Dave Stryker Trio - Groove Street

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:57
Size: 124,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:14) 1.Groove Street
(6:15) 2 Overlap
(6:27) 3.Summit
(7:26) 4.Infant Eyes
(5:41) 5.Soulstice
(5:00) 6.Cold Duck
(5:44) 7.Cold Blue
(6:40) 8.The More I See You
(5:28) 9.Straight Ahead

Guitarist Dave Stryker's latest album, Groove Street, is in fact "The Dave Stryker Trio with Bob Mintzer," a combination that is a sure bet to enhance its merit and heighten its import a sentiment that is equally true when applied to any album on which the acclaimed tenor saxophonist sits in.

Stryker and Mintzer are longtime friends who somehow never recorded together, although Mintzer furnished the arrangements for Blue Soul, Stryker's splendid album with Germany's WDR Big Band. For this date, he has mapped out a pair of handsome original compositions ("Overlap," "Straight Ahead") to accompany three by Stryker and one each by Wayne Shorter, Eddie Harris and the trio's organist, Jared Gold, to chaperon Mack Gordon and Harry Warren's enduring standard, "The More I See You."

Stryker, Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter comprise the leader's working trio, which means everything on offer is not only engaging but seamless as well. This is as coeval as it gets, even as Mintzer teams up to add a collateral voice. Those familiar with Stryker should know what to expectdancing single-note runs with rare flourishes, always astute and accessible. As for Mintzer, his clean, angular phrases are never less than sharp and meticulous, while his emphatic, broad-shouldered style can be likened to that of Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker and other post-bop masters.

The session's basic mood is upbeat and breezy, best exemplified by Mintzer's twin burners, Stryker's robust "Summit" and hard swinging "Code Blue," and Harris' groovy "Cold Duck Time." Even "The More I See You" is taken at a brisker-than-usual tempo, fitting the ensemble like a proverbial glove. Shorter is represented by the tender "Infant Eyes," and Gold by the even-tempered and aptly named "Soulstice," on which he frames one of his several persuasive solos. Hunter doesn't solo as often, but when he does, he commands everyone's undivided attention.
Stryker's trio is splendid on its own, even better when enhanced by Mintzer's formidable presence all of which makes Groove Street an agreeable avenue whereon to stroll and linger long enough the sample its captivating sounds and charming ambience.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/groove-street-dave-stryker-strikezone-records

Groove Street

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Yellowjackets - Parallel Motion

Styles: Jazz Fusion
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:06
Size: 129,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. Intrigue
(6:44) 2. Challenging Times
(5:33) 3. Parallel Motion
(8:49) 4. Onyx Manor
(4:49) 5. Samaritan
(7:38) 6. Il Mio Amico
(5:02) 7. Resilience
(4:48) 8. If You Believe
(7:07) 9. Early

A mid the oversaturated din of the entertainment landscape, Yellowjackets have been quietly buzzing away for more than 40 years. Their initial albums, like 1983’s Mirage a Trois and 1985’s Samurai Samba, fit squarely in that slick, sophisticated, dawn-of-the-CD era that encompasses Shadowfax, Flim and the BB’s, and early Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. Later on, the band enlisted cream-of-the-crop members like drummer Marcus Baylor and collaborated with greats like Bobby McFerrin, guitarist Mike Stern, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and bassist Felix Pastorius.

Their recent work has continued in that collaborative vein; 2018’s Raising Our Voice featured Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza, and 2020’s Jackets XL was an orchestral team-up with Cologne, Germany’s WDR Big Band. Which brings us to Parallel Motion, featuring only one guest (vocalist Jean Baylor) and no specific angles. It simply comprises a veteran band doing their thing spiritedly, inventively, and imaginatively.

Today’s only original Yellowjacket is pianist/keyboardist Russell Ferrante. But there are no voids in this lineup far from it. Tenor/soprano saxophonist Bob Mintzer has been in the band for more than 30 years, drummer Will Kennedy joined in the late ’80s for a spell and rejoined in 2010, and bassist Dane Alderson is a seven-year ’jacket.

Together on Parallel Motion, they demonstrate remarkable agility, chemistry, and borderline telepathy. “Onyx Manor” marries a buzzy drone with stairstep interplay between Mintzer and Alderson, “Samaritan” is patient and enveloping, and “Il Mio Amico” features a ravishing ascendant melody.

If fusion isn’t your thing but you’re of a certain age, Parallel Motion can act as a cozy fireplace of a listen, reminding one of when bands like this dominated the earth. But if you love this musical sphere, it doesn’t get much better than a seasoned Yellowjackets. And their newest offering simply hits
on whatever terms you want it to.
By Morgan Enos https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/yellowjackets-parallel-motion-mack-avenue

Personnel: Russell Ferrante — piano, keyboards; Bob Mintzer — tenor and soprano saxophones, EWI; Will Kennedy — drums, keyboards; Dane Alderson — electric bass, MIDI sequencing; Jean Baylor — guest vocals (track 8)

Parallel Motion

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Ada Rovatti - Airbop

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:40
Size: 137,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:04) 1. Airbop
(6:46) 2. Choose Your Life
(7:33) 3. Shelter Island
(8:04) 4. What We Miss

(4:46) 5. My Shining Hour
(6:53) 6. Z-Bros
(5:31) 7. One Dollar And 20 Cents
(6:34) 8. Others
(7:25) 9. Man On The Moon

Just when you think the mainstream of jazz is getting a little stagnant, along comes a set like Airbop which gives a fresh flow to the style. Italian-born and now New York-based saxophonist Ada Rovatti plays with soul here. Possessed of a robust tone, she handles her solos with a zest and vibrancy full of surprises, stretching a note like taffy then biting off sweet flurries the next moment. A Berklee alum, the composer/reedwoman based herself in Paris for a number of years, where she performed with the jazz/funk outfit Chance Orchestra. That funk part of her sound carries over here with some catchy grooves "breathing grooves" with a lot of bubbling life.

With the exception of Harold Arlen's "My Shining Hour," all the tunes here are Rovatti originals that show off her strong compositional skills. On her ballad "What We Miss," Rovatti's tenor sounds particularly soulful. Trumpeter/flugelhornist Randy Brecker joins the core quartet on four numbers, and he's never sounded better bright and full of brassy optimism, complementing the leader's lines when she isn't complementing his. Rovatti has put together an absolutely first-rate band for Airbop. The rhythm section has a strong, assertive bounce, with pianist Dave Kikowski adding a very attractive sparkle to the arrangements.

On this straight-through exceptionally engaging set, I've got to single out "2-Bros" as a highlight, with Bob Mintzer (Yellowjackets) playing bass clarinet, joining Rovatti and Brecker in the front line, adding a deep, dark chocolate feeling to the tune, while guest percussionist Don Alias brings in a mesmerizing Latin vibe. One of the top mainstream sets of the year.~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/airbop-ada-rovatti-apria-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan

Personnel: Ada Rovatti - tenor and soprano saxophones; Dave Kikowski - piano; Ed Howard - accoustic bass; Ben Perowski--drums. Guests: Jill McCarron--piano (track 7); Randy Brecker - trumpet and flugelhorn (tracks 2,3,4.6); Bob Mintzer - bass clarinet (Track 6); Don Alias - percussion (tracks 3,6); Adam Rogers - guitar--tracks 1,3).

Airbop

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Nicolas Folmer Meets Bob Mintzer - Off The Beaten Tracks Vol 1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 152,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:15)  1. Off the Beaten Tracks
( 8:22)  2. Fun Blues
( 7:04)  3. Soothing Spirit
( 9:24)  4. Bop Boy
( 7:44)  5. Absinthe Minded
( 7:53)  6. Let's Rendez-Vous!
( 6:39)  7. Le Chateau De Guillaumes
(10:00)  8. Black Inside

At the risk of inconveniencing the author of the title of the album, let's say it bluntly: we are clearly not here "off" the beaten track, but securely installed inside of them, the developed aesthetic with enthusiasm and passion during these sessions recorded live at Duc des Lombards is unquestionably that of a hard-bop via binary and soul-funk as it has been practiced since the second half of the 60 years up 70-80 (Lee Morgan, Woody Shaw and Bob Mintzer, and many others). Nicolas Folmer and has the art of writing compositions sounding like standard, simple and catchy. The guest, Mintzer already invited as a soloist in the Paris Jazz Big Band Folmer and Pierre Bertrand, the directory provides a "hit" staff Bop Boy, but above all a game, and a spirited, youthful. While Mintzer, American figure of the tenor saxophone and writing for big band, does not reach here the accuracy and excellence that was his in the 80, it is indisputable that collaborations with Nicolas Folmer give him the desire to "set fire" and perhaps try more things than usual. Also be noted the ability of Antonio Farao instill a bit of strangeness in a context altogether very conventional. In the end, a sort of "jam session organized" mess, to say the least and extremely ... tonic. Translate by google ~ Eric Quenot  http://www.musiquefrancaise.net/echo/voir_sujet.php?ID=114

Off The Beaten Tracks Vol 1

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Bob Mintzer - Horn Man

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:17
Size: 79,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Horn Man
(4:47)  2. Just In Case
(4:14)  3. Latin Boogie
(3:38)  4. Whole Wheat Groove
(5:13)  5. Fancy Pants
(6:00)  6. Sambosis
(4:47)  7. Truth
(1:08)  8. Farewell

A versatile soloist influenced by Michael Brecker on tenor, Bob Mintzer gained experience playing with Deodato, Tito Puente (1974), Buddy Rich, Hubert Laws, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1977). In addition to leading his own bands starting in 1978, Mintzer worked with Jaco Pastorius, Mike Mainieri, Louie Bellson, Bob Moses, and the American Saxophone Quartet. He has guested with several philharmonic orchestras and led a fine big band in New York since the mid-'80s. Mintzer, a member of the Yellowjackets since 1991 (where his bass clarinet in particular adds a great deal of color to the group), recorded regularly for DMP for a decade before moving to TVT for 1998's Quality Time. Homage to Count Basie followed in fall 2000. Live at MCG, which featured vocalist Kurt Elling, and Old School New Lessons, both of which were benefit albums for the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, appeared in 2004 and 2006, respectively. In 2007, Mintzer released the small group session In the Moment. He returned to a big-band setting for 2008's Swing Out and 2012's For the Moment. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-mintzer-mn0000765221/biography

Horn Man

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Bob Mintzer & WDR Big Band Cologne - Soundscapes

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Big Band
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:10
Size: 161,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:53) 1. A Reprieve
(5:50) 2. The Conversation
(6:13) 3. Stay Up
(5:04) 4. Montuno
(7:18) 5. Whack
(7:11) 6. Canyon Winds
(6:43) 7. Herky Jerky
(9:29) 8. New Look
(7:51) 9. One Music
(6:33) 10. VM

Bob Mintzer just got the hang of it. Whether as a result of his collaborations with the Thad Jones-mel Lewis Orchestra, the Buddy Rich Big Band or the Word Of Mouth Big Band by Jaco Pastorius is unclear. What is certain, however, is that over the years he has continued to perfect his instinct for orchestration and counterpoint. With “Soundscapes” the maestro is back as head of the WDR Big Band with ten newly arranged pieces. Following the tradition of the WDR chief conductors, Mintzer created his work with the big band from newly written and specially selected compositions.

"Soundscapes",an amalgam of moods, grooves and complex structures, not only shows Mintzer's work for this generally recognized ensemble, he even does double work, as main soloist on tenor saxophone and the Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI), while he inserts other outstanding soloists The spotlight is on for example long-time WDR members Paul Heller (tenor saxophone), Karolina Strassmayer and Johan Hörlén (alto saxophone), Ruud Breuls and Andy Haderer (trumpet) and Andy Hunter (trombone). The album, recorded in December 2019, is certainly one of the very best in Mintzer's long career...Translate By Google https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/jazz/detail/-/art/bob-mintzer-wdr-big-band-soundscapes/hnum/10441597

Soundscapes

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Bob Mintzer, Gil Goldstein - Longing

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:10
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:22)  1. Overlap
(5:29)  2. Jaco
(5:42)  3. Angelique & Ellen
(5:49)  4. Comotion
(6:14)  5. Longing
(5:44)  6. Your Story
(4:26)  7. What's The Word
(4:03)  8. Two To Tango
(5:58)  9. Three Little Initials
(7:20) 10. Everything Happens To Me

The pairing of Bob Mintzer and Gil Goldstein as a duo is an inspired affair. With Mintzer playing tenor sax and Goldstein on piano, they each contributed a number of strong originals to the date. Mintzer's moody ballad "Longing" and intricate bop vehicle "Where's the Word" are among his finest compositions on CD. Goldstein's "Three Little Initials" is a subtle variation of the well known "Body and Soul." Mintzer switches to bass clarinet for Goldstein's lush ballad "Angelique & Ellen" (written for the film Radio Inside), a haunting treatment of the late Bill Evans' "Your Story," along with a fascinating rendition of the standard "Everything Happens to Me" that begins with an unaccompanied Eric Dolphy-inspired solo by the reed player. Goldstein's "Two to Tango" is a delightful upbeat duet for bass clarinet and accordion. Highly recommended!

 ~ https://www.allmusic.com/album/longing-mw0000480211

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bob Mintzer; Piano, Piano Accordion, Producer – Gil Goldstein  

Longing

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Steve Khan - Patchwork

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 80:37
Size: 186,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:08)  1. Epistrophy
( 7:45)  2. C. & D.
( 7:27)  3. Bouquet
( 7:42)  4. Naan Issue
(10:20)  5. A Shade of Jade
( 7:48)  6. Too Late Now
( 6:14)  7. T. & T.
(15:36)  8. The Journey Home
( 6:53)  9. Huracan Clare
( 2:40) 10. Nature Boy - Bonus Track

Amongst the many myths out there about music-making especially in jazz, where the improvisation quotient is often so high is that composing may, indeed, be work, but doesn't require the kind of relentless attention to detail that far more truthfully defines how many artists write and arrange their music. These days, one need only look to music by artists including Pat Metheny, Antonio Sanchez and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah to find music conceived with intimate and painstaking detail while, at the same time, possessed of plenty of interpretive and improvisational freedom. But for a real window into just how much consideration, time and sweat goes into conceiving a single tune (let alone an entire album), just take a look at the news section of Steve Khan's website where, in addition to other regular (and enlightening) bits and bobs, the guitarist regularly posts detailed notes about the conception and execution of his recordings. Case in point: Khan's notes about Patchwork, the guitarist's fourth installment in a most decided and inimitable exploration of the nexus point where jazz guitar and Latin/Afro Cuban rhythms meet. His website notes reveal, with extraordinary honesty, everything from crises of confidence and moments of grand inspiration to the cornerstones of his ever-imaginative arrangements and much, much more.  Those who've followed Khan's career over the decades know that he's been moving towards this truly unique intersection point for a long time. The Latin influences are crystal clear on earlier Tone Center albums of the new millennium, like 2007's Borrowed Time and 2005's The Green Field.

Still, the guitarist's love affair with all things Latin actually dates further back still, to albums like Public Access (GRP, 1989) (recently collected, almost in its entirety, on BGO Records' 2018 double-disc set Public Access / Headline / Crossings). And while a little less overtly so, there are still plenty of hints of what's to come across Khan's three early '80s Eyewitness band albums, recently reissued, again by BGO, on its 2016 two- CD set, The Eyewitness Trilogy, which collects Eyewitness (Antilles, 1981), Modern Time's (Trio Records, 1982) and Casa Loco (Antilles, 1984). But beyond Khan's gradual, relatively late in life emergence as the preeminent guitarist in Latin jazz, there's another thread that connects every entry in what has, with Patchwork, now expanded to a quadrilogy. Literally every album, from 2011's Parting Shot through 2014's Subtext to 2017's Backlog seemed, at the time, like it would be Khan's last. And yet, from fearing loss of inspiration to physical issues that might have brought his days as a guitarist to an end (but, thankfully, have not), with each album since Parting Shot Khan has not only continued to hone his distinctive marriage of the many facets and touchstones of his musical career into a Latin-informed musical context; he's also managed to raise his game significantly with each successive release.  After a slight personnel detour with Backlog, where Khan's longtime first-call drummer Dennis Chambers was replaced by the equally talented but alternately focused Mark Walker (Oregon, Caribbean Jazz Project, Lyle Mays), the veteran Brecker Brothers, John Scofield, Steely Dan and John McLaughlin stick man is back, once again teaming seamlessly with percussionists Marc Quinones and Bobby Allende, along with Ruben Rodriguez, who has been Khan's recent bassist of choice.

As irrefutably fine as the lineup on Backlog was, it's great to have Chambers back in the fold, giving Patchwork the same kind of effortless energy and percussion simpatico as Parting Shot and, in particular, Subtext, where longtime Khan contrabassist Anthony Jackson was replaced, permanently it would seem, by Rodriguez, who first appeared with Khan as a guest on three of Borrowed Time's nine tracks. Perhaps the biggest shift, personnel-wise, with Patchwork is the far greater participation of keyboardist, composer and arranger Rob Mounsey. A longtime Khan collaborator with a résumé that includes, amongst many others, Steely Dan, James Taylor and Paul Simon, not to mention his 1987 Denon/Passport duo recording with Khan, Local Color, Mounsey has contributed, increasingly, to all of the guitarist's albums beginning with Borrowed Time. But this time, rather than receiving a "guest musician" credit, Mounsey receives, for the first time, a full band member listing. Between his astute keyboard parts, compelling orchestrations and, on two tracks, full orchestral arrangements, Mounsey's contributions to Patchwork's warm sonics and harmonic sophistications simply cannot be understated. Since Parting Shot, Khan has gradually moved away from his own writing, with that album's seven original compositions/co- compositions reducing to Subtext's three and Backlog's none. Khan's focus may, indeed, have leaned further away from original composition, moving more decidedly towards imaginative and innovative Latin-inflected rearrangements (both harmonically and, perhaps most importantly, rhythmically) of music written by artists including, most prominently, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman and Bobby Hutcherson. But the guitarist's interpretive skills are so strong, so vivid and so inimitable, that even an evergreen tune like Monk's "Epistrophy" feels as much Khan's as it does the original (and similarly unparalleled) composer's. Khan's connection to Monk dates back to his extraordinary Evidence (Arista Novus, 1980), a solo album that, with multiple layers of overdubbed guitar parts (and, on one track, percussion) and creative arrangements of music by artists including Shorter, Lee Morgan, Horace Silver, Joe Zawinul and Randy Brecker, was the first signal that Khan's fusion leanings were on the wane, and that the guitarist's approach to both his instrument and harmony were in the midst of a major paradigm shift that would become clearer still with the release of the quartet-driven Eyewitness the following year. The second side of Evidence is devoted to a medley that, clocking in at over eighteen minutes and seamlessly moving through nine Monk tunes, is the highlight of an album that represents, truly, a series of watershed moments for the guitarist. More... https://www.allaboutjazz.com/patchwork-steve-khan-tone-center-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Steve Khan: guitar, voice (8, 9); Rubén Rodríguez: baby bass, electric bass; Dennis Chambers: drums; Marc Quiñones: timbal, bongó, percussion; Bobby Allende: conga; Rob Mounsey: keyboards, orchestrations, orchestral arrangements (3, 6): Randy Brecker: flügelhorn (5); Bob Mintzer: tenor saxophone (2); Tatiana Parra: voice (8, 10); Jorge Estrada: keyboards and arranger (9).

Patchwork

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Bob Mintzer - Bop Boy

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:08
Size: 148,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:48)  1. Blue Bossa
(5:34)  2. Bop Boy
(5:41)  3. Embraceable You
(5:04)  4. Francisca
(7:18)  5. Invitation
(6:14)  6. Re-Re
(4:48)  7. Runferyerlife
(8:13)  8. Speak Low
(5:21)  9. St. James Infirmary
(8:03) 10. Why Did I Choose You

Recorded over two days in 2002, Bop Boy was previously only available in Japan on the Cheetah label. Thanks to Explore and their excellent catalog of diverse jazz and classical recordings, it is now available in the United States as well. Unlike Bob Mintzer's '80s offerings on Cheetah (Source and Papa Lips), the band used on this session is a quartet made up of star talent: bassist Eddie Gómez, the elegant pianist Steve Kuhn, and drummer Steve Gadd. On first glance it might appear that Gadd is out of place among these more subtle members of the rhythm section. Being a consummate professional as a studio musician, Gadd is an excellent jazz drummer adding grace, subtlety and tension to a very sophisticated rhythm section. Mintzer a generation younger than Gómez, and Kuhn leads this band through killer arrangements of a fine batch of standards and a trio of top-flight originals. Beginning with Kenny Dorham's and Wynton Kelly's "Blue Bossa," the swing quotient is high here. Kuhn is at his most muscular on this hard bop gem, pushing his minors and thirds right into the rim shots by Gadd. Mintzer's solo is full of deep blues feeling and economy. Mintzer wrote the title track; it is what it claims to be: bebop pure and simple. Beginning with a galloping pace set by Gómez, Gadd's ride cymbal provides fuel and Kuhn plays selectively angular chords, moving right into Mintzer's stating the head and solo. 

Kuhn's playing around the beat as the tune goes on reveals excellent counterpoint to what's being laid down by the tenor player. The tenderness with which an edgy player like Mintzer approaches "Embraceable You" is remarkable, and here Kuhn's utterly moving pianism is at its best. This is followed by a lovely soft samba called "Francisca" written by Toninho Horta. "Invitation" brings the harder edge of bluesy, post-bop into the area, and the interplay between Gómez and Gadd is nearly symbiotic. Two Mintzer originals follow, and the stroll of "Re-Re" is contrasted in a mirror with the knotty twist and turn sprint of "Runferyerlife." The reading of "St. James Infirmary" brings the tune back to the kind of mournful blues ballad it began is. Mintzer's tone on the bass clarinet is startling. He goes underneath the melody for his phrasing and fills as Kuhn offers a constant, slowly evolving wash of minor chord voicings underneath him. The ballad "Why Did I Choose You" is a perfect way to send things off as it puts on shining display the intuitive interaction between Kuhn a sublime melodist through his wide array of textured chord shapes and his sense of space and economy with the right hand in his solo. Gómez is wonderful here, flowing into the body of the tune, allowing for Gadd to lay out and enter at will. Mintzer's solo is an emotive one, but never undercuts or overwhelms the tune. Bop Boy is one of the most satisfying dates in his long career as a leader, a composer, and as an arranger. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/bop-boy-mw0000544277

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bob Mintzer; Bass – Eddie Gomez; Drums – Steve Gadd; Piano – Steve Kuhn

Bop Boy

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Bob Mintzer - Hymn

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Duo
(8:24)  2. Hymn
(5:46)  3. Re-Re
(4:34)  4. Modern Day Tuba
(6:19)  5. Children's Song
(4:47)  6. Little Motif
(5:32)  7. Weird Blues
(7:28)  8. Improvisation
(7:15)  9. The Dark Side

Better known as a big band and session player, tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Bob Mintzer expanded his playing and his repertoire on this '92 quartet date. Working with guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Marc Johnson, and drummer Peter Erskine, Mintzer moved into more probing, unpredictable, and challenging areas and played with more fire and conviction. Abercrombie, Johnson, and Erskine each fulfilled their reputations; the results were both enlightening and surprising. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/hymn-mw0000081207

Personnel: Bob Mintzer - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, composer, liner notes; John Abercrombie - guitar; Marc Johnson - bass; Peter Erskine - drums

Hymn

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Randy Brecker - Toe to Toe

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:42
Size: 101,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Mr. Skinny
(5:13)  2. Trading Secrets
(4:55)  3. It Creeps Up on You
(6:07)  4. The Glider
(4:55)  5. Toe To Toe
(5:52)  6. It's Up to You
(4:42)  7. What Is The Answer
(6:14)  8. Lost 4 Words

Jazz trumpeter and composer Randy Brecker has helped shape the sound of jazz, R&B and rock for more than four decades. His trumpet and flugelhorn performances have graced hundreds of albums by a wide range of artists from James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Parliament/Funkadelic to Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Jaco Pastorius and Frank Zappa. Born in 1945 in Philadelphia to a musical family, Randy’s musical talent was nurtured from an early age. He attended Indiana University from 1963-66 studying with Bill Adam, David Baker and Jerry Coker and later moved to New York where he landed gigs with such prominent bands as Clark Terry’s Big Bad Band, the Duke Pearson Big Band and the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. In 1967, Randy ventured into jazz-rock with the band Blood, Sweat and Tears, but left to join the Horace Silver Quintet. He recorded his first solo album, ‘Score’, in 1968, featuring a young, then unknown 19 year-old tenor saxophonist named Michael Brecker. After Horace Silver, Randy joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers before teaming up with brother Michael, Barry Rogers, Billy Cobham, and John Abercrombie to form the seminal fusion group ‘Dreams’. The group recorded two adventurous and wildly acclaimed albums: ‘Dreams’ and ‘Imagine My Surprise’now collector’s items for Columbia Records before they disbanded in 1971. In the early 1970s, Randy performed live with many prominent artists including Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House, Stevie Wonder and Billy Cobham. He also recorded several classic albums with his brother under the leadership of the great pianist/composer Hal Galper. By 1975, Randy and Michael were ready to front their own group, the Brecker Brothers Band.  A band of immeasurable impact and influence, they released six albums on Arista and garnered seven Grammy nominations between 1975 and 1981. 

Their eponymous first record, which Randy wrote, arranged and produced, featured his now classic composition “Some Skunk Funk.”In 1992, exactly ten years after they parted ways to pursue solo careers, Randy and Michael reunited for a world tour and the triple-Grammy nominated GRP recording, ‘The Return of the Brecker Brothers’. The follow-up, 1994’s ‘Out of the Loop,’ was a double-Grammy winner.In 1997, ‘Into the Sun’ (Concord), a recording featuring Randy’s impressions of Brazil, garnered Randy his first Grammy as a solo artist.In 2001, Randy released ‘Hangin’ in the City’ (ESC), a solo project which introduced his alter-ego Randroid, a skirt chasing, cab driving ne’er do well, with lyrics and vocals by Randroid himself. This CD was especially well received in Europe, where Randy toured extensively with his own line-up.Randy’s next CD for ESC Records, ’34th n’ Lex,’ won him his third Grammy for ‘Best Contemporary Jazz Album’ in 2003. In May of that year he toured Europe with his Quintet in support of the CD, and in the summer went back to Europe yet again with the Randy Brecker/ Bill Evans Soulbop Band. The summer of 2003 culminated in the special headline appearance in Japan at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival of the reunited Brecker Brothers.2004 saw Randy touring Europe extensively as co-leader (with Bill Evans) of the band Soulbop. The WDR Big Band also celebrated Randy and his music that year in a performance at the Leverkusen Jazz Fest. The date was of special significance to Randy as it was the last time he played with his brother, who took ill shortly thereafter with a rare form of leukemia known as MDS. In 2005, with Mike unable to travel to Russia for Brecker Brothers gigs booked there, Randy’s wife Ada sat in for the first time.  Randy’s active schedule continued apace with the Randy Brecker Band performing throughout Eastern Europe and across the globe. In 2007, Randy was awarded his fourth Grammy for “Randy Brecker Live with the WDR Big Band” (Telarc/BHM), the live recording (also available in DVD format) of his performance with Michael at the Leverkusen Jazz Fest in 2004. 

Tragically, Michael passed away that same year on Jan 13th. 2007 also saw the release of a 2 CD set of live recordings of the band ‘Soulbop’ (BHM) featuring Dave Kikoski, Victor Bailey, Steve Smith or Rodney Holmes and the late great Hiram Bullock. Randy returned to his long-time love of Brazilian music in 2008 for the album ‘Randy in Brazil,’ which was recorded in Sao Paulo with a full complement of great Brazilian musicians and released on Summit Records. Chosen one of the top 10 CDs of 2008 by AllAboutJazz.com, the CD won the Grammy for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album,” bringing his Grammy total to five. A “Tribute to the Brecker Brothers” featuring Randy and recorded live at the Hamamatsu Jazz Festival in Japan with Yoichi Murata’s Solid Brass & Big Band was released by JVC Victor in Japan in late 2008. And in 2009, Randy’s roots were celebrated with the release of ‘Jazz Suite Tykocin,’ a project initiated and conceived by the Polish pianist and composer Wlodek Pawlik, featuring Randy as a soloist with members of the Bialystok Philharmonic. Tykocin is the area in Poland where Randy’s ancestors (mother’s maiden name: Tecosky) hail from, a fact that Pawlik discovered while helping to search for a bone marrow donor for Michael. 2011 saw the release of ‘The Jazz Ballad Song Book: Randy Brecker with the Danish Radio Big Band and The Danish National Chamber Orchestra,’ which garnered 4 Grammy nominations and enjoyed enthusiastic critical acclaim.  And in 2012, Sony Legacy recaptured history with the long-awaited boxed set, “The Brecker Brothers – The Complete Arista Albums Collection.” A Brecker Brothers Band Reunion tour of European festivals in the summer of 2013 in support of Randy’s newest project, Randy Brecker’s “Brecker Brothers Band Reunion,” re-introduced the familiar faces of Brecker Brothers Band members from the past and their special brand of music to sell-out crowds. 

A dual-disc release, Randy’s newest project will be released on September 25th, 2013 on Piloo Records. Randy Brecker’s “Brecker Brothers Band Reunion” features a live DVD recorded at the Blue Note in NYC bundled with a new 11-song studio recording featuring members of the Brecker Brothers bands from throughout the years including Dave Sanborn, Mike Stern, Will Lee, and Dave Weckl. George Whitty is back in the production and keyboard chair, and Randy’s Italian wife Ada Rovatti is in the ‘hot saxophone’ seat, keeping it in the family on tenor and soprano saxophone. The new dual-disc recording will be released in North America by Magenta/E-One, in Europe by Moosicus Records in November and in Japan by JVC/Victor. A long time in the making, this project is very close to Randy Brecker’s heart. It is dedicated to his brother, Michael, and other departed Brecker Brothers Band members. As a composer, performer and in-demand Yamaha clinician, Randy Brecker continues to influence and inspire young musicians around the world. http://randybrecker.com/about/

Personnel: Randy Brecker - Electric Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Mixing, Producer, Trumpet, Vocals, Arranger; Jim Beard - Drum Machine, Drum Programming, Keyboards, Arranger, Producer; Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor); Bob Mintzer - Clarinet (Bass); Jon Herington - Guitar; Victor Bailey - Bass (Electric); Darryl Jones – Bass; Dennis Chambers - Drums, Drums (Snare); Bashiri Johnson – Percussion; Regina Belle - Vocals (Background); Mark Ledford - Arranger, Vocals, Vocals (Background)

Toe to Toe

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Peter Erskine - Motion Poet

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:31
Size: 124,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Erskoman
(6:43)  2. Not a Word
(6:25)  3. Hero with a Thousand Faces
(7:23)  4. Dream Clock
(6:01)  5. Exit up Right
(4:07)  6. A New Regalia
(3:25)  7. Boulez
(7:44)  8. The Mystery Man
(5:13)  9. In Walked Maya

A highly skilled, versatile drummer, Peter Erskine has anchored big bands and jazz-rock fusion groups. He's known for sophisticated rhythms, distinctive accompaniment, and powerful, rippling solos. Erskine began drumming at three, and participated in Stan Kenton's National Stage Band Camps from the age of six. He studied with Alan Dawson and Ed Soph, attending the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and Indiana University. He played with Kenton from 1972 to 1975, then from 1976 to 1978 with Maynard Ferguson. Erskine joined Weather Report in 1978, and was their drummer and percussionist until 1982. He also did several West Coast sessions in the late '70s, and was a member of Steps and Steps Ahead. During the '80s he worked with John Abercrombie's groups and the quartet Bass Desires. He's also worked with Joe Farrell, Marc Johnson, Mike Brecker, Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Bob Mintzer, Lew Soloff, Kenny Kirkland, Mike Mandel, and Kenny Werner, among others. As a leader, he debuted with Peter Erskine in 1982 on Contemporary, followed by several well-received efforts for Denon. During the '90s, he developed a good relationship with ECM, releasing such albums as 1992's You Never Know, 1995's As It Is, and 1998's Juni. Also during the '90s, Erskine founded his own Fuzzy Music label, delivering such albums as 1995's From Kenton to Now with tenor saxophonist Richard Torres and 1998's Lava Jazz. In the 2000s, Erskine continued to release albums via Fuzzy Music with 2002's Badlands, 2005's The Lounge Art Ensemble: Music for Moderns, and 2016's Dr. Um, which introduced his Dr. Um Band featuring keyboardist John Beasley. In 2017, Erskine reunited Beasley and the Dr. Um Band for Second Opinion. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/peter-erskine-mn0000842492/biography

Personnel: Drums, Percussion – Peter Erskine; Arranged By – Bob Mintzer (tracks: 8), Randy Brecker (tracks: 5), Vince Mendoza (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 7, 9); Baritone Saxophone – Roger Rosenberg (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6); Bass – Marc Johnson (2) (tracks: 2 to 4, 8, 9); Bass Trombone – Matt Finders (tracks: 2 to 4, 6); Electric Bass – Will Lee (tracks: 1, 5, 6); French Horn – Jerry Peel (tracks: 2 to 4), John Clark (2) (tracks: 2 to 4), Peter Gordon (8) (tracks: 2 to 4); Guitar – Jeff Mironov (tracks: 1, 5, 6); Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer – John Abercrombie (tracks: 2 to 4, 8, 9); Keyboards – Jim Beard (tracks: 1 to 8); Piano – Eliane Elias (tracks: 2, 5); Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute – Lawrence Feldman (tracks: 1, 3 to 6); Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer (tracks: 4, 6, 8), Michael Brecker (tracks: 3); Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Mintzer (tracks: 1, 3 to 6); Trombone, Tuba – Dave Bargeron (tracks: 1, 2 to 4, 6); Trumpet – Joe Mosello (tracks: 1, 3 to 6), Randy Brecker (tracks: 4, 8); Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Lew Soloff (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)

Motion Poet

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Bob Mintzer Quartet - Quality Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:50
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:25)  1. Quality Time
(5:30)  2. Overlap
(7:05)  3. Few Good Notes
(5:55)  4. Emit A1
(6:10)  5. All Is Quiet
(4:45)  6. Bop Boy
(5:36)  7. Groovetown
(6:04)  8. Gather the Spirit
(7:19)  9. Bossa
(4:56) 10. Family

As “quality time” is wholly subjective, others may find time spent with saxophonist Bob Mintzer’s quartet(s) far more pleasurable than I. On the one hand, Mintzer is a first rate player, consistently resourceful and well respected by his fellow musicians; on the other, he seldom manages to induce even the slightest response from my emotional nerve center even though I’ve appreciated some of his big band endeavors such as Latin from Manhattan, Art of the Big Band and Big Band Trane. Hard to explain? Sure it is. All the notes are enfolded properly in place, and the music flows as evenly as it should, but a key ingredient seems to be missing call it personality, charisma or whatever. The upshot is that Mintzer dances nimbly around these ears without ever fashioning a secure impression. Not his fault, of course, but mine. He is, after all, merely delivering the message; it falls on my shoulders to receive and decipher it, something I’ve never been wholly able to accomplish. Would that it were otherwise, but it’s not. As for the music on Quality Time, Mintzer’s new release on TVT, it’s largely straight ahead and well mannered. Mintzer penned eight of the charts, co wrote “Emit al” (on which he plays tenor, bass clarinet and EWI) with Ferrante, Haslip and Kennedy, and rounds out the program with a traditional hymn, “Gather the Spirit.” Rhythmically, Mintzer alternates between the rock shuffle cadences so often employed by his longtime colleagues, the Yellowjackets, and more sophisticated backdrops, as on “A Few Good Notes,” on which he plays soprano; the ballad “All Is Quiet,” the fast moving “Bop Boy” and the bluesy “Groovetown.” There are two rhythm sections (with Ferrante, Haslip and Kennedy sitting in on “Emit al” and “Family”), and each might best be described as workmanlike but amorphous aside from a couple of respectable solos by Markowitz and Ferrante, this is Mintzer’s date, and they are there to lend support, which they do. Quality Time is a commendable session, well planned and carried out. I regret that it didn’t push any of my buttons. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/quality-time-bob-mintzer-tvt-review-by-jack-bowers.php?width=1920

Personnel: Bob Mintzer, tenor, soprano saxophones; Phil Markowitz, piano; Jay Anderson, bass; Peter Erskine, drums, except tracks 4 & 10

Quality Time

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Marvin Stamm - Mystery Man

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:05
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Mark Time
(6:33)  2. Influence
(6:54)  3. Marionette
(7:51)  4. Man With the Cucumber (Mannen Med Gurkan)
(6:10)  5. Re-Re
(7:34)  6. Giuseppe
(6:07)  7. Old Ballad
(8:15)  8. Mystery Man
(6:13)  9. A Method To The Madness
(3:45) 10. My Funny Valentine

Trumpeter Marvin Stamm, rather than drag out the usual bebop standards, mostly introduces new material on his CD. Four songs are played by Berg's quartet with pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Mike Richmond, and drummer Terry Clarke; six add Bob Mintzer's tenor, and of those songs, three find Bob Malach (on tenor and soprano) making the band a sextet. Because Stamm paid as much attention to varying tempos and moods as he did to changing the instrumentation, this set holds one's interest throughout, swinging hard in a modern fashion. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/mystery-man-mw0000619145

Personnel: Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Marvin Stamm;  Bass – Mike Richmond; Drums – Terry Clarke; Piano – Bill Charlap; Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer , Bob Malach

Mystery Man

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Randy Brecker - Into The Sun

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:45
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. Village Dawn
(5:46)  2. Just Between Us
(4:46)  3. The Sleaze Factor
(6:53)  4. Into The Sun
(7:26)  5. After Love
(6:40)  6. Gray Area
(5:18)  7. Tijuca
(3:54)  8. Buds
(7:17)  9. Four Worlds
(4:17) 10. The Hottest Man In Town

It’s Randy, it’s David Sanborn (one track), it’s Brazil. Randy Brecker does the fusion thing, this time fusing his expressive trumpet with comfortable Brazilian rhythms and voices. It’s Astrud Gilberto meets the late Miles in a happy mood, of course. This CD cooks along pleasantly, so tightly executed that it’s surprising to hear Brecker say, "I chose musicians with whom I had never played, and barely knew. Moreover, the musicians themselves had never played together and barely knew each other." The introductions went this way: Randy, of course, on trumpet and flugelhorn; Gil Goldstein on keyboards and accordion; Adam Rogers on electric and acoustic guitars; Bakithi Kumalo on bass; Jonathan Joseph on drums; Café on percussion; and Maúcha Adnét on gossamer-wing vocals. Sanborn chimes in on "The Sleaze Factor," and six others add color but never assume center stage: Dave Bargeron (trombone); David Taylor (bass trombone and tuba); Lawrence Feldman (bass flute); Keith Underwood (alto and bass flutes); Bob Mintzer (bass clarinet); and Richard Sussman (synthesizer programming). Sussman had a lot to do, spreading atmosphere all over this disc. But the synthesizers are never so obtrusive that they detract from Brecker’s consistently strong trumpet or Goldstein’s able keyboards. Everything cooks on "The Sleaze Factor" and "Into the Sun." "After Love" is pleasant, "Gray Area" catchy. "Tijuca" starts in a synthesizer soup, but clears by the time Brecker arrives for another capable turn. 

In sum, everything is slick, slick, slick, and if you like that sort of thing, this is a good, danceable example. For a real twist, the CD ends up with a wildly touching tape of Randy’s father singing to him in 1945 when he was two weeks old. It’s a slice of a different world that cuts through all the slickness (including the funk appended to it) and sticks in your mind more than just about anything else on this album. After this too-brief vignette Randy has attached a vocal in which a man complains about a woman’s having left him. "I was treated like a clown," goes the refrain in part. It’s hard to resist responding, "Well, maybe it’s the generic arrangements."Sure, Randy Brecker can play. But except for his dad’s appearance, this is just another record. If you like this, try late Miles and Getz/Gilberto. ~ Robert Spencer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/into-the-sun-randy-brecker-concord-music-group-review-by-robert-spencer.php

Personnel:  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker; Vocals – Maucha Adnet;  Alto Flute, Bass Flute – Keith Underwood; Bass – Bakithi Kumalo; Bass Clarinet – Bob Mintzer; Bass Flute – Lawrence Feldman; Bass Trombone, Tuba – David Taylor; Drums – Jonathan Joseph;  Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Adam Rogers ; Keyboards, Accordion – Gil Goldstein; Percussion – Café; Saxophone – David Sanborn (tracks: on "The Sleaze Factor"); Synthesizer Programming – Richard Sussman; Trombone – Dave Bargeron

Into The Sun

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Nancy Wilson - Turned To Blue

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:09
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. This Is All I Ask
(4:30)  2. Take Love Easy
(4:02)  3. Turned To Blue
(3:53)  4. Knitting Class
(3:55)  5. Be My Love
(3:17)  6. Taking A Chance On Love
(4:21)  7. Just Once
(6:10)  8. The Golden Years
(5:17)  9. I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up
(5:24) 10. Old Folks
(5:17) 11. I'll Be Seeing You

This recording is like heirloom silver: finely etched and gleaming with a rich and mellow sheen. Its many delights include top-level players, excellent arrangements and production values, and a variety of configurations from a smoking all-star big band to intimate quartets. There are also great solo turns by the likes of John Clayton, James Moody, Bob Mintzer, Hubert Laws, Tom Scott, Dave Samuels, Andy Narrell and Billy Taylor. Then there's the introduction of splendid new material, including a great breakup song ("Knitting Class") that's sure to be covered more often than cake at a picnic. Maya Angelou's poetry becomes a haunting ballad, "Turned to Blue," while the composer of the profoundly moving "Here's to Life" offers a sequel: "I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up," which could be the next boomer anthem. All of this provides the perfect setting for the center sparkler, Nancy Wilson herself. At age 69, she remains the musical definition of class, using her lovely, flexible, still-powerful voice to caress and swing, whisper and wail. Unlike much of the current crop of female singers, she aims her spotlight on emotional meaning, rather than melismatic tricks; the ever-elegant Wilson, a master of nuanced dynamics, never crosses the line into schmaltz. And when she tells her song-stories, you believe every word she's met love and loss in all their permutations, and her disclosures reach out to touch the listener, heart to heart. Wilson's genuine lyrical connection and deep musicality are evident throughout (catch that involuntary sensuous reaction to uber-bassist Clayton's solo opening on "Just Once"), and her trademark is here her bluesy vocal hitch, that patented uptick that conveys such passion and soul. This release will surely delight the legions of long-term Wilson fans, even as it gains her new ones. Turned to Blue is a worthy followup to Wilson's 2005 Grammy-winner, R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal), adding to the growing reputation of the MCG Jazz label for carefully crafted, reliably excellent music. ~ Dr Judith Schlesinger https://www.allaboutjazz.com/turned-to-blue-nancy-wilson-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger.php

Personnel: Nancy Wilson: vocal; Alon Yavnai, Llew Matthews, Dr. Billy Taylor: piano; Marty Ashby, acoustic guitar; Nilson Matta, Rufus Reid, Kip Reed, John Clayton: bass; Mike Tomaro, Tia Fuller, alto saxophone; Bob Mintzer, Tom Scott, Andy Snitzer, Eric DeFade, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, tenor saxophone; Jim Hynes, Steve Hawk, Sean Jones, Jack Schantz, trumpet; Ed Kocher, Douglas Purviance, Jay Ashby, trombone; Hubert Laws, Jennifer Conner: flute; Mike Tomaro: clarinet, bass clarinet; Jim German: baritone saxophone; Jeremy Black, Kate Black, Kate Hatmaker, Stephanie Tertick: violin; Mikhail Istomin: cello; Vito DiSalvo: accordian; Andy Narrell: steel pans; Dave Samuels: vibraphone; Winard Harper, Jamey Haddad, Roy McCurdy, Terry Clarke, Portinho, Jay Ashby: drums, percussion.

R.I.P.
Born:  February 20, 1937
Died: December 13, 2018

Turned To Blue

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Bob Mintzer Big Band - Gently

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:26
Size: 135,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:39)  1. Gently
( 7:20)  2. Timeless
( 5:26)  3. Original People
(11:48)  4. Body And Soul
( 8:10)  5. Who's Walkin' Who?
( 6:37)  6. Don't Ever Leave Me
( 7:01)  7. Bright Lights
( 4:22)  8. Saxophone Quartet #2

Bob Mintzer, who is known to favor fiery Latin rhythms and big-band charts with an abundance of punch and power, has a softer side too, one that is laid bare on this understated but no less invigorating new release, his fourteenth (or fifteenth? I've lost count) on the dmp label. 'I think I've... reached a point,' Mintzer writes, 'where I can appreciate the subtlety factor in music and in life, where I would just as soon be gently caressed rather than smacked with a large stick.' With that in mind, Mintzer says, he designed his latest album as 'a gentle approach to big-band instrumentation, using clarinets and flutes in place of saxophones; muted brass; the addition of French horns on two numbers, and writing for the band in a range and style [that] projects a soothing, warm sound.' The climate is especially sultry on Mintzer's ballad feature, Johnny Green's 'Body and Soul,' which he calls 'every tenor's measuring stick' (except for Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras, of course), while the reed section (deftly backed by drummer Peter Erskine's improvised counterpoint) is front and center on the gossamer 'Saxophone Quartet #2' (middle movement), written for Miles Osland's talented undergrads at the University of Kentucky. Less heated tempos, however, don't necessarily denote an absence of warmth; Mintzer's concept, gentle as it is, can still stir one's blood, thanks to his seductive charts, shapely solos by such old hands as trumpeter Scott Wendholt and Michael Phillip Mossman, alto saxophonists Pete Yellin and Charles Pillow, soprano Lawrence Feldman, tenor Bob Malach, baritone Roger Rosenberg, trombonists Larry Farrell and Keith O'Quinn, pianist Phil Markowitz and bassist Jay Anderson, and unremitting support from the ever-reliable Erskine. 'Timeless' unveils a bossa-style Brazilian fa'ade, while 'Who's Walkin' Who' (inspired by Mintzer's labrador retrievers, Davis and Yosemity) is a softly ambling blues and 'Bright Lights,' written in '92 for his small group, the Yellowjackets, a funky shuffle that opens calmly and builds to a less-than-muted climax. "This one was hard to play soft,' Mintzer writes, 'but I think we got it.' They did. 'Gently,' inspired by Gil Evans, is an unassuming 4 / 4 swinger (with more perceptive work by Erskine) that uses woodwinds and cup-muted brass to state its theme, Thad Jones' 'Don't Ever Leave Me' a winsome ballad that Mintzer says he's always wanted to record. Gently is a conspicuous change of pace for the usually upbeat Mintzer, but one that underlines his structural resourcefulness and never fails to please. Easily recommended. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/gently-bob-mintzer-dmp-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Bob Mintzer, tenor sax, flute, leader; Lawrence Feldman, Charles Pillow, alto sax, flute; Pete Yellin, alto sax; Bob Malach, tenor sax, flute; Roger Rosenberg, baritone sax, clarinet; Bob Millikan, Frank Greene, Michael Phillip Mossman, Scott Wendholt, Jim Seeley, trumpet, flugelhorn; Keith O'Quinn, Michael Davis, Larry Farrell, trombone; David Taylor, bass trombone; John Clark, Fred Griffin, French horn; Phil Markowitz, piano; Jay Anderson, bass; Peter Erskine, drums.

Gently

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Bob Mintzer Big Band - Camouflage

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:06
Size: 139,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Techno Pop
(6:23)  2. Mr. Fone Bone
(8:28)  3. A Long Time Ago
(1:46)  4. After Thought
(7:54)  5. Camouflage
(5:47)  6. One Man Band
(9:39)  7. Truth
(6:10)  8. Hip Hop
(8:18)  9. In The Eighties

Good '86 big band set led by tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Bob Mintzer, a fine player and arranger. These recordings are in a conventional format, with polished ensemble sections and good, occasionally great solos. They are well produced and mastered, but the material and style tend to be conservative.~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/camouflage-mw0000649651

Personnel:  Bob Mintzer (Saxophone, Bass Clarinet); Lawrence Feldman, Bob Malach, Roger Rosenberg (Saxophone); Pete Yellin (Alto Saxophone); Randy Brecker, Laurie Frink, Bob Millikan, Marvin Stamm (Trumpet); Keith O'Quinn, Chris Seiter, Bob Smith, David Taylor (Trombone); Don Grolnick (Piano); Peter Erskine (Drums); Zev Katz (Bass); Frank Malabé (Percussion).

Camouflage

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Bob Mintzer Big Band & New York Voices - Meeting Of Minds

Size: 140,8 MB
Time: 60:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Autumn Leaves (Live) (6:44)
02. I Concentrate On You (Live) (5:21)
03. I Want To Be Happy (Live) (6:31)
04. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Live) (4:31)
05. The Way You Look Tonight (Live) (6:23)
06. You Go To My Head (Live) (7:17)
07. Old Devil Moon (Live) (5:22)
08. Weird Blues (Live) (5:56)
09. Speak Low (Live) (6:55)
10. I'll Remember April (Live) (5:28)

Meeting Of Minds plays more like a merger than an encounter. And that, after all, is how all successful collaborations should feel. Hearing Bob Mintzer's big band and New York Voices join forces for a trip through newly-arranged takes on '30s and '40s gems from the Great American Songbook is a reminder that some music can ring timeless and appear pliant all at once when placed in the right hands.

New York Voices has paired up with other large ensembles in the past—the Count Basie Orchestra and the WDR Big Band, to cite two—but this marks the group's first on-record meeting with Mintzer's airtight outfit. And with a shared appreciation for precision swing, expansive and expanded harmonies, and Latin settings, it turns out to be a perfect fit.

The integration of Darmon Meader's vocal writing with Minzter's big band charts is seamless, with one set of hands enhancing the work of the other. In knowing both what to add and, of equal importance, what to leave out, both men prove sympathetic in their contributions. The album opens with a Latin-swing hybrid arrangement of "Autumn Leaves" that finds the band working like a well-oiled machine and the voices in perfect sync. Kim Nazarian and Lauren Kinhan light the way, pianist Phil Markowitz makes the first of his many marks, and alto saxophonist Bob Sheppard steps into the spotlight. A jaunty and warm "I Concentrate On You" with a Peter Eldridge vocal lead and an instrumental take on "I Want To Be Happy" with a smoking trumpet solo from Scott Wendholt follow and help to instantly diversify this portfolio.

With shifting stylistic ground, more than half of the band personnel soloing at one time or another, and each of the vocalists taking center stage at various times, there's never a problem with variety here. What's remarkable, in fact, is how it all ties together into a unified sound. A gorgeously heart-wrenching "I Get Along Without You Very Well" with an Eldridge lead, a slowly funky "Old Devil Moon" with an attractively smoldering Kinhan out front, and a one-off trip to original territory with Mintzer's swinging "Weird Blues" (sans vocals) all feel right at home with each other. The marriage of the Bob Mintzer Big Band and New York Voices is simply a match made in heavenly harmony. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Kim Nazarian: vocals; Lauren Kinhan: vocals; Darmon Meader: vocals; Peter Eldridge: vocals; Bob Mintzer: tenor saxophone, flute; Bob Shappard: alto saxophone, flute; Lawrence Feldman: alto saxophone: flute; Bob Malach: tenor saxophone; Roger Rosenberg: baritone saxophone, clarinet; Bob Millikan: trumpet; Frank Greene: trumpet; Scott Wendhot: trumpet; James Moore: trumpet; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Jef Bush: trombone; Jay Ashby: trombone, percussion; David Taylor: bass trombone; Phil Markowitz: piano; Marty Ashby: guitar; Jay Anderson: bass; John Riley: drums.

Meeting Of Minds

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Mike Mainieri - Live At Seventh Avenue South

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:11
Size: 124,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:46)  1. Tee Bag
( 8:02)  2. Flying Colours
(12:21)  3. Song For Seth
(11:55)  4. Bullet Train
( 9:55)  5. Sara's Touch
( 7:08)  6. Crossed Wires

Mike Mainieri, a talented and distinctive vibraphonist, has had a productive and diverse career. He first played vibes professionally when he was 14, touring with Paul Whiteman in a jazz trio called Two Kings & a Queen. He played with Buddy Rich's bands for a long period (1956-1963) and then became a busy studio musician, appearing on many pop records. Mainieri had opportunities to work with Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, and Wes Montgomery (1967-1968), among many others, and played in the early fusion band Jeremy & the Satyrs. During 1969-1972, he led a 20-piece rehearsal group called White Elephant that included the Brecker Brothers and other studio players. In 1979, he formed Steps (which later became Steps Ahead), an all-star jazz-oriented R&B/fusion band that included such players as Mike Brecker, Don Grolnick, Eddie Gomez, and Steve Gadd in its original lineup. Mainieri has revived the group several times since, with such musicians as saxophonist Bendik, Warren Bernhardt, Eliane Elias, Rachel Z, Mike Stern, Tony Levin, Victor Bailey, Peter Erskine, and Steve Smith making strong contributions. 

In 1992, Mainieri founded the NYC label and recorded the adventurous An American Diary. Prior to NYC, Mike Mainieri had recorded as a leader for such labels as Argo (1962), Solid State, Arista, Artists House, Warner Bros., and Elektra. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/live-at-seventh-avenue-south/161612807

Personnel:  Mike Mainieri: Vibraphone;  Bob Mintzer: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet;  Warren Bernhardt: Keyboards, Piano;  Eddie Gomez: Bass;  Omar Hakim: Drums

Live At Seventh Avenue South

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