Bobby Hutcherson - Stick Up!

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:26
Size: 93,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Una Muy Bonita
(6:58)  2. 8/4 Beat
(6:59)  3. Summer Nights
(6:57)  4. Black Circle
(9:32)  5. Verse
(3:32)  6. Blues Mind Matter

One of Bobby Hutcherson's best albums, Stick-Up! was also his first official release not to feature drummer Joe Chambers, who was a major part of Hutcherson's outside leanings. Instead, Stick-Up! stakes out the middle ground between hard bop and the avant-garde, offering a set of structured yet advanced modal pieces indebted particularly to Coltrane. Hutcherson's originals (five out of six selections) show him at the top of his game as a composer, and the ensemble's playing is tight and focused throughout, but what really lifts Stick-Up! to the top tier of Hutcherson's discography is its crackling energy. It's quite possibly the hardest-swinging album he ever cut, and part of the credit has to go to the stellar rhythm section of McCoy Tyner on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums, who lay down a driving, pulsating foundation that really pushes Hutcherson and tenorist Joe Henderson. Tyner in particular is a standout, charging relentlessly forward on the intricate "8/4 Beat" and "Black Circle" and lending a Coltrane-ish flavor to the spiritually searching "Verse." The lone non-Hutcherson piece, Ornette Coleman's sometimes overlooked "Una Muy Bonita," is given a fantastic, rollicking treatment as catchy as it is progressive, proving that the piece is a classic regardless of whether it's interpreted freely or with a steady groove and tonal center. Hutcherson's originals are uniformly strong and memorable enough to sit very well next to it, and that coupled with the energetic performances ranks Stick-Up! with Dialogue and Components as the finest work of Hutcherson's tenure at Blue Note.
~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/album/stick-up%21-mw0000028035

Personnel: Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone, composer; McCoy Tyner - piano; Herbie Lewis - bass; Billy Higgins - drums

Stick Up!

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Dexter Gordon - Gettin' Around

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:48
Size: 134.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1965/1987
Art: Front

[ 8:25] 1. Manha De Carnaval
[ 5:12] 2. Who Can I Turn To
[ 7:48] 3. Heartaches
[ 6:16] 4. Shiny Stockings
[ 6:43] 5. Everybody's Somebody's Fool
[ 6:58] 6. Le Coiffeur
[ 6:50] 7. Very Saxily Yours
[10:33] 8. Flick Of A Trick

Bass – Bob Cranshaw; Drums – Billy Higgins; Piano – Barry Harris; Tenor Saxophone – Dexter Gordon; Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson.

Dexter Gordon's mid-'60s period living in Europe also meant coming back to the U.S. for the occasional recording session. His teaming with Bobby Hutcherson was intriguing in that the vibraphonist was marking his territory as a maverick and challenging improviser. Here the two principals prove compatible in that they have a shared sense of how to create sheer beauty in a post-bop world. Add the brilliant Barry Harris to this mix, and that world is fortunate enough to hear these grand masters at their creative peak, stoked by equally extraordinary sidemen like bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Billy Higgins, all on loan from Lee Morgan's hitmaking combo. The subtle manner in which Gordon plays melodies or caresses the most recognizable standard has always superseded his ability to ramble through rough-and-tumble bebop. It's hard to resist how Gordon massages the light and sweet bossa nova "Manha de Carnaval" hand in hand with Hutcherson, the heartfelt way "Who Can I Turn To?" or "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" is turned into a personalized statement, or how the co-leaders take Frank Foster's Count Basie staple, "Shiny Stockings," beyond a classic and into immortal territory. Where Gordon and Hutcherson's true strength lies is in their ability to listen and balance their sound into a unified whole beyond any other tenor sax-vibraphone combination you might care to name, unless it's Hutch's partnership in the ensuing years with Harold Land. Picking up on a Sonny Rollins idea, "Heartaches" is a loping cowboy-type swinger with some lustrous comping from Hutcherson and Harris, while the light, cat-prancing "Le Coiffeur" is the highlight among highlights, a stealth calypso with Gordon's deftly rendered staccato notation. One has to listen closer to the pianist on this date, as he buoys the others without demanding equal space, but he is just as reverberant. While this is not Gordon's ultimate hard bop date, it is reflective of his cooling out in Europe, adopting a tonal emphasis more under the surface than in your face. It's not essential, but quite enjoyable, and does mark a turning point in his illustrious career. [The CD version contains two bonus tracks, including the Onzy Matthews composition "Very Saxily Yours" with a melody very similar to "Shiny Stockings," Hutcherson alone during a second chorus, and a classy quarter-to-eighth note solo by Gordon. Ben Tucker's "Flick of a Trick" is added on, an 11-minute groove blues that lets Harris cut loose, digging in after-hours style.] ~Michael G. Nastos

Gettin' Around

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Harold Land - The Peace-Maker

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:32
Size: 81,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. The Peace-Maker
(3:37)  2. Stylin'
(4:51)  3. 40 Love
(3:40)  4. Angel Dance
(4:12)  5. Timetable
(3:26)  6. Imagine
(5:33)  7. The Aquarian
(4:58)  8. One for Nini

The first pairing of tenor saxophonist Harold Land and vibist Bobby Hutcherson crackles with the energy and joy of collaboration. Each spurs the other to new zeniths of creativity and craft, yielding one of the finest if little-known jazz LPs of its era. The Peace-Maker is a particularly apt title. The record's serene, supple contours glow with a lyricism that eschews the angularity of bop. Land's graceful sax melds perfectly with Hutcherson's warm, shimmering vibes to create a deeply soulful, even divine sound. His original compositions are no less thoughtful, galvanized by a yearning for harmony that embraces all senses of the term. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-peace-maker-mw0001881640

Personnel: Harold Land - tenor saxophone, flute; Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone;  Joe Sample - piano;  Buster Williams - bass;  Donald Bailey - drums  

The Peace-Maker

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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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Dianne Reeves - The Nearness of You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:12
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:55) 1. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(5:41) 2. Like A Lover
(4:08) 3. How High The Moon
(8:05) 4. For All We Know
(3:19) 5. The Nearness of You/Misty
(6:18) 6. You Taught My Heart To Sing
(5:39) 7. Ancient Source
(9:02) 8. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(3:01) 9. Oh What A Freedom

Five-time Grammy winner DIANNE REEVES is the pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world. As a result of her breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B stylings, Reeves received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings a Grammy first in any vocal category.

Featured in George Clooney’s six-time Academy Award nominated Good Night, and Good Luck, Reeves won the Best Jazz Vocal Grammy for the film's soundtrack.

Reeves has recorded and performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. She has also recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim and was a featured soloist with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. Reeves was the first Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the first vocalist to ever perform at the famed Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Reeves worked with legendary producer Arif Mardin (Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin) on the Grammy winning A Little Moonlight, an intimate collection of standards featuring her touring trio. When Reeves’ holiday collection Christmas Time is Here was released, Ben Ratliff of The New York Times raved, “Ms. Reeves, a jazz singer of frequently astonishing skill, takes the assignment seriously; this is one of the best jazz Christmas CD's I've heard.”

In recent years Reeves has toured the world in a variety of contexts including “Sing the Truth,” a musical celebration of Nina Simone which also featured Lizz Wright and Angelique Kidjo. She performed at the White House on multiple occasions including President Obama's State Dinner for the President of China as well as the Governors’ Ball.

Reeves’ most recent release Beautiful Life, features Gregory Porter, Robert Glasper, Lalah Hathaway and Esperanza Spalding. Produced by Terri Lyne Carrington, Beautiful Life won the 2015 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. Reeves is the recipient of honorary doctorates from the Berklee College of Music and the Juilliard School. In 2018 the National Endowment for the Arts designated Reeves a Jazz Master the highest honor the United States bestows on jazz artists.
https://diannereeves.com/media/
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Personnel: Lead Vocals [Vocals] – Dianne Reeves; Acoustic Guitar – Kevin Eubanks (tracks: 2); Alto Saxophone – Greg Osby (tracks: 1, 4); Bass – Charnett Moffett (tracks: 1, 3 to 7), Tony Dumas (tracks: 9); Drums – Marvin Smitty Smith* (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 7), Michael Baker (2) (tracks: 9), Terri Lyne Carrington (tracks: 3, 5); Keyboards – David Torkanowsky (tracks: 9); Piano – Donald Brown (tracks: 1, 7), Mulgrew Miller (tracks: 3 to 6, 8); Tenor Saxophone – Gerald Albright (tracks: 9); Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson (tracks: 1, 7); Wind Chimes – Ron Powell (tracks: 2).

The Nearness of You

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John Coltrane & Archie Shepp - New Thing At Newport

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:03
Size: 151,5 MB
Art: Front

( 1:08) 1. Spoken Introduction To John Coltrane's Set By Father Norman O'connor
(12:44) 2. One Down, One Up
(15:21) 3. My Favorite Things
( 2:02) 4. Spoken Introduction To Archie Shepp's Set By Billy Taylor
(10:28) 5. Gingerbread, Gingerbread Boy
( 6:43) 6. Call Me By My Rightful Name
( 3:26) 7. Scag
( 5:49) 8. Rufus (Swung His Face At Last To The Wind, Then His Neck Snapped)
( 8:19) 9. Le Matin Des Noire

What better place than the Newport Jazz Festival, a historically tight-laced and conservative jazz forum, for the quartets of Coltrane and Shepp to pour out their soulful selves as libations for the masses? Prior to this 1963 concert the festival’s track record with adventurous jazz fare was checkered at best. Monk and Giuffre had played there in previous years, but the focus was undeniably on the accessible and the mainstream. Things had become so skewed that Charles Mingus, Max Roach felt obligated to organize a concurrent festival of their own in protest and were given the sobriquet The Newport Rebels. Coltrane’s immense popularity made him the perfect candidate to breach Newport’s defenses and in typical benevolent fashion he brought a host of his associates in tow for a unified siege on the senses and sensibilities of the audience. What a spectacle it must have been. Fortunately the tape machines were rolling.

As if in deference to the Newport jazz community’s naïveté toward the New Thing embarrassingly banal comments from Father Norman O’Conner preface and append Trane’s performance. The so-called ‘jazz priest’ demonstrates his ignorance by referring to Elvin Jones as a ‘kind of a newcomer to the world jazz.’ Mercifully his introductions are brief and the quartet works up a lengthy lather on “One Down, One Up” before launching into a burning rundown of “My Favorite Things.” Compared to other concert recordings by the quartet the first piece is just below par, though there’s still plenty of incendiary fireworks ignited by the four on second. Coltrane’s upper register tenor solo becomes so frenetic on “One Down, One Up” that there are moments where he moves off mic, but his soprano work on “My Favorite Things” is nothing short of astonishing, a blur of swirling harmonics that threatens split his horn asunder.

After Coltrane and crew have sufficiently anointed the Newport crowd in a monsoon of New Thing sentiments it’s Shepp’s turn. His set is a different bag, brimming with political overtones and barely contained dysphoria and his sound on tenor is an arresting amalgam of raspy coarseness and delicate lyricism. Hutcherson’s glowing vibes knit gossamer webs around the rhythmically free center accorded by Phillips and Chambers. It all comes to boil on the haunting “Scag” a tone poem fueled by Phillips acerbic bow, Hutcherson’s ghostly patterns and Shepp’s bone dry recitation that captures the loneliness of a junkie’s desperation. The stuttering starts and stops of “Rufus” carry the feeling of cultural dislocation even further referencing the brutality and finality of a lynching through musical means. Shepp and his partners were pulling no punches in exposing the captive audience to their art. A low-flying plane disrupts the opening of “Le Matin des Noire,” but the four players quickly regain direction and sink into a lush Noirish vamp that carries the tune to a close.

This new version of the disc marks the first time the original 3-track tapes of the concert have been remastered and they are given the royal treatment through 24-bit digital transfers. Also included for the first time is a beautiful facsimile of the Shepp album cover picturing the saxophonist with song charts and horn.By Derek Taylor
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/new-thing-at-newport-john-coltrane-impulse-review-by-derek-taylor

Players: John Coltrane- soprano & tenor saxophones; McCoy Tyner- piano; Jimmy Garrison- bass; Elvin Jones- drums; Archie Shepp - tenor saxophone, recitation; Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone; Barre Phillips- bass; Joe Chambers - drums.

New Thing At Newport 1965

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Bruce Forman - Full Circle

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:52
Size: 102,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Marshall Arts
(6:18)  2. Helen's Song
(5:23)  3. On The Sunny Side of The Street
(6:15)  4. Skylark
(6:16)  5. Circular
(4:04)  6. Giant Steps
(7:02)  7. Desert Rain
(5:36)  8. Summertime

Features tight guitar from Forman, and some great work on vibes from Bobby Hutcherson! Titles include "Giant Steps", "Circular", "Helen's Song", and "Marshall Arts".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/517378

Personnel:  Guitar – Bruce Forman;  Bass – Jeff Carney;  Drums – Eddie Marshall; Piano – George Cables;  Vibraphone, Guest [Special Guest] – Bobby Hutcherson

Full Circle

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George Cables - Cables' Vision

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:30
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:48) 1. Morning Song
(8:55) 2. I Told You So
(8:49) 3. Byrdlike
(6:02) 4. Voodoo Lady
(4:24) 5. The Stroll
(5:28) 6. Inner Glow

One of the most satisfying recordings to be released in 1980 (and since reissued on CD in the OJC series), this date by pianist George Cables (who contributed four of the six group originals) features trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (who brought in "Byrdlike") and tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts in fiery form; the two horn players took time off from their much more commercial efforts for other labels. Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson is also in the sextet/septet with bassist Tony Dumas, drummer Peter Erskine, and sometimes percussionist Vince Charles; the one departure is "The Stroll," which is an adventurous piano-vibes duet by Cables and Hutcherson. The solos overall are concise and make expert use of each note. Cables' tunes (including "Morning Song," "I Told You So," and "Inner Glow") are generally catchy and memorable while "Byrdlike" gives the virtuosos an up-tempo blues to romp through. This logically conceived and well-paced set is a gem that is highly recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/cables-vision-mw0000085929

Personnel: George Cables - piano, electric piano; Freddie Hubbard - flugelhorn; Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone; Ernie Watts - tenor saxophone (2, 3, 6), flute (4); Tony Dumas - bass, electric bass (1); Peter Erskine - drums; Vince Charles - percussion (2, 4, 6)

Cables' Vision

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Bobby Hutcherson - The Best Of The Blue Note Years

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:14
Size: 159,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:33) 1. Blues Mind Matter
(5:10) 2. Little B's Poem
(8:05) 3. Bouquet
(6:16) 4. Ghetto Lights
(5:57) 5. Patterns
(4:44) 6. 'Til Then
(5:18) 7. Dave's Chant
(9:26) 8. Same Shame
(7:47) 9. Ummh
(6:25) 10. Houston St. Thursday Afternoon
(6:28) 11. Roses Poses

Quick. Name some jazz vibraphonists. Most of you would pick the legendary Lionel Hampton, who played in Benny Goodman's band, among others. Some of you would name Milt Jackson, who's one-fourth of the Modern Jazz Quartet. But what about Bobby Hutcherson?

Thumbing through some jazz history books, you might find a page or two mentioning his name in passing, which is a shame. Not many people can make the vibes swing or sing, and Hutcherson should be added to the list. The recently released Bobby Hutcherson: The Best of the Blue Note Years spans nearly a decade of recordings with the record label beginning in 1965. The liner notes includes some background information from Down Beat magazine correspondent Mitchell Feldman. Hutcherson glides through the 11 tracks from 11 different albums with the greatest of ease. His sidemen are no slouchers themselves, including pianists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, saxophonists Sam Rivers and Harold Land, bassist Ron Carter, and drummers Billy Higgins and Joe Chambers.

On "Dave's Chant," it starts out with a Latin feel, but then jumps into cut-time swing, with Hutcherson playing a Charlie Parker-like solo on the vibes, paving the way for Land to take the solo reins. Hutcherson's mallets travel so fast along the vibes during "Patterns," one would wish a movie camera had been trained on him during the recording session in order to see the brilliance. He's also eager to branch into different genres, like on the funk-blues-injected "Ummh" or the Latin influence in "Rose Poses." But this collection doesn't merely showcase Hutcherson. In most cases, he backs off to let the other players shine. Listen to Hancock's amazing solos on "Little B's Poem" and "Bouquet," or Rivers' and Hubbard's solos on "Ghetto Lights." In all, it's a collection that features the best of this relatively unknown yet phenomenal vibraphonist. ~ Michael Fortuna https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-best-of-the-blue-note-years-bobby-hutcherson-blue-note-records-review-by-michael-fortuna.php

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson: vibes; Herbie Hancock: piano; Joe Henderson: alto saxophone; Freddie Hubbard: trumpet; Ron Carter: bass

The Best Of The Blue Note Years

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Frank Morgan All-Stars - Reflections

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:36
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:37) 1. Old Bowl, New Grits
(7:16) 2. Reflections
(6:12) 3. Starting Over
(6:51) 4. Black Narcissus
(9:10) 5. Sonnymoon For Two
(6:15) 6. O.K.
(9:12) 7. Caravan

Altoist Frank Morgan leads an all-star group on this excellent hard bop set. With tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Al Foster also in the sextet, it is not surprising that Morgan sounds a bit inspired. The musicians all play up to their usual level, performing "Caravan" (which was added to the CD version) and Sonny Rollins' "Sonnymoon for Two," plus a song apiece by Thelonious Monk ("Reflections"), Miller, Hutcherson, Henderson and Carter. Recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/reflections-1988-mw0000654231

Personnel: Frank Morgan – alto saxophone; Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone; Bobby Hutcherson – vibes; Mulgrew Miller – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Al Foster – drums

Reflections

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McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson - Manhattan Moods

Styles: Piano, Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:48
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:40)  1. Manhattan Moods
(7:57)  2. Blue Monk
(6:50)  3. Dearly Beloved
(3:58)  4. I Love You Porgy
(6:54)  5. Isn't This My Sound Around Me?
(6:00)  6. Soul Eyes
(4:49)  7. Travelin' Blues
(5:53)  8. Rosie
(6:42)  9. For Heaven's Sake

The pairing of pianist McCoy Tyner and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson had them teamed up with firebrands of modern jazz in the '60s, but some 20 years later they made this recording in duet performance with their minds focused on the mellow side. That's not to say their progressive ideas are completely harnessed, but this recording is something lovers of dinner music or late-night romantic trysts will equally appreciate. They play a mix of standards and originals with the genius inventiveness and spontaneous interplay you would expect, while also elongating beautiful melodies that will warm any cold or bitterly emotional situation. Where Tyner's single-minded witty and improvisational extrapolations are always a part of his musical persona, Hutcherson varies the sonic imprint, playing the noble wooden marimba on several tracks, lending a more earthy, organic feeling. 

There's magic in the air, or at the very least a common ground of shared values that makes this combination of two great musicians turn everything golden. A take on Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk" is a shining example of how to make a well-worn standard all your own, as the pianist imbues a pure Kansas City blues flavor into the tune, and Hutcherson's marimba leads it carefully into new, woodsy territory. Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes" is interpreted as faithfully and profoundly as the original, but with new voicings sans a rhythm section, taking the adoring melody into deeper fathoms. Tyner's signature chord accents during "Dearly Beloved" echo the splendid title as tacked onto Hutcherson's shimmering vibes, while the pianist's penchant for modal foundations is clearly exuded on his partner's relaxed marimba-coded original "Isn't This My Sound Around Me?" and the definitive, dependable Tyner staple "Travelin' Blues." "Manhattan Moods," penned by the pianist, is solemn as can be, considering that it is dedicated to the rat race borough of New York City, while Hutcherson's other composition on the date, "Rosie," is as pleasant a waltz as you will hear short of what Randy Weston might do. These groundbreaking musicians are not rotating the Earth or signaling any new directions with this effort. They are completely in touch with their own hearts and souls, as well as those of humankind in general, on this exquisite and gorgeously crafted set of pure unadulterated jazz. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-moods-mw0000118821

Personnel: McCoy Tyner: piano; Bobby Hutcherson: vibes, marimba

Manhattan Moods

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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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Bobby Hutcherson - In The Vanguard

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:25
Size: 127,5 MB

Art: Front

( 6:44)  1. Little Niles
( 7:56)  2. Estate
( 7:32)  3. Well, You Needn't
(10:23)  4. Young and Foolish
(10:02)  5. Some Day My Prince Will Come
( 7:44)  6. Witchcraft
( 5:02)  7. I Wanna Stand Over There

The reissue of Bobby Hutcherson's live Village Vanguard session from December 5-6, 1986 isn't the first. It's such a fine album that it's been issued quite a few times and has garnered high ratings. 32 Jazz has included Bob Blumenthal's original liner notes in which he lists several from the long list of jazz artists who've recorded live sessions at The Village Vanguard. Hutcherson's hard bop session features a lot of "blowing" by the leader on both marimba and vibes. His rhythm section on this date supports him well and provides an experienced conversation. Speaking of conversations, Fred Jung's interview with Hutcherson provides valuable insight into this session leader who got his start by laying bricks one summer in L.A. to save the money for his first set of vibes. Moving freely between vibraphone and marimba throughout the session, Hutcherson fills the traditional front line role by himself. The rhythm section is a thrill from start to finish, but leaves most of the soloing to the leader. Barron shines on "I Wanna Stand Over There," a hard-driving hard bop vehicle. The quartet oozes rich harmony on the long slow ballad "Young And Foolish," while "Some Day My Prince Will Come" waltzes excitedly with all-around high spirit. Recommended, Hutcherson's session features a seasoned rhythm section along with his full-speed-ahead front line "blowing."~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-the-vanguard-bobby-hutcherson-32-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone, marimba; Kenny Barron: piano; Buster Williams: bass; Al Foster: drums.

In The Vanguard

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Duke Pearson - I Don't Care Who Knows It

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:00
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. I Don't Care Who Knows It
(7:40)  2. Bloos
(6:38)  3. A Beautiful Friendship
(5:53)  4. Horn In
(6:38)  5. Canto Ossanha
(6:33)  6. Xibaba - Remastered
(6:58)  7. I Don't Know
(5:22)  8. O Amor En Paz (Once I Loved)
(1:59)  9. Upa Neguinho
(5:47) 10. Captain Bicardi
(3:17) 11. Theme From Rosemary's Baby

The sessions that comprise I Don't Care Who Knows It date from 1969 and 1970 (with one stray track from a 1968 session with Bobby Hutcherson), when Duke Pearson was experimenting with Latin jazz, soul-jazz, and funk; they are also the second-to-last dates the pianist ever recorded for Blue Note. Working with a fairly large group that included bassist Ron Carter, drummer Mickey Roker, saxophonists Jerry Dodgion, Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin, trumpeter Burt Collins, trombonist Kenny Rupp, and occasionally vocalist Andy Bey, Pearson plays the electric piano throughout the majority of the album. As expected, the music swings with an understated funk, with the band alternating between standard hard-bop and mellow, soulful grooves. On the whole, I Don't Care Who Knows It is fairly uneven the sessions don't set well together, but work well as individual sets. Nevertheless, there is enough good material here to make it worthwhile for soul-jazz, Latin-jazz and, especially, Pearson aficionados. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-dont-care-who-knows-it-mw0000181100

Personnel:  Duke Pearson - piano, electric piano, arranger; Burt Collins - trumpet (tracks 1-6 & 8); Kenny Rupp - trombone (tracks 1-5); Jerry Dodgion - flute, alto flute, alto saxophone (tracks 1-8, 10 & 11); Al Gibbons - flute (tracks 6 & 8); Lew Tabackin - tenor saxophone, flute (tracks 1-5, 7 & 10); Frank Foster - tenor saxophone, alto clarinet (tracks 1-5); Bobby Hutcherson - vibes (tracks 6-8, 10 & 11); Sam Brown (track 11), Ralph Towner (tracks 7 & 10) - acoustic guitar; Dorio Ferreira - guitar, percussion (track 9); Al Gafa (tracks 6-8 & 10), Wally Richardson (tracks 7 & 10) - guitar; Bob Cranshaw - bass (tracks 6-8, 10 & 11); Ron Carter - bass (tracks 1-5); Bebeto Jose Souza - bass (track 9); Mickey Roker - drums (tracks 1-8, 10 & 11), percussion (track 9); Airto Moreira - percussion, vocals (track 5-8, & 10), drums (track 9); Stella Mars - vocals (track 8); Andy Bey - vocals (track 1); Flora Purim - vocals (track 9)

I Don't Care Who Knows It

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Bobby Hutcherson - Happenings (Remastered)

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:43
Size: 100,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:43)  1. Aquarian Moon
(8:07)  2. Bouquet
(6:00)  3. Rojo
(5:49)  4. Maiden Voyage
(5:14)  5. Head Start
(3:47)  6. When You Are Near
(6:59)  7. The Omen

Recorded in 1966, and here with a 24-bit remaster by original engineer Rudy Van Gelder, Happenings heralded a new, less structurally adventurous approach from avant-garde standard-bearer and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. As such it is, inevitably if rather unfairly the individual performances are outstanding less of a headline affair than the work which came before it. Happenings is the first album to present Hutcherson as the featured soloist fronting a conventional rhythm section, instead of amongst the experimentally-inclined sextets and quintets he'd led and guested with before. These had produced, most notably, Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch (Blue Note, 1964) and Hutcherson's own Dialogue (Blue Note, 1965), the latter featuring two new thing auteurs in pianist Andrew Hill and saxophonist Sam Rivers. More tellingly, the choice of material on Happenings makes for a safer, more mainstream affair than its predecessors. Previously, Hutcherson had either guested with premier league composers like Dolphy, Archie Shepp and Grachan Moncur III, or with his own bands relied on other writers (Dialogue was almost entirely written by Hill). Here all but one of the tunes (pianist Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage") are unremarkable, in-the-tradition Hutcherson originals. 

With the exception of "The Omen," an ambitious, wannabe-conservatoire construction which isn't convincing, they're a competent but derivative mix of swingers, ballads and Latin tunes. There is, however, some great playing on Happenings. Hancock's stomping, cluster-chord chromaticism on the opening "Aquarian Moon" is a highlight, as is Hutcherson's own solo on "Maiden Voyage," a track also distinguished by drummer Joe Chambers' metronomic but magically propulsive, centre-of-the-cymbal stick work. "When You Are Near," a classy ballad (though one in search of a good bridge), is arguably the strongest Hutcherson original. But at less than four minutes, it is, perversely, by far the shortest track. A year and a half after Happenings, Hutcherson, Hancock and Chambers returned to similar territory with Oblique (Blue Note, 1967). Crucially, half the six tracks were written by Hancock and the magnificently quirky Chambers, and the music was raised several storeys as a result. History rarely runs in an entirely straight line. In the midst of his early-1960s avant-garde endeavours, Hutcherson was a featured soloist in the sextet that recorded Grant Green's exquisitely mellifluous Idle Moments (Blue Note, 1963). Hutcherson revealed himself as a formidable mainstream lyricist, and Happenings, Oblique and much of the work that has followed can be traced back at least as far as Green's album. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/happenings-bobby-hutcherson-blue-note-records-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone, marimba; Herbie Hancock: piano; Bob Cranshaw: bass; Joe Chambers: drums.

Happenings

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Eric Dolphy - Iron Man

Styles: Clarinet, Flute And Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:27
Size: 93,0 MB
Art: Front

( 9:10)  1. Iron Man
( 4:45)  2. Mandrake
( 6:26)  3. Come Sunday
(11:54)  4. Burning Spear
( 8:10)  5. Ode to C. P.

The companion piece to Conversations (recorded at the same mid-1963 sessions with producer Alan Douglas), Iron Man is every bit as essential and strikes a more consistent ambience than its widely varied twin. It also more clearly anticipates the detailed, abstract sound paintings of Dolphy's masterwork Out to Lunch, in large part because this time around the program is weighted toward Dolphy originals. "Iron Man," "Burning Spear," and the shorter "Mandrake" all have pretty outside themes, full of Dolphy's trademark wide interval leaps and playful sense of dissonance. Yet there's enough structure and swing to make their roots in hard bop perfectly clear, and once the front-line horns blast out the themes, the ensemble shifts into a more cerebral, exploratory mode. In the absence of a piano, Bobby Hutcherson's vibes are a crucial anchor, outlining dissonant harmonies that hang in the air almost spectrally behind the rest of the group. Most of the same musicians from Conversations appear here, including trumpeter Woody Shaw, flutist Prince Lasha, altoist Sonny Simmons, and soprano sax player Clifford Jordan. And once again, Dolphy duets with bassist Richard Davis, twice this time -- on bass clarinet for Ellington's "Come Sunday" and on flute for Jaki Byard's "Ode to C.P." Both are lovely, meditative pieces filled with conversational exchanges between the two players, illustrating what similar wavelengths they were on. Between Conversations and Iron Man, split up the way they are, one has to give a slight edge to the latter for its more cohesive presentation, yet these are classic sessions in any form and constitute some of the most brilliant work of the early-'60s avant-garde. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/album/iron-man-mw0000651215

Personnel:  Eric Dolphy – bass clarinet, flute, alto saxophone;  Richard Davis – bass;  Clifford Jordan – soprano saxophone;  Sonny Simmons – alto saxophone;  Prince Lasha – flute;  Woody Shaw – trumpet;  Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone;  J.C. Moses – drums;  Eddie Khan – bass ("Iron Man")

Iron Man

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Eric Dolphy - Conversations

Styles: Clarinet, Flute Jazz 
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:51
Size: 78,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:17)  1. Jitterbug Waltz
( 9:35)  2. Music Matador
( 3:22)  3. Love Me
(13:36)  4. Alone Together

In 1963 (probably July, though some sources place the dates in May or June), Eric Dolphy recorded some sessions in New York with producer Alan Douglas, the fruits of which were issued on small labels as the LPs Conversations and Iron Man. They've been reissued a number of times on various labels, occasionally compiled together, but never with quite the treatment they deserve (which is perhaps why they're not as celebrated as they should be). In whatever form, though, it's classic, essential Dolphy that stands as some of his finest work past Out to Lunch. Conversations is the more eclectic of the two, featuring radical re-imaginings of three standards, plus the jubilant, Caribbean-flavored "Music Matador" (by ensemble members Prince Lasha on flute and Sonny Simmons on alto). 

That cut, and a classic inside/outside reworking of Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" feature Dolphy leading ensembles of up-and-coming "new thing" players, which prominently feature vibist Bobby Hutcherson and trumpeter Woody Shaw. The second half of the album takes a far more minimalist approach, with Dolphy performing unaccompanied (extremely rare prior to Anthony Braxton's For Alto) on "Love Me." "Alone Together" is an over-13-minute duet between Dolphy and bassist Richard Davis, featuring some astoundingly telepathic exchanges that more than justify its length. Even if the selections don't completely hang together as an LP statement, they're united by Dolphy's generally brilliant playing and a sense that  after several years without entering the studio much as a leader Dolphy was really striving to push his (and others') music forward. The results are richly rewarding, making Conversations one of the landmarks in his catalog.~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/album/conversations-mw0000199276

Personnel:  Eric Dolphy – bass clarinet, flute, alto saxophone;  Richard Davis – bass;  Eddie Khan – bass;  Clifford Jordan – soprano saxophone;  Sonny Simmons – alto saxophone;  Prince Lasha – flute;  Woody Shaw – trumpet;  Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone;  J.C. Moses – drums;  Charles Moffett - drums on "Music Matador"

Conversations

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John Handy - Recorded Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:17
Size: 179,3 MB
Art: Front

(27:29)  1. If Only We Knew
(19:34)  2. Spanish Lady
(31:12)  3. Tears of Ole Miss (Anatomy of a Riot)(Bonus Track)

John Handy's performance at the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival was a sensation and arguably the high point of his career. The altoist, using a quintet that included violinist Michael White, guitarist Jerry Hahn, bassist Don Thompson, and drummer Terry Clarke (all of whom were young unknowns at the time), played two lengthy songs: the 27-minute "If Only We Knew" and "Spanish Lady," which lasts a mere 19 and a half minutes. After a brief theme, "If Only We Knew" mostly features unaccompanied solos. Handy's opening statement immediately quieted the crowd, which was amazed by the altoist's courage and the logic of the advanced yet tonal music. "Spanish Lady" also has a long Handy statement and builds up to a very exciting conclusion. 

Even over three decades later, the music sounds fresh, colorful, and innovative. The original Columbia LP (which has been long out of print) had reversed the order of the songs and even their titles so this Koch CD reissue is very welcome on several levels. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-monterey-jazz-festival-mw0000081959

Personnel:  John Handy – alto saxophone;  Mike White – violin;  Jerry Hahn – guitar;  Don Thompson – bass;  Terry Clarke – drums

On bonus track:   John Handy – alto saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone;  Pat Martino - guitar;  Albert Stinson - bass;  Doug Sides - drums

Recorded Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival

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Andrew Hill - Eternal Spirit

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:42
Size: 155,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:57)  1. Pinnacle
(10:24)  2. Golden Sunset
( 4:53)  3. Samba Rasta
( 6:19)  4. Tail Feather
( 7:47)  5. Spiritual Lover
( 8:44)  6. Bobby's Tune
( 7:32)  7. Pinnacle (alternate take)
( 5:16)  8. Golden Sunset (alternate take)
( 6:45)  9. Spiritual Lover (alternate take)

Andrew Hill returned to the Blue Note label (where he made many significant releases during 1963-80) for a stimulating quintet date with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, altoist Greg Osby, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ben Riley in 1989. The pianist's six originals (which are joined by three alternate takes on the CD) his dense chords behind the other improvisers and his own unpredictable solos are not all overshaowed by his talented sideman, even Osby who is heard in particularly inspired form. 

There are no weak performances on this superb post bop effort, Andrew Hill's strongest recording in several years. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/eternal-spirit-mw0000202207

Personnel:  Andrew Hill - piano;  Greg Osby - alto saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibes;  Rufus Reid - bass;  Ben Riley - drums

Eternal Spirit

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Eric Dolphy - Muses

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:22
Size: 86,1 MB
Art: Front

(12:07)  1. Alone Together
( 8:48)  2. Muses
( 8:27)  3. Iron Man
( 3:39)  4. Love Me
( 4:18)  5. Mandrake

Undelivered collection of waiting Douglas session. Anyway, attention is the duo with Richard Davis by bus clarinet , which is another take of the world first debut title drama "Muses" and "Alone Together" by world clarinet . (In addition, I imagined another take of "Iron Man" "Love Me" " Mandrake " and I imagined it actually, as you can imagine, the sound quality is not good).  First of all, from "Alone Together" at the beginning. The basic composition is the same as this take, but Dollfie is an unexpected development that plays the theme melody quite clearly from the beginning, it is totally scary or loose, after all the original is not enemy. Expected "Muses" has a gloomy mood that is hard to say, and it is certain that it is one song different from the composition of Dolphy 's compositions. However, I still feel that it is incomplete. I guess that it was for that reason that it was not included in the original (and it will also float completely from other songs). However, I think that the significance of the existence of this performance became clear. If you lived long, you probably had become an ECM musician. I could not think of anything like that at all. https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://outwardbound.hatenablog.com/entry/2013/11/28/010918&prev=search

Personnel:   Eric Dolphy - bass clarinet, alto saxophone, composer;  Woody Shaw - trumpet;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone;  Richard Davis - double bass;  Eddie Khan - double bass.

Muses

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