Vanessa Rubin - Soul Eyes

Styles: Jazz, Vocal

Year: 1992

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 53:11

Size: 122,1 MB

Art: Front

(5:18)  1. I've Got The World On A String

(3:16)  2. When We Were One

(5:51)  3. Soul Eyes

(8:13)  4. Tenderly

(4:00)  5. Giant Steps

(4:47)  6. Autumn

(6:35)  7. Willow Weep For Me

(6:01)  8. Voyager II

(5:24)  9. Wait For Love

(3:42) 10. Dearly Beloved

Vanessa Rubin at the time of her Novus debut had been a high-school English teacher for seven years. This CD was a good start for her singing career although the results are a little mixed. Rubin displays an attractive voice (sounding great when holding long notes) but at this point in time ballads were not her strong point (on "When We Were One" she recalls Barbra Streisand). In addition, producer Onaje Allan Gumbs cannot resist gumming up the works in a few places with phony strings from his keyboards; he funks up what may be the initial vocal version of Mal Waldron's classic "Soul Eyes" along with a slower-than-usual "Giant Steps." On the plus side, Rubin's workout on a flagwaving "I've Got the World on a String" is enjoyable, the backup crew (which includes pianist Kirk Lightsey, trumpeter Eddie Allen and saxophonist Roger Byam) get occasional solos and the singer does a fine tribute to Sarah Vaughan on "Tenderly." This was a worthwhile debut but Vanessa Rubin's best work would be in the future. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-eyes-mw0000273378

Personnel: Vanessa Rubin (Vocals); Eddie Allen Trumpet, Flugelhorn;  Roger Byam Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor);  Kirk Lightsey Piano;  Cecil McBee Bass;  Lewis Nash Drums

Soul Eyes  

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Houston Person - I'm Just a Lucky So and So

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:33
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:08)  1. Willow Weep for Me
(4:56)  2. Wonder Why
(5:48)  3. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears out to Dry
(6:58)  4. I'm Just a Lucky So and So
(6:04)  5. Who Can I Turn To
(3:31)  6. Day by Day
(4:55)  7. Alone with Just My Dreams
(4:54)  8. Song for a Rainbow
(5:02)  9. I Want to Talk About You
(5:12) 10. Next Time You See Me

Houston Person is definitely a lucky so and so blessed with a fantastic tone on the tenor sax, which he's kept strong through decades of recording at a level that makes this record every bit of a gem as some of Houston's classics from years back! The album's done in a very classic style, too Houston's tenor out front, in a combo with Lafayette Harris on piano, Matthew Parris on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums augmented by the trumpet of Eddie Allen and guitar of Rodney Jones on nearly every one of the album's selections, both great players who round out the soulful spirit of the record in a great way. All the tunes are standards mostly ballads, but handled with that subtle swing that Houston can always bring to material like this tracks that include "Wonder Why", "Willow Weep For Me", "Song For A Rainbow", "Alone With Just My Dreams", "I Want To Talk About You", "I'm Just A Lucky So & So", and "Next Time You See Me".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/924551/Houston-Person:I%27m-Just-A-Lucky-So-So

Personnel: Houston Person, tenor saxophone; Eddie Allen, trumpet;  Lafayette Harris, piano; Rodney Jones, guitar;  Matthew Parrish, bass;  Kenny Washington, drums

I'm Just a Lucky So and So

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Teddy Edwards - Ladies Man

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 124,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Jeannine
(5:17)  2. Rosetta
(6:06)  3. Ruby
(4:21)  4. Candy
(5:47)  5. Saskia
(4:03)  6. Diane
(5:25)  7. Donna Lee
(6:08)  8. Marie
(6:22)  9. Laura
(5:08) 10. Rosalie

For this project, veteran tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards performs ten songs named after women's names, including his own "Saskia." Despite the potentially gimmicky nature of the repertoire, the music is conventional hard bop, played with spirit by Edwards, pianist Ronnie Mathews, bassist Chip Jackson, drummer Chip White, and (on four of the ten numbers) trumpeter Eddie Allen. Due to the fine solos of Edwards, Mathews, and Allen and the close attention paid to tempo and mood variations between songs, this is an excellent outing, well worth exploring by straight-ahead jazz collectors.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/ladies-man-mw0000006175

Personnel:  Teddy Edwards – tenor saxophone;  Eddie Allen – trumpet;  Ronnie Mathews – piano;  Chip Jackson – bass;  Chip White – drums

Ladies Man

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Bobby Previte's Weather Clear Track Fest - Hue And Cry

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:05)  1. Hubbub
( 5:59)  2. Smack-Dab
( 6:04)  3. Move Heaven And Earth
(14:10)  4. 700 Camels
( 7:03)  5. Valerie
(13:16)  6. Hue And Cry
( 7:15)  7. For John Laughlan And All That We Stood For.

Hue and Cry features an eight-strong, all-star version of Bobby Previte's Weather Clear, Track Fast band and results in one of his finest efforts as a leader. Along with Henry Threadgill, Previte, in the late '80s and early '90s, was one of the leading figures of avant-garde jazz, using mid-sized groups to explore complex compositional ideas more than as solo vehicles. He's also extremely adept at tension-and-release structures, often using what might have been an introductory riff for anyone else as an extended phrase, wringing out every bit of melody from it, and leaving the listener in a juicy state of anticipation for the eventual burst into the central theme. Previte uses an interesting pairing up in this band, with Don Byron and Marty Ehrlich often both playing clarinet, Robin Eubanks and Eddie Allen on brass, and, most prominently, Anthony Davis on piano alongside Larry Goldings' organ. Goldings is particularly out front on many of the pieces here, giving the band a very different cast from their earlier recording. 

Only the ambitious "700 Camels" fails to cohere completely; the remainder of the tracks all have both imaginative writing and (at the least) solid playing and soloing. On the other hand, the similarly lengthy title track pulls all the right switches, layering material in a rich fabric and hurtling toward a satisfying climax. The closing number is an unusual dirge, with Previte playing a martial rhythm, Davis trickling out single notes like rainfall, and Ehrlich keening on soprano. Recommended! ~ Brian Olewnick  https://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1497658/a/hue+and+cry.htm

Personnel: Bobby Previte (drums), Marty Ehrlich (alto & tenor saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet), Don Byron (baritone saxophone, clarinet), Eddie Allen (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Anthony Davis (piano), Larry Goldings (organ), Anthony Cox (bass)

Hue And Cry

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Louis Hayes - Nightfall

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 

Year: 1991

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:23

Size: 145,5 MB

Art: Front

( 4:32)  1. Route 88 East

( 8:30)  2. Sun Showers

( 7:46)  3. Nightfall

( 9:12)  4. Marie Antoinette

(10:45)  5. There's Something About You I Don't Know

( 5:49)  6. André

(10:26)  7. I Waited For You

( 6:19)  8. The Spoiler

A superior hard bop drummer best known for supporting soloists rather than taking the spotlight himself, Louis Hayes led a band in Detroit as a teenager and was with Yusef Lateef during 1955-1956. He had three notable associations: Horace Silver's Quintet (1956-1959), the Cannonball Adderley Quintet (1959-1965), and the Oscar Peterson Trio (1965-1967). Hayes often teamed up with bassist Sam Jones, both with Adderley and Peterson and in freelance settings. He led a variety of groups during the 1970s, including quintets co-led by Junior Cook and Woody Shaw, and appeared on many records through the years with everyone from John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor to McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, and Dexter Gordon. He started leading his own sessions beginning in the '70s, including 1974's Breath of Life, 1977's Real Thing, and 1979's Ichi-Ban. Other well-received albums followed, including 1983's Colour, 1989's Una Max, 1994's Blue Lou, and 1996's Louis at Large. Hayes continued to stay busy in the 2000s, releasing albums like 2002's Dreamin' of Cannonball and 2009's Time Keeper. On his 2017 Blue Note album, Serenade for Horace, Hayes paid tribute to his friend and former boss the late pianist Horace Silver. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/louis-hayes-mn0000237496/biography

Personnel: Louis Hayes (drums); Gerald Hayes (alto saxophone); Eddie Allen (trumpet); Larry Willis (piano).

Nightfall

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Louis Hayes Sextet - Blue Lou

Styles: Straight Ahead Jazz

Year: 1993

File: MP3@256K/s

Time: 65:51

Size: 121,1 MB

Art: Front

( 6:32)  1. Blue Lou

(10:17)  2. Quiet Fire

( 7:15)  3. Honey Dip

( 6:54)  4. Lament for Love

( 9:59)  5. The Walk

( 9:38)  6. Sweet and Lovely

( 7:58)  7. New Endings

( 7:14)  8. Spur of the Moment

Louis Sedell Hayes was born May 31, 1937 in Detroit Michigan. He was always surrounded by music, actually first starting with the piano, before his father gave him a set of drums at age 10. A cousin noticed his talent, took him under his wing and made sure that his approach to the instrument would serve him well. And well it did, for after developing his skills in the fertile musical ground of Detroit in the 1950's with the likes of Yusef Lateef, Kenny Burrell, Doug Watkins and others, Louis found himself at the tender age of 18 in New York as a member of the great Horace Silver Quintet. His first recording with Horace, the classic Six Pieces Of Silver would introduce him to the jazz world as a new force to be acknowledged. Louis continued to enhance his reputation with Horace from 1956 until 1959 when he joined Cannonball Adderley where he propelled the quintet to joyous musical heights and timeless recordings through 1965. He joined piano master Oscar Peterson from 1965-67 during which time he and bassist Sam Jones became known as the "dynamic duo", recognized as the most powerful rhythm duo in jazz. Louis would rejoin Oscar in 1971 for a year. For the next decade or more he became leader or co-leader of a series of electrifying groups which included musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Barron, Junior Cooke, Woody Shaw and Dexter Gordon. Louis also spent several years touring with McCoy Tyner. The Louis Hayes Group with Herald Mabern and Frank Strozier culminated four years of artistry with the album; Variety Is The Spice which received five stars, truly an accomplishment during a period when his style of hard driving, "bebop" was less preferred. He continuously traveled throughout the United States, Europe and Japan making musical history wherever he performed. Louis has played and recorded with jazz greats such as John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, J J Johnson, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Wes Montgomery, Joe Henderson, Cedar Walton, George Benson as well as Ravi Shankar, John Lee Hooker and others. http://www.louishayes.net/about.html

Personnel:  Ronnie Mathews Piano;  Javon Jackson Sax (Tenor);  Eddie Allen Trumpet;  Gerald Hayes Sax (Alto);  Louis Hayes Drums;  Clint Houston Bass; 

Blue Lou

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Cyrus Chestnut - Earth Stories

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:52
Size: 112,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Decisions, Decisions
(6:12)  2. Grandmama's Blues
(4:05)  3. My Song in the Night
(3:34)  4. Nutman's Invention #1
(4:20)  5. Blues from the East
(6:06)  6. Cooldaddy's Perspective
(4:30)  7. Maria's Folly
(6:28)  8. East of the Sun (And West of t
(2:28)  9. Gomez
(4:34) 10. Whoopi
(2:47) 11. In the Garden

Cyrus Chestnut's third Atlantic CD continues to showcase his tremendous growth as a thought-provoking pianist and composer. "In the Garden" is an inspirational solo indicating his gospel roots. "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)" proves his ability to create a novel trio arrangement of a standard tune covered by numerous musicians. The remaining tracks include a number of outstanding originals, especially the reflective "My Song in the Night" and the playful "Maria's Folly." ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/earth-stories-mw0000181948

Personnel: Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Antonio Hart (alto saxophone); Steven Carrington (tenor saxophone); Eddie Allen (trumpet); Steve Kirby (bass); Alvester Garnett (drums).

Earth Stories

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Eddie Allen - Summer Days

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:44
Size: 144,0 MB
Art: Front

( 3:56)  1. Eye of the Hurricane
( 7:27)  2. You Were Never Lovelier
( 6:13)  3. You Say
( 7:46)  4. Summer Days
(11:01)  5. Always
( 8:07)  6. Stablemates
( 5:58)  7. Inner Glimpse
( 1:09)  8. Mystic Dreams
( 8:17)  9. The Crusade
( 2:47) 10. Later

Trumpeter Eddie Allen (also known as E.J. Allen) performs music ranging from hard bop to post bop on this enjoyable quintet date. Joined by Dan Faulk on tenor and soprano, pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist Richie Goods, and drummer Cindy Blackman, with trombonist Steve Turre being a major asset on four of the ten songs, Allen performs six of his originals plus two standards and a pair of obscurities. The results are modern mainstream jazz of a high caliber, featuring an attractive blend between Allen's mellow horn and Faulk's reeds, a tight rhythm section, and some fine individual moments. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/summer-days-mw0000101472

Personnel: Eddie Allen (trumpet); Dan Faulk (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Steve Turre (trombone); Richie Goods (bass); Anthony Wonsey (piano); Cindy Blackman (drums).

Summer Days

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