Jon Faddis - Remembrances

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:14
Size: 154,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:06)  1. Sophisticated Lady
(6:06)  2. Laura
(7:23)  3. Speak Like a Child
(5:54)  4. Footprints
(5:58)  5. Naima
(6:35)  6. Johnny Bug
(6:47)  7. La Rosa Y El Sauce
(7:05)  8. In Your Own Sweet Way
(7:38)  9. Riverside Park
(6:38) 10. Goodbye

Jon Faddis speaks for himself on Remembrances. For many years critics thought of him as a Dizzy Gillespie clone. As director of The Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra he earned the distinction of being his own man. Carlos Franzetti, who arranged and conducted Portraits of Cuba (a Grammy winner for Paquito D’Rivera) uses his ingenious mastery again with Faddis. This disc is a well a conceived program of standards, both from the Great American Songbook and standards written by world class musicians. Franzetti chose instrumentation that is unique for a jazz group. The sidemen on this album are all excellent musicians in their own right. Here, you have Paquito D’Rivera playing soprano, tenor sax and the clarinet. His soprano solo on "In Your Own Sweet Way" is unmistakable, but still embraces the theme of the disc and enhances the music. Other instrumentation chosen for the group include bassoon, French horn, oboe, English horn, in addition to the sax section, rhythm section, and trombone. "Sophisticated Lady," "Laura," and the closer, "Goodbye," are all presented in a fresh way for a new generation. 

Faddis eschews high harmonics, rather embraces a relaxed manner that celebrates the ballads without disturbing their origins. "Footprints," "Naima," La Rosa Y El Sauce," and Franzetti’s own composition "Riverside Park," are all done with thought and conviction. Remembrances has "classic" potential and is sure to appeal to even the discerning jazz listener. Chesky recorded this CD at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in New York City and it is yet another example of their commitment to harmonic perfection.
By Arthur C. Bourassa https://www.allaboutjazz.com/remembrances-jon-faddis-chesky-records-review-by-arthur-c-bourassa.php


Personnel: Jon Faddis - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Paquito D'Rivera - Clarinet, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor), Soprano (Vocal), Bill Easley - Clarinet, Sax (Tenor), George Young - Flute, Sax (Alto), John Clark - French Horn, Lawrence Feldman - Flute, Sax (Alto), Kenneth Hitchcock - Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone), Dale Kleps - Flute, Sax (Alto), Clarence Penn - Drums, Jim Pugh - Euphonium, Trombone (Alto), Trombone (Tenor), Tenor Trombone, Stewart Rose - French Horn, Roger Rosenberg - Bassoon, Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone), Peter Washington - Bass, David Hazeltine - Piano.

Remembrances

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Chris Connor - Haunted Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:40
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:29) 1. By Myself
(5:26) 2. Haunted Heart
(3:32) 3. Snowfall
(3:25) 4. But Not for Me
(4:39) 5. Stairway to the Stars
(3:24) 6. Key Largo
(4:13) 7. Only the Lonely
(4:07) 8. Day in Day Out
(3:12) 9. I Wished on the Moon
(3:09) 10. Drinking Again

There is always a moment of trepidation when a jazz legend produces a new record after an absence of several years; a fear that what is will diminish the memory of what was. Thankfully, that is not the case with Haunted Heart, Chris Connor’s wonderful new CD on the HighNote label.

Vocally, the 73-year old singer sounds far younger than her chronological age. Ms. Connor’s voice has dropped noticeably in pitch over the last 30 years. However, she has compensated for the loss of her top notes with superb control over a warm and evocative lower register. Whereas in the 1950s and 1960s, she seemed to attack her material, Ms. Connor now sings from a calm, focused center. The tense energy of her youth has given way to a quiet confidence.

Pianist Mike Abene has drawn on his decades long association with Ms. Connor to craft smart, uncluttered arrangements that play to her strengths. Drummer Dennis Mackrel’s sure touch keeps the rhythm section humming along while Ingrid Jensen on trumpet and flugelhorn and Bill Easley on reeds prove to be much more than special guest soloists. Whether it’s playing unison passages, filling in behind the vocalist or taking extended solos, both Ms. Jensen and Mr. Easley fully integrate themselves into the ensemble. Ms. Jensen, in particular, displays exquisite tonal control and a truly distinctive voice.

However, Ms.Connor’s vast experience is the fulcrum on which Haunted Heart is balanced. The disc opens with a defiantly up-tempo “By Myself” that finds the singer’s formidable command of time undiminished. Nowhere is her lower register better showcased than on “Snowfall,” a composition by her old boss, pianist and bandleader, Claude Thornhill. Ms. Connor shapes the piece as a tone poem with her rich low notes juxtaposed against Mr. Easley’s fluid flute lines. “Day In, Day Out” and Benny Carter’s “Key Largo” (erroneously attributed to Schwartz & Dietz in the CD booklet) have been in Ms. Connor’s “book” for years, but her performances here show no signs of simply going through the motions.

Ms. Connor’s engagement with the material comes through most powerfully on the ballads. Without the use of any discernable dramatic devices, she sharpens the edges on lyrics, and, bypassing sentimentality, uses them to cut away at real emotions. “Haunted Heart” and “Only the Lonely” are masterpieces of unaffected communication. “Stairway to the Stars” and Johnny Mercer and Doris Tauber’s too-rarely heard gem “Drinking Again” are nearly as great.

Haunted Heart is probably Chris Connor’s finest album since 1986’s Classic. It is a compelling and deeply satisfying record by a singer who long ago earned her place in the pantheon of great jazz singers.By Mathew Bahl https://www.allaboutjazz.com/haunted-heart-chris-connor-review-by-mathew-bahl

Personnel: Chris Connor: vocals; Mike Abene: piano and arranger; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet and flugelhorn; Bill Easley: tenor saxophone and flute; Dennis Mackrel: drums; Chip Jackson: bass; Steve Laspina: bass.

Haunted Heart

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Harold Mabern - The Leading Man

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:01
Size: 126,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Yes or No
(4:40)  2. Save the Best for Last
(6:48)  3. Full House
(6:27)  4. She/Mr.Lucky
(7:36)  5. Alone Together
(6:11)  6. The Man from Hyde Park
(6:17)  7. B & B
(7:17)  8. T-Bone Steak
(4:17)  9. Mercury Retro

Since his emergence onto the New York scene in 1959, pianist Harold Mabern has become one of the few true living jazz stylists on the piano. Having played with everyone from Lionel Hampton to Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Wes Montgomery, and Lee Morgan, Mabern has the experience and the depth of knowledge sufficient to be called a master. There is no one on the scene who sounds like him, and his sense of lyricism, rhythm, time, and the entire range of dynamics in his playing attract other players as well as listeners. The Leading Man, issued in 1993, is considered a classic, both for its selection of material and the performances of the various ensembles Mabern assembled for the date. But there is something else, too nowhere in Mabern's recorded catalog is there a performance like this from him. His playing, while always inspired, is revelatory in its sense of full orchestration and the shifting timbres of his solos against the bassline (played by Ron Carter). Also on this set are drummer Jack DeJohnette, alto man Bill Easley, fellow Memphian and trumpeter Bill Mobley, guitarist Kevin Eubanks, and vocalist Pamela Baskin-Watson. With the exception of DeJohnette and Carter, all the other players rotate on this stunning collection. The standout track is Montgomery's "Full House," which features Eubanks and Mabern trading eights, then fours, then slipping into solo breaks at the same time, in close harmony and gliding through the arpeggios like a skater on ice. The medley of "She" and "Mr. Lucky," by George Shearing and Henry Mancini, respectively, is a chance for Mabern to show both his lyrical and dynamic abilities by tracing the melodies of each tune through the other, then harmonically combining them in rhythmic patterns of graceful elegance. Easley gets the chance to reveal the depth of his modal style on Wayne Shorter's "Yes or No." Mabern slips phrases from McCoy Tyner's comp book into the body of the tune, but the harmonic architecture and the interval changes in and out of mode are all his. Easley sets the bar high and delivers by blowing through those harmonies, not inside them. There is a bit of everything here, from the aforementioned exercises to the greasy funk of Jimmy Smith's "T-Bone Steak" to Mabern's compositions such as "B&B," where Mobley plays with the emotion of Chet Baker and the melodic chops of Fats Navarro. The last tune, "Mercury Retro," is one of Mabern's too. A piano solo, it begins as an exercise in dissonant counterpoint, transforming itself inside of five minutes into a jazz ballad that becomes a boogie-woogie blues to a classical rondo and even a prelude and fugue; it's just amazing. You never get the feeling the guy is showing off, either. The Leading Man proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that Mabern is just that. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-leading-man-mw0000121742

Personnel: Harold Mabern – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Jack DeJohnette – drums;  Bill Mobley – trumpet, flugelhorn; Bill Easley – alto sax; Kevin Eubanks – guitar; Pamela Baskin-Watson – vocals

R.I.P.
Born: March 20, 1936, Memphis,Tennessee,United States
Died: September 19, 2019

The Leading Man

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James Williams - After Ego

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:31
Size: 113,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:20)  1. Black Scholars
(6:49)  2. Alter Ego
(7:27)  3. Havana Days
(5:29)  4. Fourplay
(6:39)  5. A Touching Affair
(6:36)  6. Waltz For Monk
(6:43)  7. Beauty Within
(3:24)  8. Yours And Mine

Pianist James Williams learned a great deal from his stint with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and when he emerged from the group he was perfectly qualified to be a bandleader. His Sunnyside session features such up-and-coming players as guitarist Kevin Eubanks, the reeds of Billy Pierce and Bill Easley, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Tony Reedus on a set of original material. Five of the seven songs were composed by Williams, while the other two (including the memorable "Waltz for Monk") were contributed by Donald Brown. The frequently exciting music (high-quality modern hard bop) still sounds fresh. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/alter-ego-mw0000106677

Personnel:  Piano – James Williams; Double Bass – Ray Drummond; Drums – Tony Reedus; Guitar – Kevin Eubanks; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Bill Easley; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Billy Pierce

After Ego

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Charles Earland - Front Burner

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream  
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:15
Size: 101,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Moonlighting (Theme)
(7:27)  2. My Two Sons
(5:18)  3. I Will Always Love Her
(5:22)  4. Gospel Time
(9:51)  5. Mom and Dad
(6:25)  6. Can You Wait
(5:15)  7. Kickin' the '3

Charles Earland is among the most consistent of organists, with nearly every one of his recordings on that instrument (as opposed to his interlude on synthesizers) being easily recommended to soul-jazz and hard bop collectors. For this CD, Earland heads a sextet also including trumpeter Virgil Jones (long an underrated player), Bill Easley on tenor, guitarist Bobby Broom, drummer Buddy Williams and occasionally Frank Colon on conga. Other than a throw-away version of the theme from Moonlighting, the mostly basic music on this set is rewarding, with Earland infusing the tunes with plenty of grease and funk. ~ Scott Yanow

Personnel: Charles Earland (organ); Bobby Broom (guitar); Bill Easley (tenor saxophone); Virgil Jones (trumpet); Buddy Williams (drums); Frank Colon (congas)

Front Burner

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Claude Williams - Swing Time In New York

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:56
Size: 156,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Limehouse Blues
(6:01)  2. Laura
(3:29)  3. You've Got To See Your Mama Ev'ry Night Or You Can't See Mama At All
(4:23)  4. I've Got The World On A String
(5:40)  5. Mood Indigo
(5:20)  6. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
(3:59)  7. Just You, Just Me
(5:58)  8. Mean To Me
(5:38)  9. Lester Leaps In
(6:12) 10. My Buddy
(3:44) 11. I Can't Give You Anything
(4:30) 12. Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me)
(4:18) 13. Straight, No Chaser
(3:22) 14. I Want You, I Need You

Violinist Claude Williams, at the age of 86, shows that he is still in his musical prime during this quintet date with Bill Easley (who switches between tenor, clarinet and flute), pianist Sir Roland Hanna, bassist Earl May and drummer Joe Ascione. Williams was with both Andy Kirk and Count Basie shortly before they made it big but has spent most of his long career in Kansas City in obscurity. Fortunately he has made several worthy recordings in his later years and this is one of his best, a well-rounded set ranging in repertoire from one of the first songs he ever learned ("You've Got to See Your Mama Ev'ry Night or You Can't See Mama at All") to Ellington, Monk ("Straight No Chaser") and even Stevie Wonder ("You Are the Sunshine of My Life"). The emphasis is on swing and Claude Williams is heard near the peak of his powers. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/swingtime-in-new-york-mw0000648389

Personnel: Claude Williams (violin, vocals); Sir Roland Hanna, Bill Easley, Earl May, Joe Asione.

Swing Time In New York

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Jimmy McGriff - Blue To The Bone

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:18
Size: 101.4 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz-blues
Year: 1988
Art: Front

[ 6:26] 1. Ain't That Funk For You
[ 5:11] 2. For All We Know
[10:18] 3. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[ 9:03] 4. Secret Love
[ 7:43] 5. Hangin' In
[ 5:34] 6. After The Dark

Bill Easley »» Saxophone; Al Grey »» Trombone; Jimmy McGriff »» Hammond B3; Bernard Purdie »» Drums; Melvin Sparks »» Guitar.

McGriff with Bill Easley on sax, Melvin Sparks on guitar, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Al Grey on trombone. The trombone is not that often found in the small-organ combo format and may not appeal to everyone. Smooth, yet funky. ~Michael Erlewine

Blue To The Bone

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Grady Tate - Sings TNT

Styles: Hard Bop, Vocal
Year: 1991
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 46:11
Size: 74,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. TNT
(5:34)  2. You Go to My Head
(4:37)  3. Day by Day
(4:15)  4. Guess Who I Saw Today
(4:20)  5. Loose Change (The Beggar's Opera)
(4:01)  6. 'Deed I Do
(4:46)  7. Don't Misunderstand
(4:43)  8. Lonely Avenue
(3:23)  9. Where Do You Start?
(4:01) 10. Route 66

Though Tate has been featured as a vocalist often enough on records before this 1991 date, it still comes as a surprise to the many fans of his drumming that he is such a superb singer, too. Here, he combines the baritonal warmth of a Johnny Hartman, the flexibility of a Leon Thomas, the scatting agility of a Jon Hendricks, the authoritative swing of a Joe Williams and some other various qualities into his own unique container  a major singing style just waiting to be widely recognized. Foremost among the standards on this album is a great rendition of "You Go to My Head," full of authentic feeling and original phrasing, with a lovely tripping flute solo by reedman Bill Easley. Tate doesn't play drums at all on this gig, leaving the traps in the capable hands of Dennis Mackrel, who clearly got a lot of his inspiration on the rim shots and hi-hat from Tate.

Mike Renzi handles the keyboards, even doing some Jimmy Smith-inspired riffing behind Tate's closing rap on "Loose Change," and Tate's old rhythm partner on countless sessions, Ron Carter, returns on bass. ~ Richard S.Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/tnt-mw0000676545

Personnel:  Bass – Ron Carter;  Drums – Dennis Mackrel;  Keyboards – Mike Renzi;  Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Soprano Saxophone – Bill Easley;  Vocals – Grady Tate

Sings TNT

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Ed Thigpen - Young Men & Olds

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:17
Size: 133.4 MB
Styles: Hard bop
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[6:20] 1. Strike Up The Band
[5:48] 2. Yesterdays
[7:09] 3. Summertime
[5:50] 4. Night And Day
[5:49] 5. Scramble
[6:39] 6. Shufflin' Long
[4:25] 7. Oh My Gosh
[8:59] 8. Dark Before The Dawn
[7:16] 9. I Should Care

Terence Blanchard (trumpet) Bill Easley (alto saxophone) Branford Marsalis (tenor,soprano saxophone) Ronnie Mathews or Sir Roland Hanna (piano) Rufus Reid (bass) Ed Thigpen (drums) Bobby Thomas Jr. (hand drums). Recording Date: November 20 - 21, 1990

Edward Leonard Thigpen was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 28, 1930. His father, Ben Thigpen, was a professional jazz drummer who worked in Andy Kirk's band for close to twenty years throughout the 1930s and 40s. At the beginning of 1959, Thigpen joined Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown to form perhaps the most revered incarnation of the Oscar Peterson Trio. The group stayed together until 1965 and can be heard on close to 50 recordings.

The sensitive, quiet burn of Thigpen's famed brushwork and the forward-leaning foundation of Brown's bass playing made for one of the most well-developed drummer/bassist relationships in the history of the piano trio. Once asked to discuss the style of his longtime drummer, Oscar Peterson explained, Ed Thigpen was a reflective yet complete percussionist. He wasn't really a drummer, he was a percussionist. He had that feeling all the time that it wasn't just drums that he was sitting at. He sees his drums as a complete, not instrument, but orchestra. Whatever he wants it to be. Ed Thigpen has a touch on the drums that you seldom hear. Jo Jones had that same thing.

Young Men & Olds

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Bill Easley - Love Stories

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:03
Size: 142,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(4:10)  2. Hey There
(5:27)  3. Love With a Proper Stranger
(5:47)  4. You Go To My Head
(4:29)  5. The End of a Love Affair
(4:13)  6. Almost Like Being In Love
(4:24)  7. My Foolish Heart
(5:23)  8. Where Do I Begin (Theme From Love Story)
(4:36)  9. Don't You Know That I Care
(4:41) 10. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(4:05) 11. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
(5:18) 12. Falling In Love With Love
(3:45) 13. I'll Take Romance

Though the word “virtuoso” is almost as overused as “genius” when applied to musicians, Bill Easley’s abilities on multiple saxophones and clarinets, in styles extending from swing and hard bop to R&B and pop, have proven that designation accurate. But on his sixth session as a leader, Easley opts for a more conventional, thematically conservative menu, a 13-track date of show tunes and romantic standards. He also limits himself to tenor sax, and is the key soloist in a group that includes pianist Tommy James, bassist Hassan Shakur, drummer Willie Martinez and percussionist Chembo Corniel. Easley’s command and tone are impressive, his interpretations engaging. He’ll take chances on occasion, transforming “Where Do I Begin (Theme From Love Story)” into a more urgent, energetic romp. He’s appropriately tender on such numbers as “Falling in Love With Love” and “Hey There,” but provides soul and passion during his treatments of “Don’t You Know That I Care” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” 

James proves a fine second soloist and accompanist, while Shakur’s bass is expertly recorded, bringing a deep, rich bottom presence to every arrangement. The decision to include a drummer and percussionist was also a smart one. The secondary textures that Corniel’s congas add to Martinez’s primary beats give Easley valuable additional support, and he operates nicely atop their foundations. ~ Ron Wynn  http://jazztimes.com/articles/27354-love-stories-bill-easley

Personnel: Bill Easley (tenor saxophone); Tommy James (piano); Willie Martinez (drums); Chembo Corniel (congas, percussion).

Love Stories

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Bill Easley - Business Man's Bounce

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:19
Size: 128.9 MB
Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Straighten Up And Fly Right
[5:52] 2. Mentor
[4:53] 3. September Song
[5:43] 4. Chelsea Bridge
[4:55] 5. In The Still Of The Night
[5:07] 6. Hi Fly
[6:04] 7. Memphis Blues
[5:43] 8. Spring Is Here
[5:25] 9. Indian Summer
[4:21] 10. Anthropology
[4:32] 11. Just In Time

Bill Easley has an extensive résumé as a sideman, but has led relatively few record dates of his own during his long career. But this excellent disc ought to open up more recording opportunities for him. With a potent rhythm section comprised of pianist Larry Ham, bassist Hassan JJ Shakur, and veteran drummer Michael Carvin (the latter a strong leader in his own right), the tenor saxophonist explores familiar material from a wide background in new avenues. His boisterous R&B-flavored take of Nat King Cole's "Straighten Up and Fly Right" features his gritty tenor and some comical spoken asides in spots. The Off Broadway Woodwind Ensemble add a lush background of reeds to several tracks, including a gorgeous rendition of "September Song," and provide additional color to the snappy setting of Randy Weston's "Hi Fly." "Chelsea Bridge" falls into a rut on many record dates, but Easley's breezy approach with a Latin undercurrent gives it a fresh sound. The leader is equally enjoyable soloing on clarinet (while overdubbing his tenor), playing a classic jazz gem like W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues" that would find him at home with any traditional jazz band; cornetist Warren Vaché is a special guest and he provides the perfect foil for Easley. Finally, with the addition of fellow tenorist Frank Wess on Easley's cooking "Mentor," the quartet sounds like a much larger ensemble with the two full-bodied tenor players. Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Business Man's Bounce

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