Philly Joe Jones Dameronia - Look, Stop, and Listen

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:16
Size: 128,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Look, Stop and Listen
(5:34)  2. If You Could See Me Now
(5:30)  3. Choose Now
(5:49)  4. Focus
(6:08)  5. Killer Joe
(5:05)  6. Dial B for Beauty
(4:28)  7. Our Delight
(5:52)  8. Theme of No Repeat
(5:41)  9. If You Could See Me Now - 1st Take
(5:12) 10. Look, Stop and Listen - 1st Take

Philly Joe Jones was Tadd Dameron's roommate for nine years and long thought that the pianist/composer's contributions had been pretty much overlooked. He formed the tribute band Dameronia to make explore the late composer's music, debuting with a small group in the spring of 1982. With the help of trumpeter Don Sickler (who makes a pair of rare appearances on tenor sax as well) as musical director, the band expanded by the time of its first recording a few months later to a nonet. By the time of its second recording the following year, the personnel had changed slightly, now including pianist Walter Davis, Jr., tenor giant Johnny Griffin, tenor saxophonist Charles Davis and alto saxophonist Frank Wess (both of whom double on flute), baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne, trombonist Benny Powell, trumpeter Virgil Jones, and bassist Larry Ridley. Sickler's transcriptions of Dameron's arrangements reveal the depth of his music. "Look, Stop and Listen" is a showcase for the leader, while Griffin shines in the richly textured ballad "If You Could See Me Now," backed by the lush flutes and brass. Wess' flighty alto and Powell's sassy trombone are featured in the rarely performed "Focus." Another gem is the infrequently heard "Dial B for Beauty," spotlighting Davis in a ballad setting instead of the driving hard bop often associated with him. The sole composition not by Dameron is a hard-charging take of "Killer Joe," again showcasing Griffin, who was invited as a guest for two songs initially but encouraged by the musicians to hang around and play on other tracks. Not satisfied with the original mix of the LP due to the dominant presence of the leader's drums (due to the fact that he refused to play in an isolation booth), original session engineer Rudy Van Gelder remixed the album, improving the sound and adding two alternate takes. Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/look-stop-and-listen-mw0001954564

Personnel: Philly Joe Jones – drums; Johnny Griffin - tenor saxophone; Don Sickler – trumpet, tenor saxophone, director; Virgil Jones – trumpet; Benny Powell – trombone; Frank Wess – alto saxophone, flute; Charles Davis – tenor saxophone, flute; Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone; Walter Davis Jr. – piano; Larry Ridley – double bass

Look, Stop, and Listen

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Eddie Chamblee - Doodlin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:47
Size: 76,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Doodlin'
(1:54)  2. Back Street
(4:36)  3. Stardust
(4:02)  4. Robbin's Nest
(2:22)  5. Solitude
(2:17)  6. Long Gone
(2:23)  7. Strollin' Sax
(3:26)  8. Lester Leaps Again
(2:41)  9. Swing A Little Taste
(4:36) 10. Village Square

He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Chicago where he began learning the saxophone at the age of 12. After leaving Wendell Phillips High School, he studied law at Chicago State University, playing in clubs in the evenings and at weekends. He played in US Army bands between 1941 and 1946. After leaving the army, he joined Miracle Records. He played on Sonny Thompson's hit record "Long Gone" in 1948, and on its follow-up, "Late Freight", credited to the Sonny Thompson Quintet featuring Eddie Chamblee. Both records reached no. 1 on the national Billboard R&B chart.[3] Two follow-up records, "Blue Dreams" and "Back Street", also made the R&B chart in 1949. From 1947, he led his own band in Chicago clubs, as well as continuing to record with Thompson and on other sessions in Chicago, including The Four Blazes' no. 1 R&B hit "Mary Jo" in 1952. In 1954 he joined Lionel Hampton's band for two years, touring in Europe, before returning to lead his own group in Chicago. He accompanied both Amos Milburn and Lowell Fulson on some of their recordings, and then worked as accompanist to Dinah Washington on many of her successful recordings in the late 1950s and early 1960s. 

The two performed vocal duets in a style similar to that later adopted by Washington with Brook Benton, and were briefly married; he was her fifth husband. Chamblee also recorded for the Mercury and EmArcy labels, and with his own group in the early 1960s for the Roulette and Prestige labels. In the 1970s he rejoined Hampton for tours of Europe, where he also played with Milt Buckner, and he recorded for the French Black & Blue label. He also performed with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1982, and from the 1980s until his death with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, as well as in clubs in New York City. He died in New York in 1999 at the age of 79. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Chamblee

Personnel: Saxophone – Charles Davis , Eddie Chamblee; Bass – Robert Wilson; Drums – James Slaughter; Piano – Jack Wilson; Trombone – Julian Priester; Trumpet – Flip Ricard

Doodlin'

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Charles Davis - Reflections

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:07
Size: 110.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:58] 1. Monking
[9:22] 2. Reflections
[6:03] 3. K.D
[5:57] 4. To Duke With Love
[5:46] 5. Miriam's Delight
[7:47] 6. To The Highest Degree
[6:12] 7. K.D.(Alternative Take)

Charles Davis is a veteran saxophonist who's better known for his extensive resumé as a sideman (Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington, Kenny Dorham, Clark Terry Big Bad Band, and Abdullah Ibrahim, to name a few) than for the relatively few dates he's done as a leader. Although he plays several members of the reed family, he sticks to tenor sax on this session, which reunites him with Barry Harris; Peter Washington and Ben Riley round out his excellent rhythm section. The session is mostly made up of Davis' originals, kicking things off with the well-named "Monking," a brisk, dissonant line that implies the spirit of the late pianist. But Monk's "Reflections," although well played, is erroneously credited to the saxophonist. Two separate takes of "K.D.," a driving hard bop composition (presumably dedicated to Kenny Dorham, but there are no liner notes), prove to be stimulating. Harris contributed the peppy waltz "To Duke With Love." Hard bop fans will enjoy this CD. ~Ken Dryden

Reflections mc
Reflections zippy

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Kenny Dorham - Jazz Contemporary

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:55
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. A Waltz
(8:09)  2. Monk's Mood
(8:01)  3. In Your Own Sweet Way
(8:27)  4. Horn Salute
(2:57)  5. Tonica
(6:49)  6. This Love of Mine
(5:29)  7. Sign Off
(5:36)  8. A Waltz
(2:53)  9. Monk's Mood
(7:55) 10. This Love of Mine

Originally on the Time label, this LP features the excellent (but always underrated) trumpeter Kenny Dorham heading a quintet that also includes baritonist Charles Davis, pianist Steve Kuhn, either Jimmy Garrison or Butch Warren on bass, and drummer Buddy Enlow. The results are not quite essential but everyone plays up to par, performing three of Dorham's originals plus "In Your Own Sweet Way," "Monk's Mood," and "This Love of Mine." It's fine hard bop, the modern mainstream music of the period. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-contemporary-mw0000320205

Personnel:  Trumpet – Kenny Dorham;   Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis;  Bass – Butch Warren, Jimmy Garrison;  Drums – Buddy Enlow;  Piano – Steve Kuhn

Jazz Contemporary

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Charles Davis - Land of Dreams

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 63:48
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:41)  1. JC (Davis)
( 6:36)  2. Moon Nocturne
( 5:44)  3. How Am I to Know?
(10:33)  4. If You Could See Me Now
( 8:26)  5. Love for Sale
( 7:09)  6. Some Wandering Bushman
( 6:32)  7. Strangeness
( 5:35)  8. We See
( 5:27)  9. Land of Dreams

In the shrinking world of "legendary" jazz performers, all star sessions and one-offs are the norm. This release is a rare treat that gives a real look-see at saxophonist Charles Davis in the context of his working band. Davis, with his baritone sax, was part of the seminal Jazz Composer's Orchestra and early groups fronted by Sun Ra. Among a host of other top-flight ensembles, he also anchored the reed sections for saxophonist Ben Webster and trumpeter Kenny Dorham. His sessions as a leader have been all too infrequent but with Land of Dreams that is somewhat rectified as he steps to the front on tenor and soprano sax. 

It is obvious from this release that Davis has been working and putting in a lot of time with pianist Tardo Hammer and a rhythm section of Lee Hudson on bass and drummer Jimmy Wormworth. There is an integrative spiritual feel to these compositions, which are heavy on the traditional but also include a few originals, that can only come from a band playing together. Beginning with a reverential Tranesque consecration, "JC" quickly turns into a swinger that allows Hammer to show some of his sway. Interestingly, Davis seems particularly suited to exploring the soprano sax and his improvisational forays with the instrument on the lightly swinging "Moon Nocturne" and intriguing Herbie Nichols composition "Some Wandering Bushman" as well as Monk's "We See" are highlights. His tenor fills the room with a smoky Ben Webster mood on the gorgeous Tadd Dameron ballad "If You Could See Me Now" and chomps and growls a bit on a jazzy-bossa version of "How Am I to Know?" The title cut, a "Cherokee"-inspired bopper, brings this recording to a quick-paced swinging conclusion. ~ Elliott Simon https://www.allaboutjazz.com/land-of-dreams-charles-davis-smalls-records-review-by-elliott-simon.php

Personnel: Charles Davis: tenor and soprano saxophone; Tardo Hammer: piano; Lee Hudson: bass; Jimmy Wormworth: drums.

Land of Dreams

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Charles Davis Quartet - Plays The Music Of Bent Jaedig: Our Man in Copenhagen

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:36
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:13)  1. Atlicity
(5:44)  2. Drum Case
(6:21)  3. The Red Lightning
(7:23)  4. Ballad For Brew
(6:05)  5. Rod's Shtick
(9:13)  6. Sizzling
(6:33)  7. The Strootch

Like Bent, Charles is well known and highly respected by his peers, but not as known to the general public as he deserves to be. He also has remained open to all types of music in his long career and today he is still found in as different contexts as Barry Harris group and the Sun Ra Arkestra. He is completely committed to his musical message, a timeless yet constantly evolving message. Like Bent, he has released only a handful of albums under his own name, but they are of extremely high quality. Charles Davis is a master of the saxophone and I am truly honored that he has agreed to do this album.
His writing was sparse, but when he wrote something it was precise. I would guess that there are around 15 Bent Jædig compositions that we know of. On this album we have recorded 8 of them. I wanted people to hear this music interpreted by the best quartet I could imagine. I see Ben Street as the most important bassist of his generation, highly original and sophisticated, also Sam Yahel, to me, is playing the most exiting stuff on the scene today on piano and organ.

This is the first album on Fresh Sound Records by the Charles Davis Quartet. This All-Star group is lead by one of the greatest exponents of true Be Bop sax playing in the world. At 75 years of age Charles Davis continues to perform regularly with such great bands as the Barry Harris group, the Jimmy Heath big band and the Sun Ra Arkestra and leads his own bands. Davis lives and works out of New York as he has been since he left Chicago in 1957. he has performed with Billy Holliday, John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Billy Higgins, Hank Mobley, Clifford Jordan among others. He is acknowledged by his peers as a very original lyrical improviser. http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/charles-davis-albums/5029-plays-the-music-of-bent-jaedig-our-man-in-copenhagen.html

Personnel:  Charles Davis (ts), Sam Yahel (p), Ben Street (b), Kresten Osgood (d).

Plays The Music Of Bent Jaedig: Our Man in Copenhagen

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Charles Davis & The Cedar Walton Trio - Blue Gardenia

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:09
Size: 105.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[5:30] 1. A Beautiful Friendship
[6:29] 2. Texas Moon
[5:27] 3. Bossa Joe
[5:48] 4. Stranded
[6:11] 5. Shadow Of The Sunset
[5:57] 6. Sabia
[4:38] 7. Blues For Yahoo
[6:06] 8. Blue Gardenia

Charles Davis- baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone; Cedar Walton- piano; Peter Washington- bass; Joe Farnsworth- drums.

Baritone saxophonist Charles Davis started out with Sun Ra in the early 1950s. Along the way, he’s paid his dues in the big bands of Clark Terry, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Illinois Jacquet and Lionel Hampton. He first played “Blue Gardenia” with Dinah Washington in the late ‘50s. As a leader, he’s only issued a few recordings: Dedicated To Tadd (West 54, 1979), Super 80 (Nilva, 1982), and Reflections (Red, 1990).

Now 70, Davis continues to exercise his instrumental voice as soloist; this time out he employs a 50-50 balance between baritone and tenor. The leader’s solo saxophone voice stands sweet and melodic, but the session turns uneven in places due to a few slips of pitch control on baritone. Cedar Walton, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth do more than their share to make up for it with a hands-down rock-solid foundation for each piece. On tenor, Davis sends a lovely melodic message that calls upon his vast experience for flavor. “Texas Moon” recalls time he’s spent on the road with Hank Crawford, while “Blues for Yahoo” moves more in the hard bop direction of New York City. Yahoo is the producer’s dog, who must have inherited Charlie Parker’s up-tempo grit. Either that, or he simply reminded Davis of Bird’s unique soul. Blue Gardenia, a solid straight-ahead album, swings with tradition and a true, blues-based spirit. ~Jim santella

Blue Gardenia

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