is the penultimate interp with Barron's wistful piano and Marsalis' spare trumpet offering advice on ol' midnight. Callaway can swing well when she chooses; "Easy to Love" brings home her lower dulcet tones, while Farber's tenor cops a Stan Getz-Joe Henderson type plea bargain.

Green's intro to "Nice Work If You Can Get It" has a "Giant Steps" quote before the singer digs into this lyric. She scats a little during the middle of the program, on the melody line, and the coda, of "Bluesette," and more in the improvised bridge during "It Had to Be You." Bossa nova is always a sidebar for singers, and Callaway uses this Brazilian rhythm on an interesting arrangement of "You Don't Know What Love Is" spiked with high drama, Saporito's Latin percussion, Barron's deft piano, and Niewood's flavorful tenor.

The lone composition of the vocalist "Come Take My Hand" is also bossa, with Rangell's flute chirping on this definitive love anthem. Marsalis is also bolder on the stark ballad title track and a nice version of "In a Sentimental Mood," while it's the singer getting brash and daring in a lower tone than normal for perhaps the highlight "All of You," Green's piano matching the depths of Callaway's yearnings.

It's not hyperbole to understand this is the perfect singer with a perfect voice that sounds so effortless, mature, and flowing. Though the others six recordings are just fine, this one really hits the spot, especially instrumentally. Callaway proves up to the challenge with every measure, phrase, and inflection. By Michael G. Nastos
https://www.allmusic.com/album/easy-living-mw0000253203

Personnel: Vocals, Liner Notes – Ann Hampton Callaway; Alto Saxophone – Nelson Rangel; Bass – Neal Miner (tracks: 1, 4, 8, 13), Peter Washington (tracks: 2, 3, 5 to 7, 9 to 12); Drums – Clarence "Tootsie" Bean (tracks: 1, 4, 8, 13), Lewis Nash (tracks: 2, 3, 5 to 7, 9 to 12); Flute – Nelson Rangel (tracks: 3); Piano – Benny Green, Bill Charlap (tracks: 1, 4, 8, 11, 13), Kenny Barron (tracks: 2, 9); Tenor Saxophone – Andy Farber (tracks: 1, 6, 11, 13), Gerry Niewood (tracks: 6, 9); Trumpet – Wynton Marsalis (tracks: 2, 4, 8)

Easy Living

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Houston Person - The Lion and His Pride

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:34
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:32) 1. Dig
( 7:32) 2. I Remember Clifford
( 8:06) 3. Dear Heart
( 6:26) 4. Sweet Love (Theme From Black Orpheus)
( 6:52) 5. You Are Too Beautiful
( 7:11) 6. Like Someone In Love
( 4:45) 7. Our Day Will Come
(10:06) 8. Captain Hook

With his robust sound and swinging style, tenor saxophonist Houston Person has kept the hard bop and organ-soaked soul-jazz traditions alive. Emerging from organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, Person established his reputation as one of the Big Boss tenors in the Gene Ammons style with albums like 1968's Blue Odyssey, 1969's Goodness!, and 1970's Person to Person! He further embraced a funky, soulful vibe in the '70s with albums like 1972's Broken Windows, Empty Hallways and 1976's Stolen Sweets. From the '80s onward, he balanced his love of groove-based R&B with more hard-swinging acoustic sessions, joining contemporaries like Ron Carter and Teddy Edwards, as well as younger players like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. He recorded extensively with singer Etta Jones and has remained a torchbearer for the big tenor sound, releasing warmly attenuated standards and soul-jazz dates like 2015's Something Personal and 2021's Live in Paris.

Born in 1934 in South Carolina, Person started out on piano before picking up the tenor sax in his youth. After high school, he studied at South Carolina State College and then enlisted in the Air Force. Stationed in West Germany, he played in a service band that also included such jazz luminaries as Eddie Harris, Lanny Morgan, Leo Wright, and Cedar Walton. Following his discharge, he finished his studies at Connecticut's Hartt College of Music. In the early '60s, Person was a member of organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, appearing on albums like 1963's A Little Taste, 1965's The Stinger, and 1968's Nasty! It was also during his time with Smith that he first met vocalist and longtime musical companion Etta Jones.

As a leader, Person made his solo debut with 1966's Underground Soul on the Prestige label, featuring organist Charles Boston. More vibrantly earthy albums followed for the label, including 1967's Chocomotive, 1967's Trust in Me, and 1968's Blue Odyssey, all of which found him working with pianist Cedar Walton. Throughout the late '60s and early '70s, he released a handful of albums that all featured exclamation-point titles, starting with 1968's Soul Dance! and ending with 1970's Person to Person! Marked by the inclusion of organist Sonny Phillips, each record grew increasingly funky as Person dipped further into soul and R&B sounds. There were also gritty sessions with Charles Earland and Don Patterson.

Throughout the '70s, Person continued to pursue a soul-oriented crossover sound, as on 1971's large-ensemble Houston Express and 1972's Sweet Buns & Barbecue. Following his time with Prestige, he recorded for a bevy of independent labels, releasing 1973's The Real Thing and 1975's Get Out'a My Way! on the Detroit-based Eastbound and Westbound labels, respectively. He then moved to Mercury for two mid-'70s dates, 1976's Pure Pleasure and 1977's Harmony. He also recorded with equally funk-centric players like Grant Green, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Bernard Purdie, and others. In addition, there were numerous sessions with vocalist Jones, a partnership that would continue for much of Person's career. Toward the end of the decade, he found a home at Muse, releasing a handful of equally earthy soul-, blues-, and hard bop-inflected dates, including Stolen Sweets, Wild Flower, and The Nearness of You. More albums followed for Muse with 1980's Suspicions, 1982's Heavy Juice, and 1985's Always on My Mind.

While funk and soul would remain an integral part of his sound, Person began to incorporate more straight-ahead acoustic jazz back into his work by the late '80s. He released a warm standards date with 1987's Basics and paired with bassist Ron Carter for both 1989's Something in Common and 1990's Now's the Time. He also recorded several albums featuring then up-and-coming young lions, including organist Joey DeFrancesco and a pair of siblings, trumpeter Philip Harper and drummer Winard Harper, as on 1990's Why Not! A year later, he released The Lion and His Pride, which again featured the Harper Brothers, along with pianist Benny Green and bassist Christian McBride.

In 2015, Person delivered the rootsy and soulful Something Personal. The saxophonist then again paired with Carter for the 2016 duo album Chemistry. The following year saw Person issue the soulful Rain or Shine, which marked his 50th year as a combo leader. After 2018's Remember Love, his sixth album of duets with Carter, he returned with the full-band set I'm Just a Lucky So and So. The concert album Live in Paris arrived in 2021 and featured his group with guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Ben Paterson, and drummer Willie Jones III.
By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/houston-person-mn0000827320/biography

Personnel: Houston Person - tenor saxophone; Philip Harper - trumpet; Benny Green - piano; Christian McBride - bass; Winard Harper - drums; Sammy Figueroa - percussion (except #1); Special Studio Guest: Etta Jones

The Lion and His Pride

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Jo Jones - The Essential Jo Jones

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:28
Size: 180,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Shoe Shine Boy (first take)
(6:33)  2. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
(4:50)  3. Georgia Mae
(4:01)  4. Caravan
(7:50)  5. Lincoln Heights
(6:44)  6. Embraceable You
(5:54)  7. Satin Doll
(5:22)  8. Little Susie
(4:48)  9. Spider Kelly's Blues
(4:03) 10. Cubano Chant
(4:55) 11. Splittin'
(4:42) 12. Sweet Lorraine
(2:40) 13. Bicycle for Two
(6:44) 14. Old Man River
(3:26) 15. Sometimes I'm Happy

Jo Jones, one of the most influential drummers of the swing era, did not lead that many recording sessions of his own during his career. Producer John Hammond gave him his first two dates when he was working for Vanguard and, with the exception of a second take of "Shoe Shine Boy," all of the music from the two LPs is on this single-CD reissue. The first session is very much in the spirit of Count Basie's band; in fact, Basie himself makes a guest appearance on "Shoe Shine Boy." The other swing-oriented players include trumpeter Emmett Berry, guitarist Freddie Green, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson, and (on one song apiece) trombonist Lawrence Brown and clarinetist Rudy Powell. The later date is quite a bit different: a trio session with pianist Ray Bryant and bassist Tommy Bryant. There is a liberal amount of drum soloing but the early versions of Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant" and "Little Susie" are of greatest interest. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-essential-jo-jones-mw0000644547

Personnel:  Drums – Jo Jones;  Bass – Tommy Bryant, Walter Page;  Clarinet – Rudy Powell;  Guitar – Freddie Green;  Piano – Count Basie, Nat Pierce, Ray Bryant;  Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson;  Trombone – Benny Green, Lawrence Brown;  Trumpet – Emmett Berry    

The Essential Jo Jones

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Lew Tabackin Quartet - What A Little Moonlight Can Do

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:34
Size: 130,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(7:22)  2. Easy Living
(6:51)  3. I Wished On The Moon
(5:02)  4. Love Letters
(7:48)  5. Poinciana
(5:13)  6. This Time The Dream's On Me
(7:35)  7. Broken Dreams
(6:04)  8. Leave Of Absinthe
(5:20)  9. Dig

The deep, smooth tenor sax tones of Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins are clearly the models that Lew Tabackin patterns his playing after on this album featuring his quartet. The sax giants' influence can clearly be seen on "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," on which Tabackin plays above the melody, concluding with Webster's patented fluttering, whispering tone. Tabackin's playing throughout this session, irrespective of the tempo, is contemplative, exploring every nook and cranny, every nuance, every subtlety of the tune. He and his quartet travel winding roads of complex and interesting improvisations, always managing to return to the basic melody unscathed. He gives himself plenty of time for each journey, with most of the tunes running more than six minutes in length but never becoming boring or repetitive. Tabackin and his quartet caress "Easy Living," with Benny Green's piano getting significant exposure. "I Wished on the Moon," made famous by Billie Holiday, is done more like a tango than the swinging number it became in the hands of Lady Day. There are two non-standards on the album. Jimmy Knepper's "Leave of Absinthe," based on the chord changes to "Lullaby of the Leaves," is a vehicle for Tabackin's flute playing, while Tabackin's "Broken Dreams," commissioned by his wife, bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi, is a lovely ballad, again with Green's piano in the vanguard. The rhythm section backing Tabackin is world-class, with Green, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Playing professionally since the 1960s, Tabackin shows that almost 30 years later, he hasn't lost any of his passion for the music. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/what-a-little-moonlight-can-do-mw0000118368

Personnel: Lew Tabackin (tenor saxophone, alto flute, flute), Benny Green (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)

What A Little Moonlight Can Do

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Vince Jones - One Day Spent

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:46
Size: 100,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:47) 1. Detour Ahead
(3:09) 2. Let's Get Lost
(5:29) 3. I Wish You Love
(4:20) 4. Since I Fell for You
(5:10) 5. The After Thought
(4:42) 6. I Thought About You
(3:40) 7. Time After Time
(3:51) 8. Never Let Me Go
(4:46) 9. Save Your Love for Me
(3:47) 10. There'll Never Be Another You

This CD was recorded in New York,the recording process was in three parts one day to rehearse,one day to record and one day to mix. Hence the title “One Day Spent” the ambiguity of the title is realised in the beautiful ballads. The players on this recording were the best available of the young “New Breed”players on the NY jazz scene. Benny Green, Charnett Moffat, Carl Allen, Dale Barlow and myself put together an elegant performance of these jazz standards. This CD hit the US billboard charts reaching number 14 selling over 100,000 CD’s. https://www.vincejones.com.au/album/one-day-spent/

Musicians: Benny Green – piano; Dale Barlow – tenor sax; Carl Allen – drums; Charnett Moffatt – double bass; Vince Jones – trumpet & vocals

One Day Spent

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Ray Brown Trio - Some Of My Best Friends Are... The Piano Players

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:48
Size: 127.7 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[4:17] 1. Bags' Groove
[4:33] 2. Love Walked In
[7:11] 3. St. Louis Blues
[3:34] 4. Lover
[5:24] 5. Just A Gigolo
[3:46] 6. Ray Of Light
[6:05] 7. Giant Steps
[4:44] 8. My Romance
[4:36] 9. Close Your Eyes
[5:06] 10. St. Tropez
[6:26] 11. How Come You Do Me

Bass – Ray Brown; Drums – Lewis Nash; Piano – Ahmad Jamal (tracks: 4 to 6), Benny Green (tracks: 1 to 3), Dado Moroni (tracks: 7, 8), Geoff Keezer (tracks: 9), Oscar Peterson (tracks: 10, 11). Tracks 1-9 recorded November 21, 1994 at Clinton Recording Studio, Studio A, New York, NY. Tracks 10 & 11 recorded November 18, 1994 at Glenn Gould Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

On his Telarc disc, Ray Brown teams up with five different piano players but, rather than this being a tribute to the veteran bassist (who has solo space on every selection), the CD ends up being a celebration of the great Oscar Peterson because Benny Green, Dado Moroni, and Geoff Keezer have, to various degrees, based their styles on Peterson's, but the indivual standout is actually Ahmad Jamal, who had never previously recorded with Brown. Together with Lewis Nash they perform two blues and "Love Walked In," all renditions that make a liberal use of space and pay close attention to dynamics. Benny Green, who plays his "Ray of Light" along with two standards, had performed regularly with Brown in recent years and his selections offer few surprises. Dodo Moroni is fine on "My Romance" and inserts a bit of Erroll Garner on "Giant Steps," while Geoff Keezer (who had also never played with Brown) swings well on "Close Your Eyes." The CD concludes with a reunion between Oscar Peterson (who had recently recovered from a stroke) and Brown on "St. Tropez" and the upbeat "How Come You Do Me like You Do?" The results overall are pleasing and swinging (serving as a sampler of the pianists' styles), but not all that innovative. ~Scott Yanow

Some Of My Best Friends Are... The Piano Players

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Kenny Barron, Cyrus Chestnut, Benny Green, Eric Reed - Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz 2017

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:26
Size: 126,1 MB
Art: Front

( 3:47) 1. Thelonious
( 4:01) 2. Bye-Ya
( 5:56) 3. In Walked Bud
( 3:31) 4. Teo
( 5:35) 5. Reflections
( 6:35) 6. Light Blue
( 6:13) 7. Monk's Dream
(12:06) 8. Smoke Gets In
( 6:37) 9. Blue Monk

Kenny Barron, the highest peak of modern jazz piano that fascinated many giant stars such as Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz, a rich gospel feeling and a swing feeling unique to jazz. Top acoustic piano runner, Cyrus Chestnut, master of jazz piano tradition, Benny Green, leaders such as "Pure Imagination" ranked in the US jazz chart, and many other masterpieces The pattern of the jazz festival in 2017 Spain by Eric Reed and others who announced the above is recorded with high image quality and high sound quality. We cannot miss the stage of the famous pianists who have added further aging. The recording time will be 50 minutes. Live at 41 Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, July 12th, 2017 https://monotone--extra-co-jp.translate.goog/SHOP/dvdj-301.html?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

Personnel: Kenny Barron --piano; Cyrus Chestnut --piano; Benny Green --piano; Eric Reed – piano

Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz 2017

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Mark Murphy & Benny Green - Dim The Lights

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:29
Size: 156,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Your Red Wagon
(4:39)  2. Rules Of The Road
(7:53)  3. Street Of Dreams
(3:26)  4. Beautiful Love
(3:48)  5. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(4:26)  6. A Quiet Place
(5:09)  7. See You Later
(6:53)  8. Two Lonely People
(5:48)  9. It Amazes Me
(3:13) 10. North Sea Night
(5:02) 11. Time All Gone
(6:19) 12. I Never Know When To Say When
(6:16) 13. Ravel Concerto / How Insensitive / Corcovado
(0:45) 14. The Man On The Other Side

"You live and you learn the rules of the road." So go Carolyn Leigh’s lyrics to Cy Coleman’s classic song. His experience gives Mark Murphy, 67, the insight to perform a romantic album his way with each song’s meaning clearly at the forefront. Make no mistake about it, this highly recommended album – a combination of slow ballads and up-tempo romps brings out the goosebumps and leaves lingering thoughts that last for days. But Murphy also injects his fresh manner of scat-singing a tune alongside those tender moments. Long known as "a hipster’s hipster," the singer was first "discovered" by Sammy Davis, Jr. in 1953 at a jam session in Syracuse, New York - Murphy’s hometown - when the veteran singer invited the 21-year-old bopster to join him on stage. Since then Mark Murphy has never been what you’d call predictable. His dozens of recordings borrow from the beat poetry of Jack Kerouac, the soulful vocalese of Eddie Jefferson, the pretty ballads of Nat King Cole, and more. A loping blues highlighting Benny Green’s strengths starts the session with an uplifting mood. It goes directly downhill from there into the stark realities of romance, requiring a box of tissue, a soft pillow, and a quiet moment. The title track, "Dim the Lights," sets the mood correctly with Murphy’s lyrics about looking back at memories of what could have been. Bill Evans’ "Two Lonely People" offers deep dramatic insight, while Hein Van De Geyn’s "North Sea Night" paints a picture of lasting desire, and Peggy Lee’s lyrics from "I’m In Love Again" remind us that we’ve seen all that before and look forward to better days. 

They’re sad songs with a lot to think about. A trilogy of "Beautiful Love," "Lullaby of the Leaves" and "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" is performed by multi-tracking the three tunes on top of each other, blending them proportionately with lyrics and scat singing. The trilogy adds a light touch to the album and serves to represent the mixed feelings we sometimes get from relationships. As the session nears the end, "Corcovado" bounces a little to brighten up the day with Gene Lees’ lyrics about being happy together again. Murphy and Green stir the emotions and provide an opportunity to just sit back and let yourself go. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/dim-the-lights-mark-murphy-millennium-recordings-review-by-jim-santella.php#.U_aYi2MfLP8

Personnel: Mark Murphy- vocals; Benny Green- piano.

Veronica Swift - Confessions

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:33
Size: 119,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:47) 1. You're Gonna Hear from Me
(3:41) 2. A Little Taste
(5:12) 3. Interlude
(5:01) 4. Forget About the Boy
(6:22) 5. A Stranger in Town
(3:08) 6. I Don't Wanna Cry Anymore
(4:23) 7. I Hope She Makes You Happy
(6:43) 8. Confession / The Other Woman
(3:44) 9. Gypsy in My Soul
(3:34) 10. No Not Much
(2:24) 11. I'm Hip
(3:28) 12. No Regrets

Times change. In the Me Too era it is clearly politically incorrect for a female singer to sidle up to the microphone and huskily breathe "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" like Julie London used to do. Or even, for that matter, to lustily proclaim "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" like Marilyn Monroe. But a residue of that sort of thing (it's called sex appeal) needs to remain, regardless. Veronica Swift is the epitome of a modern female jazz singer. She can wear figure-hugging evening gowns and high heels, but she'll look her audience in their collective eye and state defiantly, "You're Gonna Hear from Me."

That's the one that goes, "Move over, sun and give me some sky; I've got these wings I'm eager to try." She comes back down to earth with a fine interpretation of Billie Holiday's "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore": "Oh, why can't I forget you; I know so well what is in store. A moment or two up in the clouds with you, Then back where I was before." "Forget About the Boy" and her own bittersweet "I Hope She Makes You Happy" leaven the mix: love seen from different angles. Talking of which, there's "Confession/The Other Woman," an angle on love that is rarely celebrated in song. Veronica Swift chooses her songs with great care. She grew up touring with her parents, jazz pianist Hod O'Brien and singer Stephanie Nakasian. So she knows the score.

She made her first appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center when just 11 years old. In 2015 she won second place in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition and a year later headlined at the Telluride Jazz Festival. A residency at Birdland in New York followed, and in 2018 she began touring with trios fronted by pianists Emmet Cohen and Benny Green, both featured on this album. Her songs are marvelously well-crafted performances rooted in tradition, but up-to-the-minute in execution. When Johnny Hodges wrote "A Little Taste" in 1947, he surely never expected that a vocal version would ever be sung by a woman. In his day, when you wrote songs about them, you put women on pedestals.~ Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/confessions-veronica-swift-mack-avenue-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Veronica Swift: vocals; Emmet Cohen Trio: Emmet Cohen, piano; Russell Hall, bass; Kyle Poole, drums (1, 2, 4-6, 9-12); Benny Green Trio: Benny Green: piano; David Wong: bass; Carl Allen: drums (3, 7-8).

Confessions

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Ralph Moore - Furthermore

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:59)  1. Hopscotch
(8:00)  2. Monk's Dream
(8:08)  3. 310 Blues
(5:56)  4. Phoebe's Samba
(6:57)  5. Girl Talk
(7:44)  6. Into Dawn
(4:17)  7. Line D

Tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore offers up a satisfying array of neo hard bop numbers on Furthermore which features some of the up and coming stars of the Wynton Marsalis retro trad jazz school, including trumpeter Roy Hargrove, pianist Benny Green, and bassist Peter Washington, as well as veteran drummers Kenny Washington (Peter's brother) and Victor Lewis. The CD opens with the thematically rich Moore original "Hopscotch" (reminiscent of Coltrane's "Moment's Notice") and works its way through Green's driving "Phoebe's Samba" and Hargrove's Wayne Shorter inspired mood piece "Into Dawn," with all three tunes providing prime vehicles for the innovative yet restrained soloing of these young players. Abetted by streamlined sound production, the urbane and cool mood of this recording crystallizes in Moore's sinuous tenor lines and mellifluous tone heard to great effect on his readings of Neal Hefti's pop gem "Girl's Talk" and his own "310 Blues." 

Moore and company leave the full-blown delivery of Ben Webster and Coltrane behind in favor of economical performances, and as was the case with many of the original hard bop albums, it takes its cues from Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus and Lee Morgan's Sidewinder. Furthermore does not break the mold so much as provide a pleasurable listening experience of the highest order. A potential dinner party classic; subtle enough not to disturb the guests, but provocative enough to elicit comments.~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/furthermore-mw0000309674

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Ralph Moore;  Trumpet – Roy Hargrove (tracks: 1,3,4,6);  Bass – Peter Washington;  Drums – Kenny Washington (tracks: 1,3,5), Victor Lewis (tracks: 2, 4, 6,7);  Piano – Benny Green

Furthermore

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Ralph Moore - Images

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:48
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:07)  1. Freeway
(5:32)  2. Enigma
(7:40)  3. Episode from a Village Dance
(8:36)  4. Morning Star
(5:39)  5. This I Dig of You
(5:06)  6. Blues for John
(7:02)  7. Punjab
(5:03)  8. One Second, Please

The particularly strong material and the all-star lineup (tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, pianist Benny Green, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington) make this a particularly enjoyable set from the tenorman. Although still displaying the inspiration (soundwise) of early-'60s John Coltrane, Moore had developed an increasingly original style within the modern mainstream throughout the 1980s. Highlights of this excellent set include J.J. Johnson's "Enigma" (a ballad feature for Moore), Hank Mobley's "This I Dig of You," and Moore's "Blues for John" (written in tribute to Coltrane). One of Ralph Moore's more significant recordings to date.~ Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/images-mw0000201085

Personnel: Ralph Moore – tenor saxophone; Terence Blanchard – trumpet (tracks 1, 3, 5 & 7); Benny Green – piano; Peter Washington – bass;  Kenny Washington – drums

Images

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Benny Green - The Place To Be

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:51
Size: 135,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. Nice Pants
(2:31)  2. Playmate
(6:59)  3. I Want To Talk About You
(3:10)  4. The Place To Be
(5:13)  5. I Felt That
(6:16)  6. Pensativa
(5:56)  7. One Of Another Kind
(5:23)  8. Which Came First?
(3:28)  9. Noreen's Nocturn
(7:13) 10. Concertina
(2:29) 11. The Gravy Waltz
(4:09) 12. The Folks Who Live On The Hill

Benny Green is one of the most gifted jazz pianists around, and The Place To Be shows off his abilities in a variety of settings. The album starts off with a big band arrangement of “Nice Pants” which at times sounds like it’s based on the changes of “Critic’s Choice,” a tune that was a staple of the Buddy Rich book from the 1960s. It has a time medium tempo swing to it and features an excellent bass solo by Christian McBride in addition to Green’s omnipresent powerhouse piano. The big band groove is also found in “I Want to Talk About You,” partly based upon “How High the Moon,” and “I Felt That,” the latter tune with a Thelonious Monk-inspired melody. Green’s trio work is outstanding and nicely varied. “Playmate” is a real tour de force and features blazingly fast single-line and octave runs a la Oscar Peterson. In the middle of the song there is a lot of nice stride piano. 

Green and company change pace with “Pensativa,” a pleasant bossa nova that is indebted to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Wave” and also to “You Came Along from Out of Nowhere.” “One of Another Kind” is an interesting composition and almost sounds like an up-tempo version of Miles Davis’ “So What?” Green displays a similar eclecticism with his solo piano pieces. They range from a swinging version of Steve Allen's “Gravy Waltz” to the highly contrapuntal “The Place To Be” to a very sensitive and understated performance of the beautiful ballad “The Folks Who Live on the Hill.” The last song is one of the most poignant compositions in the Great American Songbook, yet it is not performed that often, the most recording being Diana Krall’s. Benny Green is a consummate jazz pianist. He’s mastered all the past styles from Kansas City stride to Bill Evans to bebop and beyond and he’s taking the music to heights unknown. The Place To Be is just that, the place where everyone who appreciates great jazz will want to be. 

~ William Grim https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-place-to-be-benny-green-blue-note-records-review-by-william-grim.php

Personnel: Benny Green, piano; Delfeayo Marsalis, trombone; Christian McBride, bass; Byron Stripling, trumpet; Gary Smulyan, baritone sax; John Clark, flugelhorn; Kenny Washington, drums; Herb Besson, tuba; Jerry Dodgion, flute, alto sax

The Place To Be

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Benny Green & Russell Malone - Jazz at the Bistro

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:38
Size: 141,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Ask Me Now
(3:01)  2. Tale of the Fingers
(5:02)  3. A Bientôt
(5:45)  4. Sing
(4:47)  5. When Lights are Low
(3:54)  6. Wabash
(4:42)  7. How Deep is Your Love?
(6:44)  8. The Intimacy of the Blues
(5:04)  9. Lazy Bird
(5:01) 10. Love Letters
(0:29) 11. Russell's Introduction
(2:42) 12. Quiet Girl
(0:34) 13. Benny's Introduction
(2:48) 14. Hand-Told Stories
(6:07) 15. The Intimacy of the Blues

Russell Malone can play it all  rock, pop, country, blues, jazz you name it. But as anyone who has heard his recording knows, he's most at home (and comfortable) when he's playing jazz. And we as listeners are rewarded with some of the most beautiful sounds, tones and phrasing possible on the guitar. On Jazz at The Bistro, Malone is joined by pianist Benny Green. While live recordings in small rooms (and St. Louis's The Bistro is a small club) can be even more difficult to properly record than "regular" live recordings, Jazz At The Bistro is an excellent testament to Malone's and Green's virtuosity. Malone's guitar is accompanied only by Green on piano. Their music is at times fast-paced and exciting and at other times laid-back and smooth. This dichotomy is best heard by listening to the upbeat "Tale of the Fingers" and comparing it ot "A Beintot." Both are beautiful and fantastic tracks and both couldn't be more different. Jazz at The Bistro is comprised of fifteen tracks recorded over a span of four nights in the club. Malone and Green manage to put a fresh spin on many familiar '70s radio hits like the Carpenters' "Sing (Sing A Song)," "How Deep Is Your Love?" by the Bee Gees, Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now" (which also serves nicely as the CD's opening track) and Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly." They also do justice (even without bass, drums and sax) to Cannonball Adderley's "Wabash," Billy Strayhorn's "Intimacy of the Blues," and John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice/Lazy Bird." Malone and Green also play some of their own compositions. The highlights are Green's "Quiet Girl" and Malone's "Hand-Told Stories." As with all Telarc recordings, the sound quality is superb. The music is crystal clear. Although the album only features two instruments and the song choices are quite ambitious, Green and Malone make the recording work by improvising both in arrangement and attitude. ~ Mike Perciaccante https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-at-the-bistro-benny-green-telarc-records-review-by-mike-perciaccante.php

Personnel: Benny Green - Piano, Russell Malone - Guitar.

Jazz at the Bistro

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Gary Bartz - Shadows

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:25
Size: 159,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:49)  1. Marion's Theme
(12:30)  2. Shadows
(10:25)  3. Songs Of The Underground Railroad
(14:35)  4. Peresina
( 4:50)  5. How Do You Keep The Music Playing
( 9:32)  6. Children Of The Night
( 7:41)  7. Holiday For Strings

Veteran alto and soprano saxophonist Gary Bartz's debut recording for the Dutch Timeless label is one of his finest efforts as he enlisted the services of pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride, drummer Victor Lewis, and tenor saxophonist Willie Williams on three selections to perform an unusual program of one Bartz composition, three jazz classics, two movie themes, and one radio theme. Bartz's strong tone, sense of swing, and improvisational imagination place him within the ranks of jazz's finest saxophonists, and he proves it throughout this recording. Favorites include the title track, which is actually two Bartz compositions, one medium, one up, joined by an excellent McBride bass solo; John Coltrane's "Song of the Underground Railroad," performed up-tempo, in the spirit of Coltrane all the way down to a blistering sax-drums duet; McCoy Tyner's "Peresina," a medium Afro-Latin number with the melody played by the not-heard-enough combination of tenor and alto sax; and Wayne Shorter's "Children of the Night" where the melody is played over a hip groove by McBride and Lewis and features one of the best Bartz solos on record. McBride, who just had turned 19 at the time of this recording, displays a huge tone, solid time, and the improvisational ability of a more experienced musician, while Lewis' dynamic drumming lays down a solid foundation along with McBride's bass, serving as the catalyst for the excellence of this recording. Shadows is an excellent addition to Bartz's extensive discography.~ Greg Turner https://www.allmusic.com/album/shadows-mw0000100346

Personnel:  Gary Bartz - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Willie Williams - tenor saxophone;  Benny Green - piano;  Christian McBride - bass;  Victor Lewis - drums

Shadows

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Wallace Roney Sextet - Kind Of Blue: Copenhagen Jazz Festival

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 85:14
Size: 196,4 MB
Art: Front

(17:14)  1. So What
(12:57)  2. Freddie Freeloader
( 5:18)  3. Blue In Green
(14:14)  4. All Blues
(11:57)  5. Flamenco Sketches
( 6:04)  6. Milestones
(10:42)  7. Ah-Leu-Cha
( 6:44)  8. The Theme

Trumpeter Wallace Roney is a forward-thinking, post-bop musician with a healthy respect for the jazz tradition. Blessed with a warm yet plaintive trumpet tone and a lithe improvisational style, Roney's distinctive playing bears the influence of such legendary predecessors as Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, and Woody Shaw. While many of his albums display his talent for swinging and harmonically advanced acoustic jazz, others reveal his love of genre-bending, electrified funk, hip-hop, and soul. Born in Philadelphia in 1960, Roney grew up alongside his younger brother, saxophonist Antoine Roney, and first displayed an interest in playing the trumpet around age four. As an adolescent, he enrolled in Philadelphia's Settlement School of Music where he studied trumpet privately with Sigmund Hering of the Philadelphia Orchestra. From there, he attended the Duke Ellington School of Music in Washington, D.C., where he gained further tutelage under Langston Fitzgerald of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. At the same time that Roney was receiving formal music training, his father was encouraging him to transcribe jazz solos of artists like Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. Consequently, by his teens, Roney was an accomplished performer appearing regularly with both classical chamber groups and jazz ensembles. During this time, he took lessons with several trumpet luminaries including Gillespie, Clark Terry, and Woody Shaw. He also had the opportunity to play with pianist Cedar Walton's group. After high school, Roney attended both Berklee School of Music in Boston and Howard University before relocating to New York City in the early '80s. Although he had already played with such luminaries as drummer Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, replacing Wynton Marsalis, who was touring with Herbie Hancock's V.S.O.P. Quartet in 1981, Roney's initial time in New York was a struggle that also found him taking jobs in Latin dance and other kinds of bands to make ends meet. His break came in 1985 when he toured with Miles Davis alum/drummer Tony Williams, appearing on two Williams' albums Foreign Intrigue in 1985 and Civilization in 1986. Also around this time, he returned to Blakey's Jazz Messengers, this time replacing trumpeter Terence Blanchard. These esteemed gigs helped launch Roney into the upper echelons of the jazz scene. As a solo artist, Roney made his debut in 1987 with the album Verses on Muse, featuring drummer Williams, saxophonist Gary Thomas, pianist Mulgrew Miller, and bassist Charnett Moffett. Several more Muse albums followed, all of them sophisticated showcases for Roney's adventurous, post-bop and modal-influenced style. While Roney had long admired Miles Davis, an admitted influence who had mentored him on and off since first hearing him play at Davis' Carnegie Hall birthday gala in 1983, it was during Davis' famed 1991 tribute concert to Gil Evans at Montreux (later released as Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux) that he cemented his image as the heir apparent to Davis' legacy. Invited by Quincy Jones to participate in the concert, Roney sat next to Davis, trading solos on various Evans arrangements culled from such classic Davis releases as Birth of the Cool, Miles Ahead, and Sketches of Spain. Tragically, Davis, who was gravely ill at the time, died roughly a month after the Montreux concerts.

Following his high-profile show with Davis, Roney had established himself as a rising jazz star. He built upon this renown, signing a major-label deal with Warner Bros. and releasing several well-received albums with his brother, saxophonist Antoine Roney, and wife, pianist Geri Allen, including 1993's Misterios, 1995's Wallace Roney Quintet, and 1996's Village. Conversely, during this period Roney appeared on several of Allen's albums including 1997's Eyes in the Back of Your Head and 1998's The Gathering. In 2000, Roney took a creative turn toward funk, hip-hop, and experimental post-bop with the album No Room for Argument on Concord. It was a direction he stuck with through several more albums for Highnote, including 2004's Prototype and 2005's Mystikal. Roney never fully retreated from straight-ahead jazz, though, and generally incorporated a variety of jazz styles on his albums. This varied approach is represented on such releases as 2007's Jazz, 2010's If Only for One Night, and 2012's Home. In 2013, Roney delivered Understanding, his sixth album for Highnote. Also in 2013, he premiered his live version of saxophonist Wayne Shorter's "Universe," a long-form orchestral composition originally written for the Miles Davis' quintet in the late '60s. Abandoned for decades, "Universe" was eventually given to Roney, who spent much of the next several years touring the piece, which included playing an NPR broadcast performance at the 2014 Detroit Jazz Festival. In 2015, Roney appeared as a member of the ensemble Powerhouse on the album In an Ambient Way, which also included saxophonist/producer Bob Belden, drummer Lenny White, keyboardist Kevin Hays, guitarist Oz Noy, and bassist Daryl Johns. A reworking of Miles Davis' 1969 recording In a Silent Way, In an Ambient Way was the brainchild of Belden, who died a month before its release. After Belden's passing, Roney took time off from his "Universe" activities to tour with Powerhouse. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/wallace-roney-mn0000813629/biography

Personnel:  Wallace Roney-trumpet;  Mark Turner-tenor sax;  Vincent Herring-alto sax;  Benny Green-piano;  Buster Williams-bass;  Jimmy Cobb-drums

Kind Of Blue: Copenhagen Jazz Festival

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Noel Jewkes - Chasin' The Pres: Tribute To Lester Young

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:32
Size: 136.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[5:11] 1. I Never Knew
[5:24] 2. If You Were Mine
[6:26] 3. Db Blues
[6:55] 4. Fine And Dandy
[5:52] 5. Moten Swing
[6:01] 6. Tea For Two
[5:23] 7. I'll Never Be The Same
[5:41] 8. If Dreams Come True
[7:54] 9. Lover Man
[4:41] 10. Lester Leaps In

Noel Jewkes, tenor saxophone ; Benny Green, piano ; Josh Workman, guitar ; Marcus Shelby, bass ; Harold Jones, drums.

"Tribute to Lester Young"A tribute to Lester Young is the natural catalyst for this wonderful CD from the brilliant, masterful saxophonist Noel Jewkes. A legend among legends, Lester Young was one of the greatest figures in the history of jazz whose power and spirit transcended the tenor saxophone idiom, affecting the entire sound of jazz. Despite Young's pervasive effect, there has been a shortage of special tributes honoring his contributions to the birth of modern jazz.

Jewkes is an original musician, a premier tenor saxophonist, and an alto, soprano, clarinet and flute player, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. This recording, leading a band of top-ranked jazz musicians, has been long overdue and is both a tribute to Lester Young and a jazz celebration of Noel Jewkes.

The "Young Effect" prompted Young to be nicknamed "The President" or just "Pres." As this CD demonstrates, Jewkes' ability to subtly unfurl nuances of jazz harmony and improvisation qualifies him as a member of Young's "Presidential cabinet." The release of this CD fortifies Jewkes' solid reputation and will be welcomed by dedicated fellow musicians and enthusiastic fans alike.

Chasin' The Pres: Tribute To Lester Young mc
Chasin' The Pres: Tribute To Lester Young zippy

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Geoffrey Keezer - Sublime: Honoring The Music Of Hank Jones

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:16
Size: 163,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Angel Face
(5:39)  2. Hank's Blues
(6:14)  3. Passing Time
(5:44)  4. Time Warp
(6:21)  5. Lullaby
(7:30)  6. Things Are So Pretty in the Spring
(4:24)  7. Sublime
(7:34)  8. Favors
(4:56)  9. Alpha
(4:15) 10. Intimidiation

Thirty-two-year-old Midwesterner Geoff Keezer was one of the last pianists to work as a part of the Ray Brown Trio. Many writers that I have spoken with feel that he was the quintessential Ray Brown pianist. The late Mr. Brown favored double-fisted orchestral pianists with a jones for the blues but also a strong ballad sensibility. I have always favored the late Gene Harris, but Keezer might edge him out by a nose. Mr. Keezer’s previous recording Zero One was well received. The pianist's Telarc debut as a leader is a bold stroke. Keezer teams up with four prominent pianists for a series of duets honoring the great Sam Jones, who turns 85 years old this year. The disc presents Mr. Keezer in the left channel and the other pianists in the right channel. 

The results with Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Benny Green, and Mulgrew Miller are equally fine. Highlights include Keezer’s duet with Benny Green on "Hank’s Blues," where these two Ray Brown pianists practice an impressive display of telepathy. Jones shares his composition "Lullaby" with Mulgrew Miller, whose tenderness serves as a perfect foil for Keezer’s muscular tone. The title cut is Keezer alone, and perhaps celebrates Hank Jones the best  simply. Sublime works well on all levels and we can only hope that the young Mr. Keezer pursues more projects like this inventive and beautiful recording.~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sublime-honoring-the-music-of-hank-jones-geoffrey-keezer-telarc-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel:  Geoff Keezer, Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Benny Green, Mulgrew Miller - Piano.

Sublime:  Honoring The Music Of Hank Jones

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Not Yet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 122.6 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1988/1993
Art: Front

[9:41] 1. Kenji's Mood
[7:25] 2. For Heaven's Sake
[6:48] 3. Not Yet
[3:49] 4. I'll Never Be The Same
[9:29] 5. Uranus
[9:22] 6. Falling In Love With Love
[6:58] 7. Kelo

Bass – Peter Washington; Drums – Art Blakey; Piano – Benny Green; Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson; Trombone – Robin Eubanks; Trumpet – Philip Harper. Recorded March 19, 1988 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano.

The 1988 edition of The Jazz Messengers, which drummer Art Blakey had been leading for 33 years, showed a great deal of promise. Comprised of trumpeter Philip Harper (soon to form The Harper Brothers), trombonist Robin Eubanks, the tenor of Javon Jackson, pianist Benny Green and bassist Peter Washington, this band (whose average age without counting Blakey was around 25) performs one original apiece by Green and Jackson along with five older songs on this enjoyable release. The music may not have contained too many surprises or been startlingly new, but the results are quite pleasing. ~Scott Yanow

Not Yet mc
Not Yet zippy

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VA - Oscar, With Love: The Songs Of Oscar Peterson

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 178:47
Size: 412,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. The Contessa (Makoto Ozone)
(3:39)  2. Blues For Smedley (Robi Botos)
(5:43)  3. Celine's Waltz (Oliver Jones, Dave Young)
(5:11)  4. Bossa Beguine (Gerald Clayton)
(3:31)  5. Cool Walk (Benny Green)
(8:16)  6. Dream Of Me (Michel Legrand)
(4:34)  7. Sushi (Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap)
(3:00)  8. If I Love Again (Ramsey Lewis)
(3:49)  9. On Danish Shore (Justin Kauflin)
(8:51) 10. Ballad For Benny Carter (Kenny Barron)
(2:28) 11. A Little Jazz Exercise (Makoto Ozone)
(5:56) 12. Tranquille (Monty Alexander, Dave Young)
(4:58) 13. Take Me Home (Hiromi)
(3:35) 14. Announcement (Bill Charlap)
(5:20) 15. If You Only Knew (Benny Green)
(6:39) 16. Love Ballade (Renee Rosnes)
(5:22) 17. The Gentle Waltz (Monty Alexander, Dave Young)
(6:14) 18. Summertime (Justin Kauflin)
(6:22) 19. Laurentide Waltz (Ramsey Lewis)
(4:58) 20. Morning (Gerald Clayton)
(7:59) 21. Harcourt Nights (Michel Legrand)
(4:19) 22. Wheatland (Robi Botos)
(5:11) 23. Why Think About Tomorrow (Oliver Jones, Dave Young)
(6:28) 24. One For Oscar (Chick Corea)
(5:06) 25. The Smudge (Kenny Barron)
(4:58) 26. Sir Lancewell (Lance Anderson)
(4:13) 27. Dear Oscar (Makoto Ozone)
(6:03) 28. I Remember OP (Oliver Jones, Dave Young)
(4:03) 29. Oscar's New Camera (Hiromi)
(2:38) 30. OP's Boogie (Lance Anderson)
(4:28) 31. Trust (Monty Alexander, Dave Young)
(4:03) 32. Emmanuel (Robi Botos)
(3:13) 33. Look What You’ve Done To Me (Audrey Morris)
(3:16) 34. Goodbye Old Friend (Dave Young)
(5:18) 35. Hymn To Freedom (Gerald Clayton)
(2:29) 36. When Summer Comes (Robi Botos)

To mark the ninetieth anniversary of the legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson's birth (August 15, 2015), Peterson's widow, Kelly Peterson, produced a tribute album for the ages: Oscar, with Love, a marvelous three-disc set comprising ten never-before-recorded Peterson compositions, nineteen of his better-known works and seven compositions written especially for him, performed by sixteen contemporary piano masters on Peterson's personal Boesendorfer Imperial piano at his private studio in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Makoto Ozone has the honor of opening Disc 1 with a warm-hearted reading of Peterson's lovely ballad, "The Contessa." He is followed, in order, by a veritable who's who of noteworthy (no pun intended) keyboard artists: Robi Botos, Oliver Jones, Gerald Clayton, Benny Green, Michel Legrand, Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap, Ramsey Lewis, Justin Kauflin, Kenny Barron, Monty Alexander, Hiromi, Chick Corea, co-producer Lance Anderson and Peterson's close friend, Chicagoan Audrey Morris. While most tracks showcase the solo piano, Peterson's longtime bassist, Dave Young, accompanies Jones ("Celine's Waltz," "Why Think About Tomorrow," "I Remember OP"), Alexander ("Tranquille," "The Gentle Waltz") and performs alone on "Goodbye Old Friend." Morris plays and sings on "Look What You've Done to Me," while Charlap and Rosnes appear separately on "Announcement" and "Love Ballade," respectively, and together on "Sushi."

The songs written for Peterson include Corea's earnest "One for Oscar" (composed especially for this album), and his bravura performance, which leads off Disc 3, is one of the set's myriad highlights. As for others, any song on which Barron, Jones, Legrand, Lewis, Charlap or Rosnes are in the driver's seat is almost by definition a highlight, and none of them is less than inspired, nor are Ozone, Alexander, Anderson, Botos, Clayton, Green, Hiromi, Kauflin or Morris. Jones, who like Peterson was born in Montreal, is closest to his fellow Canadian in spirit, and even though he was roughly eighty years old when the album was recorded, plays with the agility and vigor of someone many years his junior. Lewis, another newly minted octogenarian, shows no deference to Father Time on his opulent features, "If I Love Again" and "Laurentide Waltz," while the (now) eighty four year old Legrand is sublime on "Dream of Me" and "Harcourt Nights." That's not to demean the (relatively) younger lions Botos, Clayton, Hiromi and Kauflin each of whom makes an auspicious impression. And for brio emblematic of Peterson himself, dig Ozone's busy fingers on "Dear Oscar" and "A Little Jazz Exercise." This is an album on which every participant seems entirely aware that he or she is not merely playing another song but is offering his or her homage to one of the most renowned jazz pianists who ever lived. That fondness and appreciation are palpable from start to finish, which is one (of many) reasons why Oscar, with Love is an album to be applauded and treasured. Others include immaculate sound, splendid packaging, erudite and inclusive liner notes by Basie trumpeter Scotty Barnhart, and warm personal remembrances by Peterson's daughter, Celine. An exemplary tribute worthy of the name and the monarch to whom it is inscribed. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/oscar-with-love-oscar-peterson-two-lions-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Monty Alexander: piano; Lance Anderson: piano; Kenny Barron: piano; Robi Botos: piano; Bill Charlap: piano; Gerald Clayton: piano; Chick Corea: piano; Benny Green: piano; Hiromi: piano; Oliver Jones: piano; Justin Kauflin: piano; Michel Legrand: piano; Ramsey Lewis: piano; Audrey Morris: piano, vocal; Makoto Ozone: piano; Renee Rosnes: piano; Dave Young: bass.

Oscar, With Love: The Songs Of Oscar Peterson

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Jim Snidero - Blue Afternoon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:32
Size: 135,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:57)  1. Enforcement
(9:57)  2. Forethought
(8:49)  3. The Trifle
(7:40)  4. Soul Eyes
(8:07)  5. Blue Afternoon
(8:19)  6. Infant Eyes
(7:42)  7. Toro

Saxophonist Jim Snidero is an adroit jazz improviser, composer, and educator with a bent toward acoustic post-bop. An author of several books on jazz improvisation, Snidero is an in-demand clinician who has taught at the Jazz and Contemporary Music Program at the New School University, Indiana University, and Princeton. Born in Redwood City, California in 1958, Snidero actually grew up in Prince George's County, Maryland where he first began playing saxophone at age ten. However, it wasn't until junior high that he became interested in jazz. While playing in his school concert and jazz ensembles, Snidero also fell under the influence of hard bop saxophonist Phil Woods, with whom he was able to study. After high school, Snidero enrolled in the University of North Texas music program. During his summer vacations, Snidero spent time in New York studying with saxophonist David Liebman, and after graduating in 1981, he moved to the city. By 1982, he was touring the country with organist Jack McDuff, with whom he also recorded three albums. From there, he found work with such established outfits as the Mingus Big Band and the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, of which he was a member from 1983 to 2003. Snidero has also performed with a bevy of names including David Murray, Frank Wess, Mel Lewis, Jim Rotondi, Maria Schneider, and many others.  As a solo artist, Snidero made his debut with On Time in 1984. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, the album included fellow Akiyoshi bandmate and trumpeter Brian Lynch, pianist Kenny Kirkland, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Billy Hart. From there, he delivered several more albums for the Criss Cross and Red labels, including 1987's Mixed Bag and 1989's Time Out.  The '90s were also a fertile period for Snidero, who began branching out creatively, playing with legendary singer Frank Sinatra from 1990 to 1995, and authoring several jazz pedagogy books. During this period, he continued to release a steady stream of hard bop-influenced albums including 1990's Storm Rising, 1991's Urban Tales with trumpeter Tom Harrell, and 1997's Standards + Plus, his first largely standards-oriented recording. 

He rounded out the decade with a tribute to saxophonist Joe Henderson with 1999's The Music of Joe Henderson on the Double-Time label. At the turn of the millennium, Snidero began refocusing his work on his own original compositions with albums like 2002's orchestral Strings, featuring pianist Renee Rosnes, and 2004's Close Up, with saxophonist Eric Alexander. Beginning with 2007's Tippin', Snidero developed a fruitful relationship with Savant Records, returning with albums like 2009's Crossfire and 2011's Interface, both of which featured guitarist Paul Bollenback. Subsequent Savant albums, like 2013's Stream of Consciousness and 2015's Main Street, also found Snidero continuing to push himself creatively, collaborating on new material with bassist Linda Oh and drummer Rudy Royston. In 2016, Snidero released MD66, which found him drawing inspiration from Miles Davis' second great quintet of the '60s, backed by a stellar ensemble featuring Royston, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, pianist Andy Laverne, and bassist Ugonna Okegwo. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jim-snidero-mn0000349095/biography

Personnel: Jim Snidero (alto saxophone); Brian Lynch (trumpet); Mike LeDonne, Benny Green (piano); Kenny Washington, Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums).

Blue Afternoon

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