The Cookers - Warriors

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:17

Size: 124.3 MB

Styles: Bop, Straight ahead jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[ 6:53] 1. The Core

[ 4:57] 2. Spookarella

[ 6:14] 3. Close To You Alone

[ 7:29] 4. Priestess

[ 5:45] 5. Sweet Rita Suite

[10:58] 6. Capra Black

[ 7:01] 7. Ladybugg

[ 4:56] 8. U Phoria

Acoustic Bass – Cecil McBee; Alto Saxophone – Craig Handy; Drums – Billy Hart; Flugelhorn – Eddie Henderson; Flute – Craig Handy; Piano – George Cables; Tenor Saxophone – Billy Harper; Trumpet – David Weiss, Eddie Henderson.

The Cookers is an all-star ensemble made up primarily of veteran bandleaders and star soloists, including tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, trumpeters Eddie Henderson and David Weiss, alto saxophonist Craig Handy, pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Billy Hart. The fireworks begin with their sizzling treatment of the late Freddie Hubbard's "The Core," though it is a shame that the liner notes don't specify the order of the trumpet solos. The veterans in the group contributed the remaining songs. Cables' off-center, loping "Spookarella" has a Monk-like humor and playful flute solo by Handy, while the pianist's pretty ballad "Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 2: Her Soul" is a complex work that the band interprets with finesse, with Handy again a major voice on flute, and lush ensembles by the brass and tenor. Harper penned the funky, insistent "Priestess." His passionate "Carpa Black" is often dissonant, highlighted by his burning tenor sax. McBee's lush ballad "Close to You Alone" (showcasing Handy's heartfelt alto solo) and delicious hard bop vehicle "U Phoria" also merit strong praise. The solos and ensembles are enjoyable throughout this session, while the musicians obviously had a great time and are likely eager to schedule a follow-up meeting for Jazz Legacy. ~Ken Dryden

Warriors

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The Cookers Quintet - Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Ryan Oliver: tenor sax; Tim Hamel: trumpet; Alex Coleman: bass; Richard Whiteman: piano; Joel Haynes: drums.

Heavy-swinging, no-nonsense quintet from Toronto serving up authentic, original hard-bop jazz. The Cookers Quintet are a Toronto-based jazz combo, with a sound firmly rooted in the ‘50s and ‘60s hard bop movement. Inspired by the 1965 Blue Note recording “Night Of The Cookers” featuring Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan, the group cut their teeth on standards at a weekly residency where they developed the inspiration and chemistry to write tunes of their own. Rising to the challenge of updating and performing music with the classic sound of jazz’s golden era, TCQ bring a throwback feel without ever playing it safe. Their versatile frontline is made up of Ryan Oliver (tenor sax) and Tim Hamel (trumpet) whose combined tonal talents can a bring hot, uptempo number to a boil or carry a ballad with sophistication and subtlety. The glue of the group is Toronto veteran Richard Whiteman (piano), whose lyrical playing gives the rock solid swing of Alex Coleman (bass) and Joel Haynes (drums) the rhythmic freedom to drive the group’s compositions to the next level.

“We wanted to have tunes that would be swinging, straight ahead, and arranged for a quintet. Essentially, fun tunes with great rhythms and memorable melodies that even non-jazz lovers would be attracted to,” says Coleman. Indeed, they’ve cooked up so many original tunes that they couldn’t be contained in one dish: TCQ Vol. 1 & 2 serve up piping hot compositions that will satisfy both sophisticated jazz heads and casual listeners alike.

Album: Vol. 1
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:12
Size: 108.1 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:38] 1. Obligatory Blues
[7:42] 2. Mudbug Shuffle
[5:52] 3. Crosstalk
[5:52] 4. The Ramble
[6:28] 5. Blues To Booker
[5:10] 6. See You Next Thursday
[5:09] 7. The Fork Test
[5:17] 8. Open Air

Vol. 1

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Album: Vol. 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:43
Size: 141.3 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:11] 1. The New Deal
[3:38] 2. They Say It's Wonderful
[6:59] 3. Sheriff
[4:44] 4. Deed I Do
[4:38] 5. Hot For Preacher
[4:44] 6. Speak To Me Of You
[3:50] 7. The Thrill Is Gone
[4:28] 8. Blindside
[5:12] 9. This Is The Thing
[5:07] 10. The Crumpler
[6:01] 11. Little Light
[7:05] 12. The Up And Up

Vol. 2

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The Cookers - Time And Time Again

Size: 143,2 MB
Time: 61:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Sir Galahad (7:54)
02. Reneda (6:12)
03. Slippin' And Slidin' (7:00)
04. Double Or Nothing (6:43)
05. Farewell Mulgrew (6:44)
06. Three Fall (6:36)
07. Time And Time Again (6:35)
08. Dance Of The Invisable Nymph (9:17)
09. Dance Eternal Spirits Dance (4:22)

Celebrating seven years together, Time and Time Again is the fourth release by The Cookers since the group's recording debut, Warriors (Jazz Legacy Productions, 2010). The band's all-star lineup, who first rose to prominence in the late '60s and early '70s, was initially formed by trumpet player David Weiss, who also serves as musical director. In addition to Weiss, the septet features the muscular frontline of trumpeter Eddie Henderson, tenor saxophonist Billy Harper and alto saxophonist Donald Harrison (replacing Craig Handy), with pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart manning the blue chip rhythm section.

Drawing upon their varied experiences, the ensemble members split writing duties, effectively summarizing the entire spectrum of the jazz continuum in the process. Although hard bop-influenced post-bop is the unit's forte, most of these musicians have also worked in cutting-edge avant-garde settings; their forward-looking tendencies imbue the project's straight-ahead sensibility with a bold, modernistic aesthetic.

With five of the seven members contributing tunes to the session, there is ample stylistic diversity on display, ranging from breakneck swingers ("Double or Nothing") and swaggering blues ("Slippin' and Slidin'") to majestic waltzes ("Three Fall") and opulent ballads ("Farewell Mulgrew"). As seasoned veterans, their spirited performances convey the informality of an old school blowing session, tempered by an awareness of formalized song-craft. The arrangements are rhythmically tight and harmonically sophisticated, but supple enough to demonstrate the band's freewheeling rapport, with ample room for each member to shine.

Working as a true collective, no one player dominates the session, although Harper's commanding tone and assured phrasing lifts the bandstand when he takes center stage, with quicksilver cadences underscored by the nimble rhythm section, whose fluid interplay is a marvel of triadic interaction. Lending credence to its title, Time And Time Again expertly conveys the palpable commitment of these elder statesmen to push beyond preconceived boundaries and move the music forward, while acknowledging the innovations of the past. ~by Troy Collins

Personnel: Billy Harper: tenor saxophone; Eddie Henderson: trumpet; David Weiss: trumpet; Donald Harrison: alto saxophone; George Cables: piano; Cecil McBee: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

Time And Time Again

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