B.J.Jansen - Common Ground

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:40
Size: 150,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Stacey's Pace
(5:39)  2. Carol's Dream
(5:58)  3. Street Walk
(4:50)  4. Brandon's Blues
(5:06)  5. Soul Loss
(4:24)  6. Angela's Aggravation
(5:32)  7. Bucket Full of Soul
(5:05)  8. Relaxin' with Jessica
(7:22)  9. Common Ground
(4:43) 10. Angela's Aggravation (Alternate Take)
(6:09) 11. Bucket Full of Soul (Alternate Take)
(4:20) 12. Stacey's Pace (Alternate Take)

Cincinnati-born baritone saxophonist B.J. Jansen's tenth album is titled Common Ground for good reason: his sextet consists of NEA Jazz Master trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, drummer Ralph Peterson, trumpeter Duane Eubanks, pianist Zaccai Curtis, and bassist Dezron Douglas all of whom revel in improvisation. His group's shared affinity for jazz in the straight-ahead vein compelled Jansen to employ a "hands-off" tactic as leader, prompting the end product's great diversity of playing and style. The album has its post- bop pieces, hard bop workouts, Coltrane-esque spirituals, and mellifluous ballads, constituting an album that sounds classic, yet modern in its permissive borrowing from jazz's past.  From the first muscular bars of "Stacey's Pace," the aura of Common Ground is made clear: uncluttered, timeless jazz that harkens back to the all-star sessions of the late '50s and early '60s. A nimble bass solo by Douglas ushers in spirited improvisation from the remainder of the group, assembling sounds that likely would've reverberated off the walls of the Five Spot in its heyday. Influenced by the harmonic intricacy of Charlie Parker's compositions, "Angela's Aggravation" swings with a bebop approach, featuring a blazing solo by Jansen that conveys unbridled passion without compromising clarity. Further venturing down jazz's stylistic evolution, "Street Walk" exudes a post-bop flavor with its angular melody and dynamic structure. Anchored by Peterson's intrepid, at times explosive, sense of rhythm, players are impelled to solo at their most dexterous. 

Not lacking in tranquility, ballads "Carol's Dream" and "Soul Loss" impart the sextet's softer side, with Jansen filling open space with languid phrasing throughout the latter. As the concluding piece, the improvised title track seems to hit the crux of the album resolute unity through music. Leading his band from a spiritual introduction to reckless free playing, Jansen's sinuous trajectory never falters due to this mutual perceptivity. If the Blue Note and Prestige sessions of old occupy a sizeable portion of your music collection, Common Ground is an essential new release (the album even includes three alternate takes, akin to modern jazz reissues). Backed with a band of the highest caliber, Jansen's adroitness and appreciation for jazz produces a sound that radiates with classic charm. While his influence lies in the traditional, Jansen's individuality will surely cement his position in the line of great baritone players. ~ Mattew Aquiline https://www.allaboutjazz.com/common-ground-bj-jansen-ronin-jazz-review-by-matthew-aquiline.php

Personnel: B.J. Jansen: baritone saxophone; Delfeayo Marsalis: trombone; Duane Eubanks: trumpet; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Ralph Peterson: drums.

Common Ground

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Benny Green - The Place To Be

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:51
Size: 135,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. Nice Pants
(2:31)  2. Playmate
(6:59)  3. I Want To Talk About You
(3:10)  4. The Place To Be
(5:13)  5. I Felt That
(6:16)  6. Pensativa
(5:56)  7. One Of Another Kind
(5:23)  8. Which Came First?
(3:28)  9. Noreen's Nocturn
(7:13) 10. Concertina
(2:29) 11. The Gravy Waltz
(4:09) 12. The Folks Who Live On The Hill

Benny Green is one of the most gifted jazz pianists around, and The Place To Be shows off his abilities in a variety of settings. The album starts off with a big band arrangement of “Nice Pants” which at times sounds like it’s based on the changes of “Critic’s Choice,” a tune that was a staple of the Buddy Rich book from the 1960s. It has a time medium tempo swing to it and features an excellent bass solo by Christian McBride in addition to Green’s omnipresent powerhouse piano. The big band groove is also found in “I Want to Talk About You,” partly based upon “How High the Moon,” and “I Felt That,” the latter tune with a Thelonious Monk-inspired melody. Green’s trio work is outstanding and nicely varied. “Playmate” is a real tour de force and features blazingly fast single-line and octave runs a la Oscar Peterson. In the middle of the song there is a lot of nice stride piano. 

Green and company change pace with “Pensativa,” a pleasant bossa nova that is indebted to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Wave” and also to “You Came Along from Out of Nowhere.” “One of Another Kind” is an interesting composition and almost sounds like an up-tempo version of Miles Davis’ “So What?” Green displays a similar eclecticism with his solo piano pieces. They range from a swinging version of Steve Allen's “Gravy Waltz” to the highly contrapuntal “The Place To Be” to a very sensitive and understated performance of the beautiful ballad “The Folks Who Live on the Hill.” The last song is one of the most poignant compositions in the Great American Songbook, yet it is not performed that often, the most recording being Diana Krall’s. Benny Green is a consummate jazz pianist. He’s mastered all the past styles from Kansas City stride to Bill Evans to bebop and beyond and he’s taking the music to heights unknown. The Place To Be is just that, the place where everyone who appreciates great jazz will want to be. 

~ William Grim https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-place-to-be-benny-green-blue-note-records-review-by-william-grim.php

Personnel: Benny Green, piano; Delfeayo Marsalis, trombone; Christian McBride, bass; Byron Stripling, trumpet; Gary Smulyan, baritone sax; John Clark, flugelhorn; Kenny Washington, drums; Herb Besson, tuba; Jerry Dodgion, flute, alto sax

The Place To Be

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Irvin Mayfield - How Passion Falls

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:08
Size: 143,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:33)  1. The Illusion
( 6:49)  2. Adam & Eve
( 6:46)  3. The Obsession
( 6:18)  4. Othello & Desdemona
( 8:29)  5. The Denial
( 2:57)  6. Romeo & Juliet
( 4:35)  7. The Affair
( 7:27)  8. David & Bathsheba
(10:11)  9. The Reality

How Passion Falls is Mayfield's second CD on Basin Street Records and it can hold its own with all the mainstream jazz that has been released in recent memory. The album contains ten original compositions (one track is "hidden" at the end) and deals with love and romance (what else, with a title like How Passion Falls). One of the most interesting things about this album is the song sequence. It could be called a jazz-opera because the tracks are ordered in a sort of acts and scenes format. It is a take, if you will, on the boy meets girl theme (with Biblical and Shakespearean overtones). The titles, in order, are: "The Illusion," "Adam & Eve," "The Obsession," "Othello & Desdemona," "The Affair," "The Denial," "Romeo & Juliet," "David & Bathsheba," and "The Reality." While not every love story features the betrayal of "The Affair" and "David & Bathsheba," let's give Mayfield some leeway. This CD does a wonderful job of displaying the talents and musicianship of its players. The interaction of bassist Edwin Livingston, drummer Jaz Sawyer and pianist Richard Johnson together with Mayfield's trumpet is mesmerizing. The interaction of the quartet with percussionist Bill Summers and saxophonist Aaron Fletcher on "Adam & Eve" is Latin-tinged blues-jazz at its finest. Delfeayo Marsalis (who also produced the album) plays on trombone on "The Denial." Other guests include Ellis Marsalis (no, he's not another brother; yes, he's Wynton, Branford and Delfeayo's father) on piano on "Romeo & Juliet," and saxophonist Donald Harrison, who is featured on "David & Bathsheba." The best track is "The Denial" with its call/response musical movement and its funk bass. This track really catches a groove and grabs the listener. The entire album has the feel and mysticism that could only be created in New Orleans by New Orleans musicians. Every selection finds a blues-soaked jazz/funk groove that is driven by African rhythms and Latin undertones. Only in New Orleans could this musical gumbo of styles be meshed into one cohesive broth. The CD also has enhanced CD-ROM capabilities which feature Wynton Marsalis in a video commentary and extensive liner notes. This is one well crafted album and lavishly produced package. It's a winner  through and through.~ Mike Perciaccante https://www.allaboutjazz.com/how-passion-falls-irvin-mayfield-basin-street-records-review-by-mike-perciaccante.php

Personnel: Ellis Marsalis - Piano; Bill Summers - Bata; Donald Harrison - Sax (Alto); Richard Johnson - Piano; Delfeayo Marsalis - Trombone; Edwin Livingston - Bass; Irvin Mayfield - Trumpet; Aaron Fletcher - Sax (Alto); Sax (Soprano) ; Jaz Sawyer - Drums 

How Passion Falls

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Wycliffe Gordon - The Search

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:22
Size: 150,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:37)  1. Cheeky
(5:52)  2. What Is This Thing Called Love
(3:25)  3. He Looked Beyond My Fault (Danny Boy)
(5:29)  4. Frantic Flight
(7:16)  5. The Search (Part I and II)
(5:42)  6. Touch It Lightly
(4:31)  7. Georgia on My Mind
(2:49)  8. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:14)  9. Blues for Deac'n Cone
(5:43) 10. Sign Me Up
(5:05) 11. Stardust
(5:22) 12. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues
(2:12) 13. Rhythm-A-Ning

Nagel Heyer knows a good thing when it sees or rather, hears it. It has brought trombonist Wycliffe Gordon to the studio or captured him at live performances several times during the year, either, as here, as a leader or as a sideman with other Nagel Heyer jazz artists. Judging from the play list expand Gordon's recorded output. Consequently, the CD's agenda includes not only some classic standards, but modern music by Thelonious Monk, a couple of blues things and five originals by Gordon. Gordon and his colleagues clearly enjoy the diverse list they have been asked to perform. There's musical testifyin' on the traditional Sign Me Up where Gordon displays his agility on the Tuba. Then comes the dripping corn pone, chicken gravy Southern blues on "Blues for Deac'n Cone" with the piano of Eric Reed and the bass trombone of Roger Floreska getting important air time. We also hear Gordon on the didgeridoo. So what's a didgeridoo? This long, straight instrument has been used for many years in the playing of traditional aboriginal music. It's a big thing in Australia to the point of being the subject of several of its own web sites. It is the main instrument on Gordon's "The Search" and variously sounds like a mouth organ, drum, a tightly strung fiddle and some others I can't quite place. But it is unique and when used in combination with other instruments like Winard Harper's drum, it is important to the statement Gordon wants to make through this composition.  Other to note include a beautiful haunting rendition of "Stardust" by Gordon and Reed with their contrasting styles giving some new life to this classic tune and a swinging Gordon composed "Cheeky". Confident in his expertise as a trombonist, Gordon is not averse to inviting other significant players of that instrument to join him on this CD. All these trombones recall those J. J. Johnson/Kai Winding Octet recordings from the 1960's. The trombone choir approach is used effectively on "Danny Boy". This is a top flight album of excellent music skillfully arranged and played with imagination and verve. Highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-search-wycliffe-gordon-review-by-dave-nathan.php?width=1536

Personnel: Wycliffe Gordon : trombone, tuba, didgeridoo; Marcus Printup: trumpet; Ron Westray: trombone; Delfeayo Marsalis: trombone; Jen Krupa: trombone; Dave Gibson: trombone; Roger Floreska : bass trombone; Victor Goines: tenor saxophone; Walter Blanding, Jr.: tenor saxophone; Ted Nash: alto saxophone, flute; Eric Reed: piano; Rodney Whitaker: bass; Winard Harper: drums, percussion; Herlin Riley: drums, percussion.

The Search

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Delfeayo Marsalis - The Last Southern Gentlemen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:34
Size: 161.6 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:37] 1. The Secret Love Affair
[6:00] 2. Autumn Leaves
[3:12] 3. She's Funny That Way
[5:43] 4. Can You Tell Me How To Get To
[5:35] 5. I'm Confessin'
[6:59] 6. But Beautiful
[7:45] 7. Speak Low
[5:52] 8. Nancy
[4:20] 9. The Man With 2 Left Feet
[5:17] 10. That Old Feeling
[3:46] 11. My Romance
[4:49] 12. If I Were A Bell
[5:33] 13. I Cover The Waterfront

Bass – John Clayton; Drums – Marvin "Smitty" Smith; Piano – Ellis Marsalis; Trombone – Delfeayo Marsalis.

The Last Southern Gentlemen is a landmark recording for Delfeayo Marsalis, pairing father Ellis Marsalis, Jr. with son on a collaborative album for the first time. Marsalis' finest outing to date, the superb recording quality and meticulous production showcase his brilliant, classically trained tone as it swings effortlessly through standards and original compositions. The music is relaxed, thoughtful and provocative, acknowledging the love and respect of all people shared by Louis Armstrong and most early jazz entertainers. This sense of humanity and humility is at the center of the Southern lifestyle that birthed the original American music. Built on the intimacy of American ballads and the trombone's expressive mimicry of the human voice, The Last Southern Gentlemen is a firm acknowledgement of the existence and importance of these sweet, gentle sounds.

The Last Southern Gentlemen

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Delfeayo Marsalis - Sweet Thunder

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:28
Size: 164,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. Such Sweet Thunder
(2:38)  2. Sonnet for Sister Kate
(4:48)  3. Sonnet to Hank Cinq
(9:24)  4. Half the Fun
(3:09)  5. Up & Down, Up & Down
(5:07)  6. Madness in Great Ones
(6:30)  7. Star-Crossed Lovers
(8:11)  8. Sonnet in Search of a Moor
(5:37)  9. The Telecasters
(7:53) 10. Sonnet for Caesar
(3:39) 11. Lady Mac
(8:19) 12. Circle of Fourths

Acclaimed trombonist and member of the first family of jazz, Delfeayo Marsalis launches Sweet Thunder: Duke & Shak, an original theatrical jazz production culled from live performances in thirty-six locations across the country. The play was born from Marsalis' affinity for the music of Duke Ellington and the poetry of Shakespeare: first brought to the musical stage in the 1957 production of Such Sweet Thunder at the Shakespeare Festival I Stratford, Canada. Both Ellington and Billy Strayhorn were invited to compose music in tribute to The Bard, and came up with 15 compositions for that date. Sweet Thunder streamlines Ellington and Strayhorn's original charts into a 12-movement suite, bringing an all-star list of players, including brothers Branford Marsalis and Jason Marsalis. for the recording. Staying true to Ellington's original compositions for an octet, the majority of the pieces employ an eight-man ensemble, featuring a solid horn section including soprano saxophonist Victor Goines (when Branford is not playing), altoist Mark Gross, trumpeter Tiger Okoshi, and baritone saxophonist Jason W. Marshall. When Jason Marsalis is not doing the honors, renowned drummer Winard Harper steps in, while piano great Mulgrew Miller rounds out the rhythm section.

The disc is a departure from the original Such Sweet Thunder in that Marsalis, the arranger, adds his own personal touch to the original music, injecting New Orlean-style melodic alterations along with some elements of blues, and the inclusion of poignant ballads like "Star-Crossed Lovers," "Sonnet for Caesar" and "Lady Mac." The opening title track come across a bit bluesy, with Branford leading the way on a sultry soprano march, as Delfeayo joins in with a little thunder of his own. "Sonnet to Hank Cinq" features swinging solos from each member of the horn section, providing the repertoire's first up-tempo burner. With Jason on percussions and Harper on drums, "Half the Fun" kicks in with percussive flair, as Okoshi and Branford drive music reminiscent of a snake charmer's chant. Sounding more like a traditional big band chart à la Ellington, "Sonnet In Search of A Moor" is perhaps the only classical big band pieces here, with Jason weighing in with a furious performance. A touch of New Orleans can be heard tracks including "The Telecasters" and "Up & Down, Up & Down," while the boppish, straight-ahead closer, "Circle of Fourths," highlights sizzling solos from both the Delfeayo and tenor saxophonist Mark Shim, with pianist Victor "Red" Atkins adding a closing statement to this remarkable session. The music of Sweet Thunder may not conjure up memorable phrases from the body of William Shakespeare's work, but the words "poetry in motion," seems more than adequate in describing the swing and power Delfeayo Marsalis provides, in this interpretation of a historic musical moment. 

~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sweet-thunder-delfeayo-marsalis-troubadour-jass-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Delfeayo Marsalis: trombone; Branford Marsalis: soprano saxophone; Jason Marsalis: drums (2, 6, 8-10, 12); Winard Harper: drums (1, 3-5, 7, 11); Tiger Okoshi: trumpet (1, 3, 5, 6, 10,11); Mark Gross: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Victor Goines: soprano saxophone (2, 5, 6, 8, 11,); Mark Shim: tenor saxophone (3,12); Jason Marshal: baritone saxophone; Mulgrew Miller: piano (1, 7, 9); Victor "Red" Atkins: piano (3-6, 8, 11, 12); Reginal Veal: bass (1); David Pulphus: bass (3, 4, 7, 9, 10); Charnett Moffet: bass (5, 6, 8, 11, 12).

Sweet Thunder

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Delfeayo Marsalis - Minions Dominion

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:10
Size: 145,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:33)  1. Brer Rabbit
(11:15)  2. Lone Warrior
( 9:11)  3. If You Only Knew
( 8:49)  4. Minions Dominion
( 9:27)  5. Just Squeeze Me
( 6:46)  6. Weaver Of Dreams
(10:05)  7. Lost In The Crescent

What does the term "mainstream" mean to you? In jazz, the label is applied to music which has time-tested, codified rhythm and structure. After that, it can get more mainstream if the melody and harmony are easily understood. This is not a value judgment about good or bad music, but rather a way of placing the music within a framework of expectation. However, that expectation can be quite different depending on one's individual experience and personality. Some listeners enjoy having such expectations fulfilled, while others revel in being set up and fooled. Many people with wide listening habits are on the lookout for music that manages to hold together without doing the expected, and actually relish feeling the musical ground constantly shifting under their feet.  Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis' Minions Dominion is absolute dead-center mainstream music for people who like well-played jazz that is just thorny enough to elicit a smile (or grimace, as the case may be). However, this music will not have that "sound of surprise" enjoyed by more adventurous listeners, which draws them to jazz in the first place. They will be able to pull out Blue Note reissues that have almost the same feel. Moreover, mainstream does not have to mean music which sounds old. Two recent, and quite different, albums, David Braid's Zhen and Andrew Rathbun's Shadow Forms, both sit in the mainstream camp, but they also bend the rules and thwart expectations enough to be quite surprising and memorable.

The liner notes for Minions Dominion actually anticipate this whole issue. The 2002 session is special in that it was the great Elvin Jones' last studio session. Marsalis had an ongoing apprenticeship with the drummer, and at one point asked him whether his playing would benefit from "less tradition and more avant-garde?" Some might think that asking such a question might indicate that Marsalis was missing the point. You cannot just decide to "play avant-garde." A real avant-garde player feels that style as deeply within himself as does the traditional player his own. Jones, perhaps sensing this whole conundrum, and being a trailblazer himself, answered perfectly, saying that if Marsalis continued studying and playing, in a few years he should "understand the tradition well enough that you can take it into whatever direction you'd like." Given all of this philosophy, the record does swing like hell in the expected way for sure, but it is nonetheless very deep and irresistible. The bass players, Robert Hurst III and Edwin Livingston, along with Jones (of course) should get much of the credit for this. Also, pianist Mulgrew Miller, as a member of the rhythm section, plays in a very wide and deep pocket; there is no question of his feel for this style. He also plays outstanding accompaniment: one can hear him listening to and echoing the soloists, providing just the right touch whenever he plays.

Jones himself is in fine form and in general pushes the proceedings, adding intensity to the session, including the famous polyrhythms of his John Coltrane years' lore, as in the evocative "Lone Warrior." He can also just flat out swing as in "Brer Rabbit," which is a good track to show why this record falls flat. The bass starts the tune with a walking line that sounds at first like an ear-catching mistake but is not, but then the piano has trouble synching up with him, as do the drums with the other two. Eventually, they all get hooked up and build a head of steam, but this beginning screams "studio recording," with the musicians interacting through headphones and not by really being there. Saxophonists Branford Marsalis and Donald Harrison provide most of the fireworks, which to these ears sound forced within the context of the rest of the playing and could almost be the expected "avant-ness."  The leader's trombone tone is quite clean, warm and inviting. He certainly likes to throw a quote in during his soloing, but it is not subtle at all. The high point of the record for me is his sumptuous playing on the ballad "If You Only Knew."  All in all, the music sounds trapped in the past, especially "Lost In The Crescent," which just reeks of the Marsalis jazz-through-slavery prism refracted through Coltrane. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/delfeayo-marsalis-minions-dominion-by-budd-kopman.php

Personnel: Delfeayo Marsalis: trombone; Donald Harrison: alto saxophone; Branford Marsalis: tenor and soprano saxophones; Mulgrew Miller: piano; Sergio Salvatore: piano; Robert Hurst III: bass; Edwin Livingston: bass; Eric Revis: bass; Elvin Jones: drums.

Minions Dominion

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Irvin Mayfield - Irvin Mayfield

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:35
Size: 139,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:04)  1. The Great M.D.
(6:01)  2. Right Here, Right Now
(6:33)  3. Body And Soul
(6:55)  4. Immaculate Conception
(9:06)  5. Midnight Theme
(5:42)  6. You're My Everything
(8:50)  7. Lascivious Intervention
(3:25)  8. Giant Steps
(4:54)  9. Ninth Ward Blues

Trumpeter Irvin Mayfield released half a dozen albums before he was 25 years old. His youth, as well as his willingness to contribute his time and knowledge in the spheres of both classical and jazz studies, make him a popular figure in educational music clinics in his home state of Louisiana. He frequently participates in free clinics that serve hundreds of school children. In addition, he has presided over master classes and a variety of workshops in classical and jazz studies at the Chandler Jazz Festival, Loyola University, the University of North Carolina, and the University of New Orleans. A Crescent City native, Mayfield attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. He leads his own group, the Irvin Mayfield Sextet, as well as a modern jazz band called Los Hombres Calientes with Bill Summers. His performances have seen him sharing the stage with artists from a variety of genres, including Quincy Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Doc Cheatham, Chucho Valdes, Nicholas Payton, Ellis Marsalis, Moses Hogan, Ani DiFranco, and Terence Blanchard. Mayfield and Los Hombres Calientes earned an award from Billboard in 2000 for the group's eponymous debut. The New Orleans Museum of Art commissioned him to compose a jazz suite to accompany its exhibition of works by Gordon Parks. The result, "Half Past Autumn," was first played publicly in the summer of 2000 at the museum. ~ Linda Seida http://www.allmusic.com/artist/irvin-mayfield-mn0000084934/biography

Personnel:  Irvin Mayfield - trumpet, bandleader;  Peter Martin, Victor Atkins III – piano;  Ellis Marsalis (track 3) – piano;  David Pulphus - double bass;  Delfeayo Marsalis – trombone;  Donald Harrison - alto saxophone;  Jaz Sawyer, Reuben Rogers, Adonis Rose, Troy Davis - drums

Irvin Mayfield

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