Buddy & Monk Montgomery - The Mastersounds

Styles: Jazz, Cool
Year: 1960
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 77:17
Size: 72,6 MB
Art: Front

(9:46) 1. Golden Earrings
(6:09) 2. People Will Say We´re in Love
(5:35) 3. (There Is) No Greater Love
(5:25) 4. West Coast Blues
(8:32) 5. I´ve Never Been in Love Before/Don´t Blame Me
(5:16) 6. I Could Write a Book
(6:43) 7. Whisper Not
(4:32) 8. Fink, Fank, Funk
(4:06) 9. It Could Happen To You
(5:48) 10. Try It
(4:48) 11. Alone Together
(5:06) 12. For now
(5:23) 13. Surrey With the Fringe on Top

This compilation combines the final two studio recordings by the Mastersounds (Swinging With the Mastersounds and A Date With the Mastersounds), minus one track, as all of the music wouldn't fit on a single CD. Vibraphonist Buddy Montgomery and his brother Monk Montgomery (on acoustic bass, rather than electric bass as shown on the cover photo) are joined by pianist Richie Crabtree and drummer Benny Barth for music that ranges from the laid-back take of "Golden Earrings" to a driving "People Will Say We're in Love" to an understated arrangement of "Whisper Not." This quartet primarily falls into bop, though it can be considered cool on several of the tracks due to its often reserved but melodic nature. The music is enjoyable, though not especially innovative. Since few of their recordings have been reissued in the CD era, the re-emergence of these two nearly complete sessions should be welcomed.~Ken Drydenhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/the-mastersounds-mw0000219122

Personnel: Vibraphone, Arranged By – Buddy Montgomery; Bass – Monk Montgomery; Drums – Benny Barth; Piano – Richie Crabtree

The Mastersounds

---

Buddy Montgomery - Ties Of Love

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1986

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:07

Size: 101,2 MB

Art: Front

(6:57)  1. Muchissimo

(7:01)  2. Expressions In Blue

(5:24)  3. Darrah

(3:35)  4. All The Things You Are (A)

(5:43)  5. Ties (A/B)

(4:55)  6. Stablemates (B)

(4:33)  7. Rose Marie

(5:55)  8. Soft Earth

By 1986, Buddy Montgomery had not recorded as a leader for many years, and because he is so well-respected, his first Landmark outing became quite an all-star affair. Heard mostly on piano but also switching to vibes for two songs, Montgomery is joined on various tracks by trumpeter Claudio Roditi, David "Fathead" Newman on tenor and flute, guitarist Ted Dunbar, bassists Ron Carter and John Heard, drummers Marvin "Smitty" Smith and Billy Higgins, and a couple of percussionists. In addition, tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris jams on "Stablemates" and "Ties," and Marlena Shaw takes vocals on "Ties" and "All the Things You Are." Despite all of the guests, the leader (who contributed five of the eight songs) does not get buried in the proceedings and holds his own with his friends. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/ties-of-love-mw0000193414

Personnel:  Buddy Montgomery - piano, vibes,  Marlena Shaw - vocal,  Eddie Harris - tenor sax,  Ron Carter - bass,  Ted Dunbar - guitar,  John Heard - bass,  Billy Higgins - drums, Steve Kroon - congas,  David "Fathead" Newman - tenor sax, flute, Claudio Roditi - trumpet, Marvin "Smitty" Smith - drums, Warren Smith - percussion

Ties Of Love

---

Harold Land - Westward Bound

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:13
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:17) 1. Vendetta
( 9:20) 2. Beep Durple
( 8:38) 3. Happily Dancing Deep Harmnoies Falling
(10:38) 4. My Romance
(11:07) 5. Triplin' The Groove
(11:27) 6. Autumn Leaves
( 4:54) 7. Who Can I Turn To
( 7:07) 8. Beau-Ty
( 2:43) 9. Blue 'n' Boogie

Contains previously un-issued live recordings of unsung tenor saxophone hero Harold Land from The Penthouse in Seattle from 1962, 1964 and 1965 with stellar musicians including Hampton Hawes, Carmell Jones, Buddy Montgomery and Philly Joe Jones. Released in partnership with the Harold Land Estate, the remastered audio was captured from direct transfers of the original Penthouse's tape reels. Westward Bound! includes an extensive booklet with rare photos; essays by jazz historian Michael Cuscuna, co-producers Zev Feldman and Cory Weeds, and pianist Eric Reed; plus interviews with tenor saxophone giant Joe Lovano and the legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins.

About the Artist: Harold Land was a legendary hard bop/post-bop tenor saxophonist. Land developed his hard bop playing with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown band. His first recording was as the leader of the Harold Land All-Stars, for Savoy Records in '49. In '54 he joined the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, with whom he was at the forefront of the hard-bop/bebop movement. He moved to Los Angeles in '55 and co-led groups with Bobby Hutcherson, Blue Mitchell, and Red Mitchell. In the early '80s through to the early '90s he worked regularly with the Timeless All Stars; a group sponsored by the Timeless jazz record label.

The group consisted of Land on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, Curtis Fuller on trombone and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Over his career he was a sideman on albums from Roy Ayers, Bill Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Freddie Hubbard, Thelonious Monk, Wes Montgomery, Donald Byrd, Dinah Washington and countless others. Land was a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles and joined the UCLA Jazz Studies Program in 1996 to teach instrumental jazz combo. ''Harold Land was one of the major contributors in the history of the jazz saxophone,'' said jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, founder and director of the UCLA Jazz Studies Program.~Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Westward-Bound-Harold-Land/dp/B08X5GPPV7

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land; Bass – Monk Montgomery; Drums – Joseph Rudolph Jones, Mel Lee; Piano – Buddy Montgomery, Hampton Hawes, John Houston; Trumpet – Carmell Jones

Westward Bound

---

Pete Escovedo - E Street

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:15
Size: 131,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:14)  1. Another Star
(6:24)  2. Sambacu
(5:24)  3. Fantasy
(6:16)  4. Boomerang (Instrumental)
(4:57)  5. Smile Please (Instrumental)
(5:05)  6. Like A Volcano (Instrumental)
(4:49)  7. You're My Little Girl
(6:01)  8. La Familia (Instrumental)
(5:13)  9. Waterfall (Instrumental)
(6:47) 10. Lord Remember Me

E Street is an all-star affair led by percussionist Pete Escovedo, the father of drummer/percussionist Sheila E., who also guests on E Street along with several Escovedo siblings, saxophonists John Handy, Gerald Albright and Mel Martin, and pianist/vibraphonist Buddy Montgomery. E Street seems to expend a great deal of energy going in a lot of different directions wide-open freeways of Latin rock, lit up with horns and sparkling with guitar, piano, trumpet and of course percussion solos; rolling, soft cha-cha ballads; and new yet familiar byways with covers of Earth Wind & Fire's "Fantasy" and Stevie Wonder's "Another Star" but it never seems to actually GET anywhere. The only breaks in the placid scenery come from the appropriately titled fiesta jam "Like a Volcano" and the surprisingly stirring, hymn-with-vocals "Lord Remember Me," which closes this set. ~ Chris Slawecki https://www.allmusic.com/album/e-street-mw0000019566

Personnel: Pete Escovedo (vocals, percussion, timbales); Brenda Roy (vocals); Peter Michael Escovedo (vocals, drums, percussion); Juan Escovedo, Sheila Escovedo (vocals, percussion, congas); John Handy (alto saxophone); Gerald Albright, Alex Murzyn (tenor saxophone); Melecio Magdaluyo (saxophone, flute); Mel Martin (bass clarinet); Bill Ortiz, Louis Fasman, John Worley, Mike Galisatus (trumpet); Robbie Kwock (trumpet, flugelhorn); Marty Wehner, Wayne Wallace, Jeff Cressman (trombone); Buddy Montgomery (vibraphone); Renato Neto, Jeff Chimenti, Murray Low (piano); Dave Mathews (piano, synthesizer); Ray Obiedo (synthesizer, guitar); Steve Erquiaga (acoustic guitar); Mark Van Wageningen, Derek Jones (bass); Paul Van Wageningen (drums); Van Waller (percussion); Juanita Escovedo (guiro).

E Street

---

Buddy Montgomery Trio - Here Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:31
Size: 136.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:55] 1. My Ideal
[6:09] 2. 1,000 Rainbows
[5:56] 3. Aki's Blues
[7:23] 4. Invitation
[7:53] 5. That Old Black Magic
[7:39] 6. Blues For David
[7:00] 7. You've Changed
[7:07] 8. Hob Nob With Brother Bob
[5:24] 9. Here Again

Buddy Montgomery, the youngest and sole surviving Montgomery brother, is a musician ripe for rediscovery. Since achieving major success in the 1960s with the Montgomery Brothers band, and (along with brother Monk on bass) backing brother Wes on some of the guitar great's most popular albums, Buddy has been heard from only occasionally. His new trio album on Sharp Nine Records, Here Again, shows him still in fine form both as a composer and gently swinging pianist.

Montgomery is from the generation of piano players between bebop pioneers Monk and Powell and 1960s innovators Tyner, Hancock, and Corea. And he sounds like it: His smooth, bluesy playing fits firmly within the post-bop tradition with a strong Latin influence. He is an extremely quiet, economical player not given to loud flourishes or aggressive physical attacks on the keyboard. Montgomery's instrumental virtuosity doesn't leap out at you. His strengths are more subtle. Indeed, this is one of the quieter, more thoughtful albums of the year. And the type of album that may require several listenings to appreciate fully.

If the album has one weakness, it is the relative sameness of the compositions and tempos. Even the usually up-tempo chestnut "That Old Black Magic" is transformed here into an almost unrecognizable slow ballad. One or two fast numbers, or a straight out blues, might have livened things up a bit. But, with solid backing from bassist Jeff Chambers and drummer Ray Appleton, Montgomery has made a fine album of quiet, soulful piano music. ~Joel Robets

Here Again mc
Here Again zippy

---

Jon Hendricks - A Good Git-Together

Styles: Vocal

Year: 1959

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 38:00

Size: 89,3 MB

Art: Front

(1:03)  1. Everything Started In The House Of The Lord

(3:58)  2. Music In The Air

(3:50)  3. Feed Me

(2:22)  4. I'll Die Happy

(2:53)  5. Pretty Strange

(5:03)  6. The Shouter

(5:21)  7. Minor Catastrophe

(2:22)  8. Social Call

(4:55)  9. Out Of The Past

(3:41) 10. A Good Git-Together

(2:26) 11. I'm Gonna Shout (Everything Started In The House Of The Lord)

On various tracks, Jon Hendricks' first album as a leader, released in 1959, features such major sidemen as altoist Pony Poindexter, guitarist Wes Montgomery, and both Nat and Cannonball Adderley. Hendricks who was riding high in Lambert, Hendricks & Ross at the time is in superb form on such numbers as "I'm Gonna Shout (Everything Started in the House of the Lord)," a couple of songs that Hendricks had written for Louis Jordan, Randy Weston's "Pretty Strange," "Social Call," and the jubilant "A Good Git-Together." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-good-git-together-mw0000551672

Personnel:  Jon Hendricks - vocal;  Ike Isaacs – double bass;  Monk Montgomery – bass;  Nat Adderley – cornet;  Walter Bolden – drums; Walter Tolgen – drums;  Wes Montgomery – guitar;  Gildo Mahones – piano;  Pony Poindexter – alto saxophone, vocals;  Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone;  Bill Perkins – tambourine;  Buddy Montgomery – vibraphone

R.I.P.
Born: September 16, 1921
Died: November 22, 2017

A Good Git-Together

---

Karen Blixt - Spin This

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:49
Size: 144,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Swingin' The Blues
(5:14)  2. Carefully Taught
(4:12)  3. My Favorite Things
(5:53)  4. You Don't Know Me
(8:24)  5. NIght and Day
(4:37)  6. Spin This
(3:46)  7. It's Over Now (Well, You Needn't)
(0:21)  8. Now It's Over
(6:59)  9. When You're Smiling
(4:04) 10. Kitchen Blue
(4:56) 11. Four
(5:22) 12. I Thought About You
(4:19) 13. Something So True

It started when she was a little church girl. Listening to her organist mother sing the harmony parts of hymns, Karen Blixt soon developed a knack for improvising. The New York-born West Coast transplant has spent her life exploring different ways to present a song. After years of live performances in nightclubs, weddings, receptions and fund-raisers, she took a friend's advice and recorded her own album, Spin This, on her label HiFli.  A fixture on the Bay Area jazz scene, Blixt has enlisted the aid of a variety of session musicians. They include keyboardist Russell Ferrante of the Yellowjackets, former Yellowjacket Will Kennedy on drums, and percussionist Alex Acuna. The album is mostly covers of songs by Count Basie, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, among others. It also includes three originals penned by Blixt and keyboardist Frank Martin, who appears on several tracks.

With a soothing alto voice comparable to Swing Out Sister's Corinne Drewery, Blixt delivers a jazz lover's treat, mixing message songs like "Carefully Taught and "Spin This with fun on "When You're Smiling, and standards, like "My Favorite Things, that have proven to be irresistible to many an upstart artist. The latter has been done so many times and so many ways, it's difficult to cover with anything worthy of notice. Blixt does an admirable job as vocalist, but what makes this arrangement work is the exceptional play of Kennedy, Acuna and bassist Troy Lampkins. Blixt is more dominant on such selections as the opening track, Basie's "Swingin' the Blues, which features Kennedy, Acuna and Joey DeFrancesco on Hammond B-3 organ. It's a delightful appetizer that prepares the listener for a jazz buffet. The title song, penned by Blixt and Martin, is a bouncy political statement, expressing the singer's displeasure for President George W. Bush. Backed by Martin on Fender Rhodes, Ferrante, Lampkins, Kennedy and Acuna, Blixt sings about political maneuvering: "Spinning, twisting, turning, stretching 'til the truth comes back around Spin this!  

Spin This should be appreciated for its purity if not for the excellent sounds created by Blixt and her cast. With a lot of modern music being heavy on production and light on artistry, it's always good to hear the opposite. Blixt expresses herself well from start to finish. And by surrounding herself with an array of dedicated professionals, she's created an album that's got some staying power. That is the beauty of music: when it's done right, it never gets old. ~ Woodrow Wilkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/spin-this-karen-blixt-hifli-records-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php
 

Personnel: Karen Blixt: vocals;  Joey DeFrancesco: Hammond B-3 organ (1, 4, 8, 10);  Bruce Forman: guitar (1);  Will Kennedy: drums (1-3, 9-10);  Alex Acuna: percussion (1-3, 5-7, 10, 12), drums (5, 7, 12);  Russell Ferrante: piano (2-3, 6, 9, 12);  Darek Oles: acoustic bass (2, 9);  Frank Martin: Fender Rhodes (3, 6), piano (4-5, 10);  Troy Lampkins: electric bass (3, 6);  Byron Landham: drums (4);  Paul McCandless: English horn (5), bass clarinet (7), oboe (12);  Sheldon Brown: bass clarinet (5, 7);  Joe Herbert: cello (5, 12);  Buddy Montgomery: vibes (8), piano (11);  Brian Bromberg: acoustic bass (12).

Spin This

---

Buddy Montgomery - Live At Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume 15

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:49
Size: 154,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Since I Fell For You
(5:19)  2. The Man I Love
(5:23)  3. A Cottage For Sale
(3:35)  4. Who Cares?
(4:49)  5. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(5:45)  6. How To Handle A Woman
(5:59)  7. What'll I Do ?
(5:45)  8. You've Changed
(4:04)  9. Money Blues
(6:52) 10. By Myself
(3:54) 11. This Time I'll Be Sweeter
(4:52) 12. Soft Winds
(5:00) 13. My Lord And Master / Something Wonderful

The sole surviving musical Montgomery brother goes it alone for the microphones at Maybeck, demonstrating that he has more than enough of the solid musicianship and abundant technique that seems to go with the territory in this series. The only hangup is that Montgomery's solo ruminations, however accomplished, aren't all that compelling here. The usual blend of idioms bop-based with frequent immersions in earlier styles, mostly stride and classical derivations are lavished upon a collection of standards; "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" has an intriguing alternate re-harmonization of the tune. However, it is Montgomery's own tunes, "Who Cares" and "Money Blues," that deliver something resembling a personal signature, getting into some down-home bluesy rhetoric. Of course everything is superbly recorded. ~ Richard S.Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-maybeck-recital-hall-vol-15-mw0000274726

Personnel: Buddy Montgomery (piano).

Live At Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume 15

---