Harold Vick - The Caribbean Suite

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:17
Size: 103,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:31) 1. Mango Walk
(1:57) 2. Saga Boy
(5:04) 3. Bongo Chant
(4:36) 4. Dance of the Zombies
(5:33) 5. Wha' Hupp'n?
(3:32) 6. Tiempo Medio Lento
(3:21) 7. Beguine
(3:06) 8. Haitian Ritual
(2:55) 9. Barbados
(3:10) 10. Jamaica Farewell
(5:26) 11. Leticia

Harold Vick led relatively few record dates of his own, but this little-known session is one of his better efforts. Known primarily for his work as a tenor saxophonist, Vick also plays soprano sax and flute on this mid-'60s RCA Victor album. Most of the disc is devoted to British tenor saxophonist Kenny Graham's eight-part "Caribbean Suite," which consists of musical impressions of various islands in the West Indies.

Joining Vick are trumpeter Blue Mitchell, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Albert Dailey, guitarist Everett Barksdale, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Mickey Roker, along with Latin percussion by Montego Joe and Manuel Ramos. Like other boppers who delved into Afro-Cuban music, Vick's arrangements of this obscure suite work very well. He also adds a fine take of Charlie Parker's "Barbados" and his own "Letitia," both of which fit in rather nicely with the album concept. Long out of print, this LP may be difficult to acquire. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-caribbean-suite-mw0000670014

The Caribbean Suite

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Harold Vick - Steppin' Out!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:25
Size: 84,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:29) 1. Our Miss Brooks
(6:12) 2. Trimmed In Blue
(4:42) 3. Laura
(6:28) 4. Dotty's Dream
(5:41) 5. Vicksville
(5:51) 6. Steppin' Out

This soul-jazz outing by tenor saxophonist Harold Vick (his recording debut as a leader) casts him in a role that was often occupied by Stanley Turrentine. Vick, with a quintet that also includes trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Grant Green, organist John Patton, and drummer Ben Dixon, performs four blues, a slightly trickier original (five of the six songs are his), plus the ballad "Laura" on this CD reissue.

There are no real surprises, but no disappointments either on what would be Harold Vick's only chance to lead a Blue Note date. At 27, he was already a fine player.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/steppin-out%21-mw0001986414

Personnel: Harold Vick - tenor saxophone; Blue Mitchell - trumpet; John Patton - organ; Grant Green - guitar; Ben Dixon - drums

Steppin' Out!

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Horace Silver - Song for My Father

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:28
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:20)  1. Song for My Father
(6:12)  2. The Natives Are Restless Tonig
(8:32)  3. Calcutta Cutie
(7:49)  4. Que Pasa
(5:27)  5. The Kicker
(7:06)  6. Lonely Woman

One of Blue Note's greatest mainstream hard bop dates, Song for My Father is Horace Silver's signature LP and the peak of a discography already studded with classics. Silver was always a master at balancing jumping rhythms with complex harmonies for a unique blend of earthiness and sophistication, and Song for My Father has perhaps the most sophisticated air of all his albums. Part of the reason is the faintly exotic tint that comes from Silver's flowering fascination with rhythms and modes from overseas the bossa nova beat of the classic "Song for My Father," for example, or the Eastern-flavored theme of "Calcutta Cutie," or the tropical-sounding rhythms of "Que Pasa?" Subtle touches like these alter Silver's core sound just enough to bring out its hidden class, which is why the album has become such a favorite source of upscale ambience. 

Song for My Father was actually far less focused in its origins than the typical Silver project; it dates from the period when Silver was disbanding his classic quintet and assembling a new group, and it features performances from both bands. Still, it hangs together remarkably well, and Silver's writing is at its tightest and catchiest. The title cut became Silver's best-known composition, partly because it provided the musical basis for jazz-rock group Steely Dan's biggest pop hit "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." Another hard bop standard is introduced here in the lone non-Silver tune, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's "The Kicker," covered often for the challenge of its stuttering phrases and intricate rhythms. Yet somehow it comes off as warm and inviting as the rest of the album, which is necessary for all jazz collections -- mainstream hard bop rarely comes as good as Song for My Father. ~ Steve Huey   http://www.allmusic.com/album/song-for-my-father-mw0000241423

Personnel: Horace Silver (piano); Carmell Jones, Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Joe Henderson, Junior Cook (tenor saxophone); Teddy Smith, Gene Taylor (bass); Roger Humphries, Roy Brooks (drums).

RIP

Set/1928-Jun/2014

Song for My Father

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Cedar Walton - Mobius & Beyond Mobius

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2015
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 79:52
Size: 146,8 MB
Art: Front

(10:07)  1. Blue Trane
(10:34)  2. Soho
( 7:48)  3. Off Minor
( 6:18)  4. The Maestro
( 5:39)  5. Road Island Red
( 4:15)  6. Bad Luck
( 6:18)  7. Low Rider
( 5:16)  8. Beyond Mobius
( 4:32)  9. Jive Talkin'
( 5:16) 10. Canadian Sunset
( 7:24) 11. The Girl with the Discotheque Eyes
( 6:17) 12. Lonely Cathedral

Two killers from Cedar Walton back to back on a single CD! First up is Mobius a real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton an unusual electric album from the 70s quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time not the usual CTI copycat mode, and instead this compelling hybrid of elements that includes lots of Fender Rhodes from Walton, sweet guitar likes from Ryo Kawasaki, and lots of rootsy percussion from Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay two players who really make the album nice and earthy at the bottom. The rest of the group is wonderful, too and includes tenor from Frank Foster, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, and trumpet from Roy Burrowes all fresh players who open up a big can of soul for the set on titles that include a classic break version of "Off Minor", plus "Blue Trane", "Soho", and "Road Island Red". Beyond Mobius is a great electric set from Cedar Walton and a set that moves beyond his previous Mobius album, in case you couldn't guess from the title! The style here is a bit more tightly arranged with some backup vocals on a few cuts, which underscore the core jazzy elements from Walton on a range of keyboards and synth, Eddie Harris on tenor, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet all grooved together with some tight guitar lines from Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree! Keyboards definitely get some great solo time in the spotlight, but the overall sound is quite strong too a nice instrumental funk approach, save for the added chorus vocals in a few spots. Titles include the moogy "Beyond Mobius", a cover of "Low Rider", and the tracks "Jive Talkin", "The Girl With The Discotheque Eyes", and "Lonely Cathedral". © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/766015

Personnel: 
Beyond Mobius: Cedar Walton - keyboards, synthesizer arranger, conductor;  Burt Collins, Jon Faddis, Blue Mitchell - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Wayne Andre, Alan Raph – trombone;  George Marge, Eddie Harris - tenor saxophone;  Norman Carr, Harry Cykman, David Moore, Morris Sutow – strings;  Cornell Dupree, Eric Gale - rhythm guitar;  Gordon Edwards – bass;  Charles Collins, Jimmie Young – drums;  Angel Allende – percussion;  Mike Lipskin - percussion, ARP synthesizer, voice, string arranger, string conductor;  Alan Abrahams, Adrienne Albert, Yolanda McCullough, Maeretha Stewart – voice;  Rod Levitt - horn arranger, horn conductor, string arranger, string conductor

Mobius: Cedar Walton - keyboards, arranger;  Roy Burrowes – trumpet;  Wayne Andre – trombone;  Charles Davis, Frank Foster – saxophones;  Ryo Kawasaki - electric guitar;  Gordon Edwards – bass;  Steve Gadd – drums;  Omar Clay, Ray Mantilla – percussion; Adrienne Albert, Lani Groves - vocals

Mobius & Beyond Mobius

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Charlie Rouse Quintet - Takin' Care Of Business

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:54
Size: 87,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:26)  1. Blue Farouq
(7:27)  2. ''204''
(4:48)  3. Upptankt
(6:02)  4. Wierdo
(5:16)  5. Pretty Strange
(6:52)  6. They Didn't Believe Me

Charlie Rouse's debut as a leader (not counting his earlier work co-leading Les Jazz Modes with the great French horn player Julius Watkins) was made for Jazzland and is available as an OJC CD. The distinctive tenor saxophonist, who had just started a decade-long stint as a member of the Thelonious Monk Quartet, teams up with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Earl May, and drummer Art Taylor. Together they perform straight-ahead material including Rouse's own uptempo "Upptankt," the standard "They Didn't Believe Me," and songs by Mitchell, Kenny Drew, and Randy Weston. A fine modern mainstream jam session-flavored set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/takin-care-of-business-mw0000312067

Personnel:  Charlie Rouse - tenor saxophone; Blue Mitchell - trumpet; Walter Bishop, Jr. - piano; Earl May - bass; Art Taylor - drums

Takin' Care Of Business

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Don Patterson - Dem New York Dues

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1968
Time: 78:41
Size: 116,4 MB
Art: Front

( 6:57) 1. Little Shannon
( 6:39) 2. Opus De Don
( 7:28) 3. Dem New York Dues
( 9:22) 4. Sir John
( 9:48) 5. Stairway To The Stars
( 7:21) 6. Oh Happy Day
( 8:51) 7. Perdido
( 3:44) 8. Good Time Theme
(13:42) 9. Hip Trip
( 4:44) 10. Blue 'n Boogie

Despite claims to the contrary, organist Don Patterson was very much of the Jimmy Smith school, a hard-driving player with fine improvising skills but lacking a distinctive sound of his own. This CD (which reissues two complete LPs) features Patterson in prime form in a quintet with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook on tenor, and guitarist Pat Martino, and with a separate group that features trumpeter Virgil Jones and both George Coleman and Houston Person on tenors. Although "Oh Happy Day" is a throwaway, Patterson's spirited renditions of the blues and standards make this a fairly definitive example of his talents.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/dem-new-york-dues-mw0000177249

Personnel: Organ – Don Patterson; Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman, Houston Person, Junior Cook; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell, Virgil Jones; Drums – Billy James; Frankie Jones; Guitar – Pat Martino

Dem New York Dues

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Mel Rhyne - Organ-Izing

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:18
Size: 99,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:59) 1. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
(10:44) 2. Blue Farouq
(12:52) 3. Barefoot Sunday Blues
( 8:42) 4. Shoo, Shoo Baby

Mel Rhyne is best known as Wes Montgomery's organist on and off in the late 1950s and '60s. He led few dates of his own until his rediscovery in the 1990s, so the CD reissue of this early jam session is quite welcome. Rhyne leads an all-star sextet that also includes trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, pianist Gene Harris (the piano and organ work quite well together), bassist Andy Simpkins, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath. Each of the four basic tunes are at least eight-and-a-half minutes long, with all but one exceeding ten-and-a-half minutes. However, with four strong soloists, the music never slows down or loses its momentum. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/organ-izing-mw0000103968

Personnel: Organ – Mel Rhyne; Bass – Andy Simpkins; Drums – Albert Heath; Piano – Gene Harris; Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

Organ-Izing

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Richard "Groove" Holmes - Blue Groove

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:33
Size: 167,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:42) 1. Get up and Get It
(5:11) 2. Lee-Ann
(9:23) 3. Body and Soul
(5:26) 4. Broadway
(8:04) 5. Groove's Blues Groove
(6:28) 6. Pennies from Heaven
(4:41) 7. Autumn Leaves
(6:45) 8. There Is No Greater Love
(5:30) 9. Denise
(7:57) 10. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
(7:21) 11. Up Jumped Spring

This CD, which reissues two former LPs by Richard "Groove" Holmes (Get Up & Get It and Soul Mist), showcases the organist in a quintet featuring the tenor of Teddy Edwards and guitarist Pat Martino, with his trio, and (on two standards) with trumpeter Blue Mitchell and tenor saxophonist Harold Vick. Overall, this 73-minute set has many fine solos, spirited ensembles, and two well-rounded programs. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-groove-mw0000111626

Personnel: Bass – Paul Chambers (3) (tracks: 1 to 6); Drums – Billy Higgins (tracks: 1 to 6), Freddie Waits (tracks: 9, 11), George Randall (tracks: 7 to 8, 10); Guitar – Gene Edwards (tracks: 7 to 11), Pat Martino (tracks: 1 to 6); Organ – Richard "Groove" Holmes; Tenor Saxophone – Harold Vick (tracks: 8, 10), Teddy Edwards (tracks: 1 to 6); Trumpet – Blue Mitchell (tracks: 8, 10)

Blue Groove

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Jimmy McGriff - Electric Funk

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:22
Size: 75,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. Back On The Track
(3:46)  2. Chris Cross
(3:19)  3. Miss Poopie
(4:02)  4. The Bird Wave
(3:29)  5. Spear For Moondog, Part 1
(3:05)  6. Spear For Moondog, Part 2
(3:59)  7. Tight Times
(3:35)  8. Spinning Wheel
(3:45)  9. Funky Junk

This 1969 Sonny Lester production was one nearly hopelessly lost slab of solid funk. It often popped up in cut-out bins when records were still waxed. When used-record stores started disappearing, beauties like this started vanishing too. But Blue Note's blessed Rare Groove series has exhumed all 32 minutes of this hard-hitting fon-kee gem (and, to its credit, retained the original but dated cover art too). Acid jazzers are probably already familiar with "The Bird Wave," which appeared on the Blue Note Rare Grooves compilation issued in 1996. The great news is that the rest of Electric Funk goes like this too. No sap, no frills. Just good true groove. In 1997, nay-sayers accuse this street soul (which prevailed in the early 70s) of being nothing more than TV cop-show music and Blaxploitation soundtrack stuff. Lovers will say that's the point. But in 1969, this was the next step for soul jazz; a genre Jimmy McGriff has always ruled. From his early Sue classics (all of which were recently released on CD by the Collectibles label) to his Solid State records in the 60s and on to his Sonny Lester productions on Groove Merchant and LRC in the 70s, this man has always known how to rock a groove. Unfortunately, credits are limited here to the organ grinder and his arranger (Horace Ott - a staple of the orchestrated groove in the 70s). 

Some sources indicate Stanley Turrentine and Blue Mitchell sit in the orchestra pit (very brief tenor and trumpet features indicate it's certainly possible). It'd be nice, however, to know the identities of the fuzz guitarist heard here and the funky drummer (who has the rhythmic familiarity of Bernard Purdie). Ott's arrangements are riff-oriented and stay out of McGriff's way. They often launch McGriff into one clever line after another and, fortunately, never tempt him to out-modulate the horn section as was so often the case on McGriff's earlier big-band tribute to Count Basie. Here's hoping Blue Note has room left in the budget to bring back the long-lost grooves of McGriff's The Worm (1968) and Black Pearl (1971) too. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/electric-funk-jimmy-mcgriff-blue-note-records-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel:  Jimmy McGriff – electronic organ; Blue Mitchell – trumpet; Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone; Horace Ott – electric piano, arranger; Chuck Rainey – electric bass; Bernard Purdie – drums

Electric Funk

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Bobby Hutcherson - Montara

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz 
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:39
Size: 82,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Camel Rise
(4:24)  2. Montara
(4:17)  3. (Se Acabo) La Malanga
(5:37)  4. Love Song
(3:54)  5. Little Angel
(6:42)  6. Yuyo
(5:08)  7. Oye Como Va

With the possible exception of Grover Washington's Feels So Good, no other album captured the spirit of jazz in 1975 like Bobby Hutcherson's Montara. Recorded in his hometown of L.A., Montara is the very sound of groove jazz coming out of fusion, and Latin jazz's tough salsa rhythms coming home to roost in something more warm and effluvial that would meet the populace where it was changing and mellowing out rather than making it sit up and take notice. That said, Montara is, like the Washington record, a masterpiece of the genre even though it isn't celebrated in the same way. Featuring a stellar cast of musicians among them Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Bobby Matos, Ernie Watts, Harvey Mason, Plas Johnson, Fred Jackson, Larry Nash, and Chuck Domanico Montara is a portrait of Hutcherson's complex gift of subtlety and virtuosity. Whether it's the funky Weather Report dance of "Camel Rise," with Nash's electric piano and the horns weaving around one another in a soulful samba melody, the sweet soulful groove of the title track, where Hutcherson's solo lilts to the point of actually singing, the killer Cuban salsa of "La Malanga," done in complete minor-key frenzy (all the while without losing the easy, slippery grace of soul-jazz), the shimmering echoplexed electric piano and vibes interplay on "Love Song," or the steaming, burning gasoline orgy of Hutcherson's read of Santana's "Oye Como Va," with a killer flute line by Watts winding its way through a knotty bassline and multi-part percussion, the effect is the same: blissed-out moving and grooving for a summer day. Hutcherson's chameleon-like ability to shape-shift is truly remarkable as a sideman and especially as a leader. He never overplays, his charts are tight, and he always creates a band vibe. Almost all of his solo recordings reflect the strengths of the ensemble rather than his strengths as a soloist. Montara is one of the great feel-good jazz albums of the 1970s, one of the great Latin jazz albums of the 1970s, and one of the great groove jazz records. Seek it out without hesitation. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/montara-mw0000036961

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson - vibes, marimba; Oscar Brashear, Blue Mitchell - trumpet; Plas Johnson - flute; Ernie Watts, Fred Jackson, Jr. - tenor saxophone, flute; Eddie Cano - piano; Larry Nash - electric piano; Dennis Budimir - guitar; Chuck Domanico, Dave Troncoso - bass; Harvey Mason - drums

Montara

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Jimmy McGriff - The Worm

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:56
Size: 88,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. The Worm
(5:56)  2. Keep Loose
(6:52)  3. Heavy Weight
(3:16)  4. Think
(5:13)  5. Lock It Up
(4:31)  6. Girl Talk
(4:59)  7. Blue Juice
(3:46)  8. Take The "A" Train

Jimmy McGriff's B-3 sound was always rooted in blues and gospel, and his soloing could be very smooth and polished. But every once in a while, he had to break out of his own soul box and tear it up on a session. The Worm, issued on Solid State Records in 1968, is the very first place he did. This is the first true, all-out funky burner from McGriff, and it sounds very different from most of the other titles on his shelf. Having a band like this helps: trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Fats Theus (with Bob Ashton on baritone and Danny Turner on alto), alternating drummers Mel Lewis and Grady Tate, bassist Bob Bushnell, and guitarist Thornel Schwartz were all in their prime in 1968. The title track, written by McGriff, Theus, and producer Sonny Lester, sets the tone for the whole platter. The saxophone section lays in the cut and is prodded on in a driving, funked-up, hard soul groove by the expanded rhythm section (a B-3 album with a bassist wasn't unheard of, but it wasn't standard procedure either). Solos by both McGriff and Mitchell are choppy and punchy in the extreme. The trumpeter is amazing here, offering a small taste of the sound he displayed on 1969's Collision in Black. 

But check out the next two tunes, both McGriff originals that push the LP into the red zone and keep it there. "Keep Loose" takes the organist head-to-head against Schwartz's electric six-string, and forces a showdown. McGriff is like an out-of-control soul singer (James Brown in a concert setting comes to mind), incessantly forcing his band to play faster, greasier, and choppier on chorus after chorus. He ups the intensity level until there is nowhere to go but over the ledge. He takes them there on "Heavyweight," the very next number, a swinging boppish blues. The horns actually keep the track grounded as McGriff gets terse, dense, and finally unhinged: he's more adventurous in this solo than he had been before, then he double- and even triple-times the entire band! He brings Bushnell's bass up the ever-narrowing stairs of the riff until they become a single player, all groove, grit, and grease. McGriff's cover of Aretha Franklin's "Think" keeps the exuberance level high. As the horns move right into the Memphis soul vamp, McGriff again plays the part of a vocalist: charging up and down the melody on his keyboards, popping in slippery side chords and harmonic flourishes. Tate's drums swing freely yet forcefully, and bass and guitar lines are simply nasty. The readings of Kenny Burrell's "Lock It Up" and Billy Strayhorn's "Take the 'A' Train" are the closest things to "straight" jazz here, though they're full of razored edges and hard angles. The reading of Neal Hefti's "Girl Talk" features the horns strolling leisurely on the melody and vamp, but McGriff goes into overdrive again and his solo hits the stratosphere. The Worm is a monster album through and through. Not only is it a revelatory example of McGriff on the wild, it marks one of the first places where the new funky urban soul met jazz and blues and evolved into jazz-funk. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-worm-mw0000659896

Personnel:  Organ – Jimmy McGriff; Alto Saxophone – Danny Turner; Baritone Saxophone – Robert Ashton; Bass [Fender] – Bob Bushnell; Drums – Grady Tate, Mel Lewis; Guitar – Thornel Schwartz; Tenor Saxophone – Fats Theus; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

The Worm

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Freddie Roach - Good Move

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:06
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. It Ain't Necessarily So
(5:21)  2. When Malindy Sings
(4:31)  3. Pastel
(6:31)  4. Wine, Wine, Wine
(6:20)  5. On Our Way Up
(4:58)  6. T'Ain't What You Do (It's The Way You Do It)
(4:59)  7. Lots Of Lovely Love
(5:20)  8. I.Q. Blues

Laid-back and loosely swinging, Good Move captures organist Freddie Roach near the peak of his form. Roach never leans too heavily on his instrument, preferring a calmer, tasteful attack, yet he is never boring because he has a strong sense of groove. He keeps things moving on slower numbers like Erroll Garner's "Pastel" and Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So," but the true highlights are on originals like "Wine, Wine, Wine" and "On Our Way Up," where the bluesy structures and fluid rhythms give Roach a chance to stretch out. Throughout the record, he is capably supported by guitarist Eddie Wright and drummer Clarence Johnston, as well as trumpeter Blue Mitchell and tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, who both contribute fine solos. ~ Stephen Tomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/good-move%21-mw0000063281

Personnel: Organ – Freddie Roach; Drums – Clarence Johnston; Guitar – Eddie Wright; Tenor Saxophone – Hank Mobley; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

Good Move

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Blue Mitchell - Down With It

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:23)  1. Hi-Heel Sneakers
(5:41)  2. Perception
(7:45)  3. Alone, Alone And Alone
(6:16)  4. March On Selma
(7:30)  5. One Shirt
(5:59)  6. Samba De Stacy

Down With It is a fairly standard bop and soul-jazz session from Blue Mitchell. Leading a quintet that features a young Chick Corea on piano, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor, and drummer Al Foster, Mitchell creates a laid-back atmosphere which makes R&B covers like "Hi-Heel Sneakers" or the lite bossa nova of "Samba De Stacy" roll along nicely. Just as often, the record is so relaxed that it fails to generate much spark, but each the soloists have fine moments that makes the session worthwhile for jazz purists. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/down-with-it%21-mw0000091737

Personnel:  Blue Mitchell – trumpet; Junior Cook – tenor saxophone; Chick Corea – piano; Gene Taylor – bass; Al Foster – drums

Down With It

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Louis Bellson - The Louis Bellson Explosion

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:35
Size: 123,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. Intimacy Of The Blues
(5:30)  2. Quiet Riots
(6:45)  3. Carnaby Street
(8:19)  4. Beyond Category
(4:33)  5. Chameleon
(5:17)  6. Open Your Window
(3:29)  7. Movin' On
(7:11)  8. Groove Blues
(5:25)  9. La Banda Grande

A fine mid-'70s date that was both a showcase for Bellson's bombastic drumming and also a nice straight-ahead date with great contributions from Blue Mitchell, Snookey Young, Dick Mitchell and others. It's been reissued on CD. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-louis-bellson-explosion-mw0000085941

Personnel: Drums – Louis Bellson; Bass – John Williams; Guitar – Mitch Holder; Keyboards – Nat Pierce, Ross Tompkins; Percussion – Dave Levine, Paulo Magalhaes; Saxophone – Bill Byrne , Dick Spencer, Don Menza, Larry Covelli, Pete Christlieb; Trombone – Ernie Tack, Gil Falco, Mayo Tiana, Nick DiMaio ; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell, Bobby Shew, Cat Anderson, Dick Cooper, Dick Mitchell, Snooky Young

The Louis Bellson Explosion

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David 'Fathead' Newman - Captain Buckles

Styles: Saxophone, Flute Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:51
Size: 78,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Captain Buckles
(4:19)  2. Joel's Domain
(3:43)  3. Something
(4:25)  4. Blue Caper
(6:20)  5. The Clincher
(5:07)  6. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(5:16)  7. Negus

An improvement over David Newman's preceding projects, this soulful but relatively straight-ahead effort teams him with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Eric Gale, bassist Steve Novosel and drummer Bernard Purdie in a pianoless quintet. 

Switching between tenor, alto and flute, Newman performs four originals, a song by Mitchell, George Harrison's "Something," and the standard "I Didn't Know What Time It Was." Captain Buckles was reissued on CD in 2000 on Label M. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/captain-buckles-mw0000105503

Personnel:  David "Fathead" Newman - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute; Blue Mitchell - trumpet; Eric Gale - electric guitar, acoustic guitar; Steve Novosel - bass; Bernard Purdie - drums

Captain Buckles

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Roy Brooks - Beat

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:13
Size: 71,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. Homestretch
(4:48)  2. If You Could See Me Now
(4:36)  3. Passin' The Buck
(4:31)  4. Soulin'
(5:07)  5. Soulsphere
(6:54)  6. My Secret Passion

Recorded for Berry Gordy's short-lived Workshop Jazz imprint, Roy Brooks' simply but authoritatively titled Beat fuses the intellectual rigors of the modern idiom with the physical prowess of soul-jazz to create a record of uncommon scope and reach. Working with Horace Silver Quintet colleagues Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, and Gene Taylor alongside Detroit contemporaries George Bohannon and Hugh Lawson, Brooks channels influences spanning the breadth of the Motor City scene, resulting in a clutch of challenging but engaging performances with the unmistakable patina of the embryonic Motown sound. While their technical proficiency is stunning, Brooks' rhythms never lose sight of the almighty groove, and for its hard bop stridency, the record has the proverbial good beat and you can dance to it. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/beat-mw0000383433

Personnel: Drums – Roy Brooks;  Bass – Eugene Taylor;  Piano – Hugh Lawson;  Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Junior Cook;  Trombone – George Bohanon;  Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

Beat

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Elmo Hope Sextet And Trio - Homecoming!

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1961

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:26

Size: 116,6 MB

Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Moe, Jr. (take 4)

(4:41)  2. Moe, Jr. (take 2)

(3:14)  3. La Berthe

(6:33)  4. Eyes So Beautiful As Yours

(5:15)  5. Homecoming

(6:48)  6. One Mo' Blues

(5:33)  7. A Kiss For My Love (take 5)

(5:39)  8. A Kiss For My Love (take 4)

(6:43)  9. Imagination

Homecoming! is a particularly high-spirited record for this stage in Hope's troubled career. Following an extended stay in Los Angeles, a number of the day's top players helped welcome a refreshed Hope back to New York on this session. Tenor saxophonists Frank Foster and Jimmy Heath, as well as trumpeter Blue Mitchell, form the front line on the sextet numbers, while on all tracks Hope is joined by the rhythm section of Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones. Four of the album's (original) seven tracks are sextet performances and the two alternate takes only appear on the Fantasy Original Jazz Classics CD reissue. The Dameron-esque bop numbers sizzle and weave and the tenor work of Frank Foster is especially rewarding on the album's bouncing opener, "Moe, Jr.," take four on the CD. The three ballads are equally fresh and less doom-ridden than comparable performances found elsewhere in his catalog. Expect fine performances by all. This great hard bop record is highly recommended. ~ Brandon Burke https://www.allmusic.com/album/homecoming%21-mw0000093981

Personnel:  Elmo Hope - piano;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8);  Frank Foster, Jimmy Heath - tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8);  Percy Heath - bass;  Philly Joe Jones - drums

Homecoming!

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Lou Donaldson - The Time Is Right

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:15
Size: 85,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Lou's Blues
(5:46)  2. Be My Love
(5:11)  3. Idaho
(4:42)  4. The Nearness Of You
(5:18)  5. Mack The Knife
(5:15)  6. Crosstown Shuffle
(5:03)  7. Tangerine

Saxophonist Lou Donaldson is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker. Donaldson has worked with jazz greats including Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk, Blue Mitchell, Horace Silver and Art Blakey. 

First released in 1959, The Time is Right is a warm, mellow affair overall, definitely post-bop. His group features Horace Parlan on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Laymon Jackson on bass and Dave Bailey on drums. Ray Baretto is featured on conga, which gives the session a bit of Latin flavor.~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Time-Right-Lou-Donaldson/dp/B004C6QER6

Personnel:  Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone;  Horace Parlan - piano;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet - except track 2;  Laymon Jackson - bass;  Dave Bailey - drums;  Ray Barretto - congas

The Time Is Right

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Les McCann - Les McCann Ltd. In New York

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:55
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:45)  1. Chip Monck
(6:10)  2. Fayth, You're...
(7:38)  3. Cha-Cha Twist
(9:24)  4. A Little 3/4 For God & Co.
(8:51)  5. Maxie's Changes
(5:10)  6. Someone Stole My Chitlins
(8:56)  7. One More Hamhock Please
(4:57)  8. Oatmeal

A thoroughly satisfying live date. The good-time pianist forgets singing on this Village Gate outing, and the band just cooks. Silky saxman Stanley Turrentine and trumpeter Blue Mitchell play as one on some cool McCann originals. It's almost inconceivable that the sextet had only one rehearsal.~ Mark Allan https://www.allmusic.com/album/les-mccann-ltd-in-new-york-mw0000073426

Personnel:  Les McCann - piano;  Stanley Turrentine - tenor saxophone;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet;  Frank Haynes - tenor saxophone ( note: Haynes' name is mis-spelled on the album cover);  Herbie Lewis - bass;  Ron Jefferson - drums;  Curtis Amy - tenor saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone

Les McCann Ltd. In New York

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Sonny Red - Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (2-Disc Set)

Sonny Red (as), Blue Mitchell (tp), Yusef Lateef, Clifford Jordan (ts), Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan, Ronnie Matthews, Cedar Walton (p), Grant Green (g), Bob Cranshaw, Art Davis, George Tucker (b), Albert 'Tootie' Heath, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Cobb (d).

Inspired by Charlie Parker and then Jackie McLean, the widely experienced, Detroit-born altoist Sonny Red, nee Sylvester Kyner (1932-1980) was an archetypal Motor City bopper, who, like many of his confreres there, also absorbed the blues-drenched lines of pianist Bud Powell. Forthright, direct, unpretentious, a skilled soloist with a strong feeling for the blues, he played and recorded with some of the finest jazzmen around.

The presence here of such luminous talents as, most notably, pianist Barry Harris, along with fellow pianist Tommy Flanagan, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, saxophonists Clifford Jordan and Yusef Lateef, and guitarist Grant Green left no doubt about his stature among them. Despite this and the fact that he also worked with such marquee names as Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller and Paul Quinichette, he never quite made the breakthrough his skills suggested he would and his recordings have been difficult to find.This collection of quartet, quintet and sextet settings brings together four albums he made for the Jazzland label during one of the most productive spells of his career and shows why he was held in such esteem by his contemporaries.

Album: Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:53
Size: 180.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012

[5:02] 1. Brother B
[4:03] 2. All I Do Is Dream Of You
[5:33] 3. The New Blues
[4:36] 4. Ditty
[6:27] 5. 'teef
[6:06] 6. Breezin'
[4:43] 7. A Handful Of Stars
[2:52] 8. If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You
[3:52] 9. Cumberland Court
[4:50] 10. A Story Tale
[5:39] 11. You're Driving Me Crazy
[3:27] 12. Defiance
[6:02] 13. Prints
[5:02] 14. Hip Pockets
[5:16] 15. They Say It's Wonderful
[5:16] 16. If I Didn't Care

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Album: Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:05
Size: 176.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. I Like The Likes Of You
[4:36] 2. Bye, Bye Blues
[6:34] 3. Never, Never Land
[4:19] 4. Ko-Kee
[6:34] 5. Images
[4:51] 6. Blues For Donna
[5:22] 7. Dodge City
[6:16] 8. Moon River
[5:38] 9. Super-20
[8:53] 10. The Mode
[8:33] 11. Blue Sonny
[5:15] 12. The Rythm Thing
[5:46] 13. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered


Breezing-A Story TaleThe ModeImages(Disc 1)(Disc 2)

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