Willie Jones III - My Point Is...

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Manhattan Melodies
(7:47)  2. The Wind Of An Immortal Soul
(5:31)  3. Christina
(8:45)  4. My Point Is
(7:18)  5. The Maze
(5:43)  6. Early Morning
(4:30)  7. Peace
(7:34)  8. Blues For Dat Taz

Over the years, the name of Willie Jones III has really become one that makes us want to stop and check out a record and this time around, not only does the set feature Jones' name on the front but the quintet also includes great performances from Ralph Moore on tenor, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Eric Reed on piano, and Buster Williams on bass! With a lineup like that, Reed just can't miss and the record takes us back to the kind of instant classics we were hearing from Henderson, Moore, and Reed twenty years back but given that sort of special vision that makes Willie both a great drummer and leader, one who's evolving into a one-man powerhouse of jazz given that he also produces and releases his records himself. And yet there's nothing smalltime about this set especially with Henderson and Moore in the lead, the latter of whom is always a treat to our ears. Titles include "Manhattan Melodies", "My Point Is", "The Wind Of An Immortal Soul", "The Maze", "Blues For Dat Taz", and "Early Morning".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/859299/Willie-Jones-III:My-Point-Is

Personnel:  Willie Jomes III, drums;  Eric Reed, piano;  Buster Williams, bass;  Eddie Henderson, trumpet;  Ralph Moore, tenor sax

My Point Is...

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Eric Reed & Dave Young - Live To Air Oscar Peterson Day

Styles: Piano, Bop
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:18
Size: 84,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:05) 1. Night Train
(5:55) 2. Moten Swing
(6:13) 3. Bags' Groove
(2:49) 4. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)
(5:44) 5. Hymn to Freedom
(5:04) 6. Perdido
(4:25) 7. Georgia on My Mind

On Aug. 15, 2022, JAZZ.FM91 honoured and celebrated one of our country’s best, Oscar Peterson. The day culminated in this special Live to Air concert featuring pianist Eric Reed and bassist Dave Young in a duet performance in the Long & McQuade Performance Hall at JAZZ.FM91. It was co-hosted by Dani Elwell and Céline Peterson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I573iuWL20

Personnel: Eric Reed - piano; Dave Young - bass

Live To Air Oscar Peterson Day

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Eric Reed - Black, Brown, and Blue

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:44
Size: 156,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:17) 1. Black, Brown, and Blue
(4:02) 2. Lean on Me
(3:15) 3. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)
(4:57) 4. Peace
(6:36) 5. Search for Peace
(9:29) 6. Christina
(5:03) 7. Infant Eyes
(5:40) 8. Cheryl Ann
(5:22) 9. Along Came Betty
(7:59) 10. Variation Twenty-Four
(5:42) 11. One for E
(3:58) 12. Pastime Paradise
(3:18) 13. Ugly Beauty

2023 release. Think of the songwriters whose work comprises the canon of jazz standards, and names like George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter immediately come to mind. On his new album, Black, Brown, and Blue, pianist/composer Eric Reed argues for a revision of that canon to focus on Black and Brown composers, songwriters whose work originates within the jazz realm rather than on the Broadway stage.

Black, Brown, and Blue features music written by jazz masters like Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Horace Silver, Buddy Collette, and Buster Williams, along with jazz-conversant pop/R&B songwriters Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers. In addition, Reed and his bandmates on this thrilling session - bassist Luca Alemanno and drummer Reggie Quinerly - each contribute a new piece of their own.By Editorial Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Brown-Blue-Eric-Reed/dp/B0BRVL686B

Personnel: Eric Reed - piano; Luca Alemanno - bass; Reggie Quinerly drums; Calvin B. Rhone - vocals on “Lean on Me”; David Dautghtry - vocals on “Pastime Paradise”

Black, Brown, and Blue

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Eric Reed Trio - Blue Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:44
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:23)  1. Blue Monk
(4:30)  2. Am I Blue?
(4:34)  3. Blue Daniel
(4:54)  4. Blue Rose
(5:33)  5. Born to Be Blue
(7:20)  6. Black and Blue
(4:28)  7. Very Near Blue
(3:35)  8. Wild Man Blues
(4:57)  9. Blue and Green
(3:35) 10. Blue Chopsticks
(4:51) 11. Light Blue

Pianist Eric Reed is one of a large number of talented musicians who emerged from Wynton Marsalis' bands to pursue a rewarding solo career in his own right. Born in Philadelphia in 1970, Reed's first exposure to music came through his father, a minister and local gospel singer; he began playing piano at age two and soon discovered jazz, quickly developing into a musical prodigy. He entered music school at age seven, and resisted classical training in favor of jazz, inspired early on by Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis, Art Blakey, and Horace Silver. Four years later, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he digested enough jazz history that he was able to begin playing around the city's jazz scene as a teenager, both as a leader and a sideman for the likes of Gerald Wilson, Teddy Edwards, John Clayton, and Clora Bryant. He first met Wynton Marsalis at age 17, and toured briefly with the trumpeter the following year (his first and only at Cal State-Northridge). In 1989, Reed officially joined Marsalis' band as the replacement for Marcus Roberts; the following year, he issued his debut album as a leader, A Soldier's Hymn, on Candid, with backing by his regular trio of bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. In 1991 and 1992, Reed worked with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson as a sideman, returning to Marsalis' group by the end of 1992. He cut a pair of well-received albums for MoJazz, It's All Right to Swing and The Swing and I, in 1993 and 1994, and in 1995 embarked on his first tour as leader of his own group. Two more dates for Impulse!, 1996's Musicale and 1997's Pure Imagination, found his style maturing and his critical and commercial success growing; he also spent 1996-1998 playing with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. 1999's Manhattan Melodies, his first outing for Verve, was a colorful and sophisticated tribute to New York City; that year, he also undertook the most prominent of several film-scoring projects, the Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence comedy Life. Reed also continued to record with Marsalis up into the new millennium. 2001 brought the acclaimed Happiness on Nagel-Heyer, and the next year saw two releases, the well-received From My Heart and a duet album with frequent cohort Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, We. He recorded and played frequently during subsequent years, including a second volume with Gordon (We, Vol. 2) and several sessions for Savant. In 2009, Reed released the gospel-inspired Stand! and returned the following year with Plenty Swing, Plenty Soul, a duet album with Cyrus Chestnut. Beginning with 2011's The Dancing Monk, Reed embarked on an ongoing recording project of Thelonious Monk's music; a theme he revisited on 2012's Baddest Monk and 2014's The Adventurous Monk. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eric-reed-mn0000799352/biography

Personnel:  Eric Reed – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Car Allen – drums

Blue Monk

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Eric Reed - Groovewise

Size: 136,2 MB
Time: 58:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Piano Jazz, Bebop
Art: Front & Back

01. Powerful Paul Robeson (7:58)
02. Until The Last Cat Has Swung (5:40)
03. Manhattan Melodies (6:55)
04. The Gentle Giant (3:42)
05. Ornate (3:44)
06. The Shade Of The Cedar Tree (8:34)
07. Bopward (5:31)
08. Una Mujer Elegante (7:03)
09. Groovewise (9:38)

Personnel:
Seamus Blake - saxophones (except 4)
Eric Reed - piano; Ben Williams- bass
Gregory Hutchinson - drums

Recorded live at Smoke Jazz Club, September 6&7, 2013

Eric Reed and Groovewise are stupid good...

Eric Reed is a man of great passion and great intellect which is why Groovewise works so well. Improvisational music recorded in a live setting is often feast or famine. Reed didn't want to settle so he apparently tapped into the talents of artists that are willing to not only follow his lead but work as a true collective where each has the chance to stretch out and make their own statement, Groovewise doesn't street till 9/9/2014 but in the day of the pre-order and digital download the old fashioned street date has lost true meaning.

Call it a groove or call it swing, you feel it. Reed pushes the music into some previously uncharted territory despite the fact some of the compositions are not brand new. Seamus Blake is a rising star on saxophone however he sat out on "Gentle Giant" which is an exquisite trio offering to the great Mulgrew Miller. The rhythm section is rounded off with critically acclaimed bassist Ben Williams and drum legend Gregory Hutchinson. "Bopward" is a post bop gem reminiscent of a Charlie Parker type direction yet with some more Ornette Coleman type changes. The set opens with "Powerful Paul Robeson" from Clifford Jordan and the enthusiasm from the musical co-conspirators is evident from the first few bars.

There are some pianists that would "phone it in" while banging out some Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner or Keith Jarrett. Eric Reed doesn't do anything half way and neither does this band. Let us hope there is a follow up. ~Brent Black

Groovewise

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Eric Reed - The Dancing Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 117,2 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:04)  1. Ask Me Now
(3:46)  2. Eronel
(5:51)  3. Reflections
(4:47)  4. Light Blue
(6:02)  5. Ruby, My Dear
(4:57)  6. Pannonica
(4:25)  7. Ugly Beauty
(3:52)  8. The Dancing Monk
(6:58)  9. 'Round Midnight
(4:44) 10. Blue Monk

Every jazz pianist stands somewhere in the shadow of Thelonious Monk (1917-1982), and Eric Reed has embraced that shadow, with The Dancing Monk. Interpreting the near-mythic pianist/composer's music let alone making an entire album of his tunes poses significant challenges to any modern musician, and especially for a pianist. First, Monk's compositions are, indeed, challenging, in and of themselves; full of odd meters, syncopations, and some of the most counter-intuitive melodies ever written. Second, Monk's flat-fingered keyboard work was completely unique and uniquely intertwined with his music. His piano playing was an integral part of those songs and very much one of the major components of his greatness. It is difficult to imagine one without the other. Therein rests the conundrum. A modern pianist interpreting this music is faced with the daunting task of separating Monk's music from his piano playing, retaining the compositions, and then bringing something new to the party. The alternative is to risk simply making an analogue copy of performances that are now between forty and sixty years old. It takes real sensitivity to play this music in a fashion that retains what is great about the compositions, without butchering the performance with incongruous pianism. Of course, it is likely this exact challenge that keeps musicians regularly attempting this musical feat, with widely varying degrees of success. Happily, The Dancing Monk is largely successful. Reed is a technically gifted player which can be dangerous when over-employed on Monk's odd compositions but he manages to compliment the songs with performances that are sensitive to the material as well as being beautifully played. 

On "Eronel," he plays subtly rubato, adding a very Monk-like quality to the performance without directly imitating the source a very nice touch. "Light Blue," finds the piano in the background for a time, comping the melody as stated ably by bassist Ben Wolfe, before reemerging to take a smooth, flowing workout. On, "Ugly Beauty," drummer McClenty Hunter adds a very subtle Latin overtone, leaving the framework of the original intact, but adding a completely new flavor. Reed contributes exactly one original to the date, the title track, where, ironically, he most closely imitates Monk's playing style. It would be highly believable if presented as a long-lost Monk original but, as-is, it is a well-crafted homage to a genius. In the end, The Dancing Monk works because it takes a canon of unique and highly identifiable music and compliments it rather than trying to completely rework it. In the process, Reed has managed to make these songs sound fresh and interesting, and that might be the highest compliment that can be given to an entire album dedicated to the compositions of someone as singular as Thelonious Monk.~Greg Simmons http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=39030#.U08fg1dSvro

Personnel: Eric Reed: piano; Ben Wolfe: bass; McClenty Hunter: drums.

Eric Reed - The Baddest Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:37
Size: 123,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Rhythm-a-ning
(7:13)  2. Epistrophy
(6:19)  3. Green Chimneys
(4:06)  4. Monk's Mood
(8:22)  5. 'Round Midnight
(9:12)  6. Evidence
(5:59)  7. Monk Beurre Rouge
(3:28)  8. Bright Mississippi
(3:45)  9. The Baddest Monk

Eric Reed is making a habit of covering Thelonious Monk. A year after releasing The Dancing Monk, the pianist has issued another album of Monk tunes. The Baddest Monk includes seven of the bebop father’s tunes and two Monk-ish originals. In doing so, Reed proves that there is always something new to say about, and through, Monk’s music. The core of the band is the rhythm section, with Matt Clohesy on bass and Henry Cole on drums. Tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake appears on four tunes and trumpeter Etienne Charles on three. When the whole quintet plays, it gets into some spirited grooves. The funky bop of a rearranged “Rhythm-a-Ning” sets up Reed’s solo nicely; he smooths Monk’s jagged edges even as he lets a hail of notes fly. After horn solos on “Epistrophy” marked by crisp staccatos (Charles) and winding, curving figures (Blake), Reed plays contrapuntally and counter-rhythmically as he sinks his claws into the chord changes. 

By itself the trio is equally powerful. “Green Chimneys” features an unusual rhythm, one that feels drawn from bebop, marches and West African music. Indeed, Cole’s masterful drumming is the focus; the melody disappears beneath the beat, the blistering bass and the piano’s flurry. The three are reflective on a soft rendition of “Monk’s Mood,” and they gallop through “Evidence,” with Reed taking a long workout of a solo. Reed’s originals “Monk Beurre Rouge,” which seems to interpolate part of “Crepuscule With Nellie,” and the title track, a bluesy piano solo fit in perfectly. The disc’s literal and figurative center is “’Round Midnight,” a vocal performance by José James, who revamps the melody with his velvety baritone, Reed comping behind him. ~ Steve Greenlee   http://jazztimes.com/articles/30417-the-baddest-monk-eric-reed.

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Seamus Blake (tenor saxophone); Etienne Charles (trumpet); Henry Cole (drums).

The Baddest Monk

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Eric Reed - The Adventurous Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:01
Size: 105,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Thelonious
(6:37)  2. Work
(3:39)  3. Reflections
(5:05)  4. Evidence
(4:07)  5. 'Round Midnight
(4:47)  6. Nutty
(4:21)  7. Gallop's Gallop
(4:35)  8. Pannonica
(4:07)  9. Dear Ruby (Ruby, My Dear)
(5:12) 10. Ba-Leues Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are

The third in pianist Eric Reed's ongoing exploration of the music of pianist Thelonious Monk, 2014's The Adventurous Monk is a highly engaging, deeply swinging celebration of the bebop innovator's sound. The album follows up Reed's previous Monk-themed albums, 2011's The Dancing Monk and 2012's The Baddest Monk. Backing Reed here is his adept rhythm section of bassist Ben Williams and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Also joining Reed is tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, who appeared on The Baddest Monk, and vocalist Charenée Wade, who lends her urbane, soulful style to Monk's classic "Ruby, My Dear." More than just making a covers album or homage, Reed never fails to seize the opportunity to truly explore the complexities and nuances of Monk's music, endeavoring to find his own voice in the compositions. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-adventurous-monk-mw0002618615

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Seamus Blake (tenor saxophone); Gregory Hutchinson (drums); Charenée Wade, Ben Williams

The Adventurous Monk

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Eric Reed - Everybody Gets the Blues

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:49) 1. Everybody Gets the Blues
(8:23) 2. Cedar Waltzin' ~ Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing
(5:28) 3. Naima
(7:49) 4. Martha's Prize
(6:07) 5. Yesterday ~ Yesterdays
(8:49) 6. Up Jumped Spring
(5:00) 7. Dear Bud
(9:30) 8. New Morning
(4:36) 9. Road Life

The title of Eric Reed’s new album has a double meaning as in, everybody understands the blues, and everybody feels down from time to time. “Your blues may not be my blues, but everybody gets them,” he writes in the liner notes. True enough, but this album is too joyful for that to be the parting message. After having listened to it, you’ll understand intuitively if you don’t already why Eric Reed is one of the most reliably good pianists in the gospel-jazz tradition. Reed grew up in the church his father was a Baptist preacher in Philadelphia and here, accompanied by saxophonist Tim Green, drummer McClenty Hunter, and bassist Mike Gurrola, he filters pop medleys, jazz standards, and original compositions through the gospel prism.

That comes through most clearly on his own “New Morning,” whose lovely solo piano introduction, with lush blues-inflected chord voicings, recalls Oscar Peterson’s “Night Train.” There’s a Coltrane cover (“Naima”), a hat tip to Freddie Hubbard (“Up Jumped Spring”), and snippets of two mainstream pop tunes the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” in a medley with Jerome Kern’s “Yesterdays,” and Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing,” which appears as a tag at the end of “Cedar Waltzin,’” Reed’s nod to Cedar Walton. An actual Walton composition, “Martha’s Prize,” is recast here as a funk number. Near the end, Reed plays a phrase from the buoyant Roy Hargrove earworm “Strasbourg/St. Denis,” an upbeat line that’s in keeping with this album’s optimistic spirit, its title notwithstanding. ~ Matthew Kassel is a freelance writer whose work has been published by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, and The Columbia Journalism Review, among other publications.
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/eric-reed-everybody-gets-the-blues-smoke-sessions/

Personnel: Organ – Eric Reed; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Tim Greene; Bass – Mike Gurrola; Drums – McClenty Hunter Jr.

Everybody Gets the Blues

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Judith Lorick - The Second Time Around

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:34
Size: 96,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Why Did I Choose You
(3:22)  2. Lucky to Be Me
(4:54)  3. Wild Is the Wind
(4:38)  4. For All We Know / I'll Be Seeing You
(5:00)  5. He Needs Me
(3:59)  6. If You Could See Me Now
(4:10)  7. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right out of My Life
(5:08)  8. When I Look in Your Eyes
(2:54)  9. Hymne à L'amour
(2:41) 10. The Second Time Around

Lovely sophisticated jazz vocals Judith Lorick – Second Time Around:  An absolutely splendid lineup of players has a lot to do with total success on a new release, and Judith’s got it Down on this one… in addition to her comforting vocal work, you’ll hear piano from Eric Reed, trumpet by Jeremy Pelt, drums from McClenty Hunter, bass by Kiyoshi Kitagawa and tenor saxophone from Chris Lewis… songs like the jaunty “Wild Is The Wind” will make you a believer in Judith’s album, I’ve no doubt – just splendid! (no samples are up yet, since this doesn’t go HOT until the 28th of September; I’ll come back and add them in when it’s live). One thing that would be nice as it gets closer to the official date is a live performance video trailer of Judith’s excellent jazz talent… in the meantime, I can tell you that if it’s “sophisticated” you’re looking for, you’ll find “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life” very attractive… what’s most unique about Judith’s singing is that she’s (unquestionably) “got the magic”… total groove, as you listen to a piece of her soul not to mention that Eric’s keyboard on this one is pure perfection! If you’ve been feeling “down” or “out”, you won’t be for long when you scope out Judith’s performance on “Lucky To Be Me” her joy simply shines through each and every note on this tune. Of the eleven songs offered up, it’s definitely the classic piece “For All We Know/I’ll Be Seeing You” that is my personal favorite… Judith’s passion in this vocal will dig down deep into your core & bring back memories you’d thought long lost. I give Judith and her fantastic players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.98 for this excellent vocal jazz adventure. http://contemporaryfusionreviews.com/lovely-sophisticated-jazz-vocals-judith-lorick-second-time-around/
 

Personnel:  Vocals - Judith Lorick;  Piano - Eric Reed;  Trumpet - Jeremy Pelt;  Drums - McClenty Hunter;  Bass -  Kiyoshi Kitagawa;  Tenor Saxophone - Chris Lewis.

The Second Time Around

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Mary Stallings - Live At The Village Standard

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:25
Size: 149.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001/2013
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. I Love Being Here With You
[6:24] 2. You're Sensational
[4:52] 3. Street Of Dreams
[7:17] 4. A Sunday Kind Of Love
[5:24] 5. The Gypsy In My Soul
[4:23] 6. You're My Thrill
[5:30] 7. The Thrill Is Gone
[6:43] 8. All Night Long
[5:07] 9. Let's Face It/Everything I Love
[3:18] 10. Slow Hot Wind
[7:06] 11. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[4:49] 12. I Didn't Know About You

Recording Date; September 28-30, 2000. Mary Stallings: vocals; Eric Reed: piano; Ron Blake: tenor saxophone; Vicente Archer: bass; Carl Allen: drums.

Mary Stallings belongs to that lost generation of jazz singers whose careers imploded when the rock/folk/pop explosion of the mid-1960s sucked all of the oxygen out of jazz. From the early 1970s onward, Ms. Stallings generally confined her activities to the San Francisco Bay area so that she could raise her daughter. She returned to full-time singing at the end of the 1980s and finally came to the attention of the national jazz audience with the 1994 release of the aptly titled I Waited for You on Concord Jazz. Despite her three superb albums for the label, Concord Jazz foolishly allowed Ms. Stallings’s contract to lapse, and, for a while, it seemed that she would once again disappear into regional obscurity. Fortunately, real talent always finds a way to rise to the surface. Five years after her last album, Ms. Stallings has returned with a new CD on the MAXJAZZ label.

Beautifully recorded, Live at the Village Vanguard captures Mary Stallings in full flight. Her full-bodied, textured alto recalls Carmen McRae while her phrasing and intonation have clearly been influenced by Dinah Washington. Although she does have some of Ms. Washington’s bracing intensity, Ms. Stallings’s phrasing is more relaxed and agile. As befits a singer who spent four years (1969-1972) as the featured vocalist with the Count Basie Orchestra, Ms. Stallings swings hard. “I Love Being Here With You” and “Lullaby of the Leaves” are textbook examples of how a singer can push a rhythm section rather than the other way around. Ms. Stallings also displays an impressive command of dynamics. Her ballads, usually performed sotto voce, have a brooding, introspective quality. The restraint of her ballad singing is such that when she does unleash the full power of her voice the effect can be startling. Although she continually stretches and bends the tunes, Ms. Stallings respects the basic melodic structure of her material.

Mary Stallings sustains an enviable level of quality throughout this live CD although some of the material does prove resistant to her talents. It is probably difficult for a singer to find new things to do with “Street of Dreams” or “A Sunday Kind of Love.” Still, Ms. Stallings does manage to shake the dust off of “Gypsy in My Soul,” “Everything I Love,” and especially “The Thrill is Gone.” While there are no obscurities in her repertoire, there are some less frequently encountered tunes like Cole Porter’s “You’re Sensational,” Henry Mancini’s “Slow Hot Wind” and Curtis Lewis’s “All Night Long.” The arrangements are reasonably straightforward and the instrumentalists are uniformly good. Both pianist Eric Reed and tenor saxophonist Ron Blake take good advantage of their numerous opportunities to solo.

Live at the Village Vanguard marks the welcome return of Mary Stallings to the national jazz stage. Let’s hope that this time she’ll stay around for a good long while. ~Matthew Bahl

Live At The Village Standard

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Willie Jones III - Don't Knock The Swing Vol 2

Styles:  Jazz, Hard Bop

Year: 2003

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:36

Size: 97,9 MB

Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Air Tight

(6:11)  2. Jeni's Low Lie

(3:47)  3. For Someone So Beautiful

(7:02)  4. James Tune

(5:28)  5. The Search

(5:56)  6. Alejandra

(5:46)  7. Mix It Up

(2:25)  8. Early Morning (Before Dawn)

Drummer Willie Jones III is back with his second volume of stunning straight ahead jazz. This time around he's joined by pianist Eric Reed, bassist Gerald Cannon, tenor saxophonist Greg Tardy, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and trombonist Steve Davis. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Vol-Dont-Knock-The-Swing/dp/B00009MGEL

Personnel: Willie Jones III (drums); Eric Reed, piano all tracks except 4; Gerald Cannon, Bass; Greg Tardy, Tenor Sax; Roy Hargrove, Trumpet on tracks 1, 4, and 8; Steve Davis, Trombone 1,2, 4 and 8

Don't Knock The Swing Vol 2

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Arkadia Jazz All-Stars - It's About Love

Styles: Jazz Contemporary
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:43
Size: 160,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:44) 1. Mood Indigo
(5:48) 2. A Summer Affair
(4:38) 3. My Cherie Amour
(8:37) 4. My Funny Valentine
(5:06) 5. Round Midnight
(4:27) 6. It's Really All About Love
(5:18) 7. The More I See You
(6:02) 8. Interlude
(5:53) 9. Passionata
(6:28) 10. Ask Me Now
(4:51) 11. I Want to Talk About You
(5:46) 12. A Perfect Couple

It could be said that jazz is really the musical language of Love. Like any quest, you have to seek jazz out, it never comes to you, and it may take a long time to truly understand its message but as soon as you hear it, you know you’ve found love. Jazz, like all personal relationships, has so many moods that it may confound you at first, but once you get to know it, there’s no turning back. Much of the repertoire of jazz has been dedicated to love and Arkadia Jazz All-Stars have recorded an album that celebrates the romantic, intimate side of jazz, and musically explores the unanswerable question: What is Love?

Starting off with Benny Golson’s sublime reading of Duke Ellington’s Mood Indigo, the stage is set for romance. The nylon strings of Nigel Clark are featured next in the breezy A Summer Affair, capturing the smoldering flame of passion. Joanne Brackeen performs Stevie Wonder’s pop standard My Cherie Amour in her own dynamic and totally individual way, and Randy Brecker’s Grammy Nominated performance on My Funny Valentine is a moment of real beauty. Both artists bring new depth to several of the all time great love songs. Paul Tobey’s sensitive and insightful rendition of Monk’s Round Midnight is rhapsodic, using subtle dissonances to create tension, released by his flowing lines.

T.K. Blue’s original composition, It’s Really All About Love features the flute, an instrument often tied with romanticism. The More I See You by Mary Pearson expresses the sentiment of undying love that we all long to have, as does the masterful ballad Interlude by the Billy Taylor Trio. Passionata was an unfinished composition by Kenny Drew Sr. that was completed and recorded by his son, Kenny Drew Jr., and is a testament to familial love. Eric Reed’s rendition of Monk’s Ask Me Now is a sparse, yet tender and eloquent doctrine on the state of love. David Liebman and Vic Juris show their gentle sides on the sparkling I Want To Talk About You, while pianist Uli Lenz’s mesmerizing A Perfect Couple brings this recording to a romantic close and is the perfect denouement for this CD, “It’s About Love.”

What happens to us when we fall in love, and when we hear or see something that kindles our passions? Our outlook on life becomes filled with possibilities. Jazz mirrors our life experiences, and we should try to remember that in our collective consciousness. As in our personal relationships, jazz is about the joy and creation of beauty and human emotion in real time. Share this music with someone; it has something to do with discovery and hope. It has something to do with love.

Whether looking surround yourself with beautiful ballads, or to set the mood for a romantic evening, or simply looking for a special Valentines Day gift all year round, “It’s About Love” is a wonderful collection that provides both the romantic atmosphere and world class music from some of the most influential sounds in Jazz.
https://arkadiajazzallstars.com/product/arkadia-jazz-all-stars-its-about-love/

Personnel: Carl Allen: Drums; James Weidman: Piano; Santi Debriano: Bass; Kenny Drew Jr.: Piano; Eric Reed: Piano; Peter Washington: Bass; Lewis Nash: Drums; Rodney Whitaker: Bass; Dave Liebman: Soprano sax; Vic Juris: Guitar; Dean Johnson: Bass; Ron Vincent: Drums;

It's About Love

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Willie Jones III - Groundwork

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:43
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Git'cha Shout On
(6:10)  2. Hindsight
(6:48)  3. Dear Blue
(5:23)  4. Toku Do
(4:43)  5. Charity
(6:27)  6. Groundwork
(4:02)  7. New Boundary
(4:25)  8. Jamar

Drummer Willie Jones III is releasing a new album, Groundwork, dedicated to the late Cedar Walton, Ralph Penland, Mulgrew Miller and Dwayne Burno, influences on Jones who have passed in recent years. Jones’ sixth album as a leader and the 17th release on WJ3 Records, is now available on iTunes and Amazon.com and will be in stores on February 19. On Groundwork, according to a press release, Jones explores the works of Walton, his former bandleader; Penland, an early mentor; and Burno, Jones’ contemporary and former band mate. 

The album also includes original tunes by Buster Williams, Eric Reed and more. Musicians on the recording include Williams (bass) and Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Reed (piano), Warren Wolf (vibes) and Stacy Dillard (saxophones).  https://jazztimes.com/news/drummer-willie-jones-iii-dedicates-new-album-to-departed-influences/

Personnel:  Drums – Willie Jones III;  Bass – Buster Williams; Piano – Eric Reed; Tenor Saxophone – Stacy Dillard; Trombone – Steve Davis; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson; Vibraphone – Warren Wolf

Groundwork

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Emanuele Cisi, Eric Reed - Clear Days, Windy Nights

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:46
Size: 132,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:54) 1. On a Clear Day
(7:06) 2. Work
(7:47) 3. Song for Iolanda
(5:30) 4. The End of a Love Affair
(7:48) 5. Juta's Walk
(5:28) 6. Last Night When We Were Young
(5:28) 7. On a Windy Night
(4:57) 8. The Silver House
(6:44) 9. On a Clear Day, Pt.2

Clear Days, Windy nights, Emanuele Cisi's latest recording effort, is a tribute to the ideas born and developed starting from the 1940s in the famous Fifty-second street of New York. Well played, authoritatively representative of a precise musical movement, the album aligns with the rigor that the style imposes on ethereal ballads ("Song for Iolanda" and "Last Night When We Were Young"), captivating fast themes ("The End of a Love Affair "), episodes taken from the Monk repertoire (" Work ") and medium swing in which space is given to the basic expressive foundations that the reference model imposes.

Accompanied soloism, original themes composed by the same leader mimetically adhering to the reference jazz genre, rhythmic drive with a good swing component represent the ingredients of this record production.

The saxophone style is characterized by the delicacy of the sound; the instrumental voice is characterized by being soft and unobtrusive. The phrasing can be discreet and exhaustive and allows Cisi to express himself perfectly within the post-boppistic climate of reference.

The authoritative pianist Eric Reed is the authoritative pianist Eric Reed who supports and constructively re-elaborates the aesthetic visions of the Turin saxophonist.The disc appear in only two tracks ("Work" and "The Silver House") the balanced trombone of the good Humberto Amesquita.

Although the project does not show any opening data towards elements extraneous to a codified lexicon, it is nevertheless pleasantly light. Clear Days, Windy nights hovers in a suspended time, in which the basic criteria on which the entire modern jazz tradition is based fluctuate; it is a sort of dogmatic example of musical modernism that does not need linguistic compromises or lexical interferences of any other nature to express itself: the whole album is well liked and listened to for what it wants to be. Translate by Google....By Luigi Sforza https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cleary-days-windy-nights-emanuele-cisi-abeat-records-review-by-luigi-sforza

Personnel: Emanuele Cisi: saxophone (tenor); Eric Reed: piano; Vincenzo Florio: double bass; Adam Pache: drums; Humberto Amesquita.

Clear Days, Windy Nights

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Eric Reed - From My Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:09
Size: 119,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:19) 1. Yesterday
(4:45) 2. Goodbye
(4:04) 3. I Should Care
(4:53) 4. Prelude in E minor
(5:39) 5. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(4:20) 6. How Deep Is the Ocean?
(5:46) 7. I'll Never Stop Loving You
(6:31) 8. Flamenco Sketches
(5:21) 9. 'Round Midnight
(4:27) 10. I Fall in Love Too Easily

Reed is an expert at building tension (his formative years with Wynton Marsalis taught him well), and here he works some amazing technical runs up to a delicious release. An intriguing version of Chopin's "Prelude in E Minor" follows, with Reed gently easing Chopin's melody into a rich, increasingly dense solo. Reed gets back to basics with Duke Ellington's 1941 masterpiece "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)," taking several playful choruses in the upper registers even hinting at Donaldson and Kahn's "Makin' Whoopee" at one point. Burno comes in for a nice melodic solo to take the tune out. Reed's take on the Irving Berlin classic "How Deep Is the Ocean" is equally playful, finding the pianist taking his time with the opening melody, using every little bit of space available for embellishment. Reed follows with a moving version of Cahn and Brodszky's "I'll Never Stop Loving You." From My Heart ends with odes to Miles Davis and Monk, with Reed covering Davis' "Flamenco Sketches" and Monk's "'Round Midnight" w with equal luster.

Of particular note is how Reed takes full advantage of the modal basis of "Flamenco Sketches," building lush chord structures, trills, and tremolo effects on top of each other for a heavy six and a half minutes. Reed does a stretching, gorgeous interpretation of "'Round Midnight," combining his own blazing technical prowess with an ode to Monk's quirky style. Brooks and Burno even go into a bossa nova on one of the last choruses. Reed finishes the album with a gentle, intimate version of Cahn and Styne's "I Fall in Love Too Easily," gracefully and subtly easing the melody in and out of his solo, until finally breaking into several more fine, melodic runs and upper structures to take the song out. From My Heart works as both an ode to several great composers and a fabulous exposition of Reed's ability to make even the most demanding ballads his own. While From My Heart may not have the usual Reed lineup of blazing horn players and original songs (Reed is a fine composer by any standard), it gives this talented pianist a chance to show that he is finally coming into his own as a stylist. ~ Alex Arcone http://www.allmusic.com/album/from-my-heart-mw0000214543

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Cecil Brooks III (drums).

From My Heart

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Eric Reed - The Swing and I

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:12
Size: 156,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. The Swing and I
(7:03)  2. The Gemini Suite: The First Man - 'Scotty'
(2:25)  3. The Gemini Suite: The Second Man -'Frank Marshall'
(3:18)  4. The Gemini Suite: The Fourth Man -'Holden Caulfield'
(3:50)  5. Felix the Cat
(8:52)  6. Ahmad's Blues
(4:40)  7. Ka-Boose
(0:50)  8. Frenzia
(7:21)  9. A Spoonful of Sugar
(3:56) 10. Listen Here
(0:27) 11. Uncle Lucius' Interlude
(5:33) 12. Old Flame
(3:42) 13. Healing Hand
(2:34) 14. Evergreen
(3:22) 15. Big Dogs
(3:12) 16. Let Us Go into the House of the Lord
(0:58) 17. Acknowledgement
(1:25) 18. Praise #1

Pianist Eric Reed is one of a large number of talented musicians who emerged from Wynton Marsalis' bands to pursue a rewarding solo career in his own right. Born in Philadelphia in 1970, Reed's first exposure to music came through his father, a minister and local gospel singer; he began playing piano at age two and soon discovered jazz, quickly developing into a musical prodigy. He entered music school at age seven, and resisted classical training in favor of jazz, inspired early on by Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis, Art Blakey, and Horace Silver. Four years later, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he digested enough jazz history that he was able to begin playing around the city's jazz scene as a teenager, both as a leader and a sideman for the likes of Gerald Wilson, Teddy Edwards, John Clayton, and Clora Bryant. He first met Wynton Marsalis at age 17, and toured briefly with the trumpeter the following year (his first and only at Cal State-Northridge). In 1989, Reed officially joined Marsalis' band as the replacement for Marcus Roberts; the following year, he issued his debut album as a leader, A Soldier's Hymn, on Candid, with backing by his regular trio of bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Gregory Hutchinson.

In 1991 and 1992, Reed worked with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson as a sideman, returning to Marsalis' group by the end of 1992. He cut a pair of well-received albums for MoJazz, It's All Right to Swing and The Swing and I, in 1993 and 1994, and in 1995 embarked on his first tour as leader of his own group. Two more dates for Impulse!, 1996's Musicale and 1997's Pure Imagination, found his style maturing and his critical and commercial success growing; he also spent 1996-1998 playing with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. 1999's Manhattan Melodies, his first outing for Verve, was a colorful and sophisticated tribute to New York City; that year, he also undertook the most prominent of several film-scoring projects, the Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence comedy Life. Reed also continued to record with Marsalis up into the new millennium. 2001 brought the acclaimed Happiness on Nagel-Heyer, and the next year saw two releases, the well-received From My Heart and a duet album with frequent cohort Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, We. He recorded and played frequently during subsequent years, including a second volume with Gordon (We, Vol. 2) and several sessions for Savant. In 2009, Reed released the gospel-inspired Stand! and returned the following year with Plenty Swing, Plenty Soul, a duet album with Cyrus Chestnut. Beginning with 2011's The Dancing Monk, Reed embarked on an ongoing recording project of Thelonious Monk's music; a theme he revisited on 2012's Baddest Monk and 2014's The Adventurous Monk.~Steve Huey http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eric-reed-mn0000799352/biography

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Eddie Bailey (vocals); Ben Wolfe, Rodney Whitaker (acoustic bass); Greg Hutchinson (drums); Denise Morgan, Suzzane Williams, Beverly Taylor (background vocals).

The Swing and I

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Eric Reed - Soldier's Hymn

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:27
Size: 113,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. Soldier's Hymn
(2:24)  2. The Greatest Thing in All My Life
(3:56)  3. Soft Winds
(6:47)  4. Things Hoped For
(5:10)  5. Coup De Cone
(1:54)  6. Walk with Me
(4:28)  7. Bee's Knees
(5:53)  8. Miss Inferno
(3:43)  9. I Didn't Know What Time It Was/Sweet Lorraine/Mood Indigo
(8:34) 10. Soldier's Hymn (2nd Version)

Youthful pianist Eric Reed, who at the time of this recording was debuting as Marcus Roberts' replacement in the Wynton Marsalis band, plays carefully and sometimes tentatively on his first release as a leader. It's a trio affair, and although Reed doesn't throw many challenges toward bassist Dwayne Burno or drummer Gregory Hutchinson, he's certainly a solid player with the potential to become a great one.~Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/soldiers-hymn-mw0000081006

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Dwayne Burno (bass guitar); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Soldier's Hymn

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Eric Reed - Manhattan Melodies

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:18
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
(4:17)  2. Theme From New York, New York
(6:02)  3. Manhattan Melodies
(7:16)  4. Harlemania: Drop Me Off In Harlem/ Halem Nocturne/ Take The 'A' Train
(6:30)  5. New York City Blues (AKA Doc's Blues)
(3:24)  6. Letter To Betty Carter
(5:09)  7. Blues Five Spot
(3:15)  8. Puttin' On The Ritz
(6:48)  9. Englishman In New York
(7:17) 10. NYC Medley: Autumn in New York/ Skating in Central Park/ Central Park Wes

On this basic piano trio CD, Eric Reed is quite assertive on many different levels. His piano playing is maturing, growing stronger and deeper, stripping himself of clichés and past influences. He's chosen to take established songs and standards and modify them to his liking. A fine rhythm section of bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Gregory Hutchinson moves the music forward, and, as you might expect, the songs are based on his New York, New York experience. You'd be hard pressed, upon hearing his take of the old Harpers Bizarre Merseybeat Top 40 hit "59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" to recognize it from the original. Reed has re-harmonized it beautifully into a modern jazz vehicle for his own melodic trappings. 

The title track has some McCoy Tyner-like strength, but it's coming from the sinewy fingers of Reed, and he tosses in some stride piano during his take on Thelonious Monk's "Five Spot Blues," a neat idea. His "NYC Blues" is elegant, soulful and swinging. He changes up "Puttin' on the Ritz" in an Afro-Cuban mode, helped by percussionist Renato Thomas, and goes tender and serene on "Englishman in New York." For "A Letter to Betty Carter" the trio is joined by vocalist Dianne Reeves. There are two medleys; one "Harlemania" has a more modernistic Duke Ellington flavor, while "NYC Medley" includes a witty 5/4 run through of "Autumn in New York," a pensive "Skating in Central Park" and a meditative "Central Park West." Reed's playing is quite attractive. He knows no bounds and touches on all of the aspects of the tradition on this, perhaps his best of the several CDs he's released. If you like quality and quantity in your jazz piano players, Eric Reed is your man these days. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-melodies-mw0000239678

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Dianne Reeves (vocals); Reginald Veal (bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums); Renato Thoms (percussion).

Manhattan Melodies

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Eric Reed - It's All Right To Swing

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:31
Size: 155,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. Wade In The Water
(6:43)  2. Come Sunday
(7:37)  3. In A Lonely Place
(8:07)  4. You Don't Know What Is Love
(8:46)  5. Boo-Boo Strikes Again
(6:55)  6. Undecided
(6:38)  7. Blues For Akmad
(7:06)  8. Third Degree
(3:24)  9. He Cares
(6:12) 10. Pineus Coneus

Pianist Eric Reed is one of a large number of talented musicians who emerged from Wynton Marsalis' bands to pursue a rewarding solo career in his own right. Born in Philadelphia in 1970, Reed's first exposure to music came through his father, a minister and local gospel singer; he began playing piano at age two and soon discovered jazz, quickly developing into a musical prodigy. He entered music school at age seven, and resisted classical training in favor of jazz, inspired early on by Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis, Art Blakey, and Horace Silver. Four years later, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he digested enough jazz history that he was able to begin playing around the city's jazz scene as a teenager, both as a leader and a sideman for the likes of Gerald Wilson, Teddy Edwards, John Clayton, and Clora Bryant. He first met Wynton Marsalis at age 17, and toured briefly with the trumpeter the following year (his first and only at Cal State-Northridge). In 1989, Reed officially joined Marsalis' band as the replacement for Marcus Roberts; the following year, he issued his debut album as a leader, A Soldier's Hymn, on Candid, with backing by his regular trio of bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Gregory Hutchinson.

In 1991 and 1992, Reed worked with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson as a sideman, returning to Marsalis' group by the end of 1992. He cut a pair of well-received albums for MoJazz, It's All Right to Swing and The Swing and I, in 1993 and 1994, and in 1995 embarked on his first tour as leader of his own group. Two more dates for Impulse!, 1996's Musicale and 1997's Pure Imagination, found his style maturing and his critical and commercial success growing; he also spent 1996-1998 playing with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. 1999's Manhattan Melodies, his first outing for Verve, was a colorful and sophisticated tribute to New York City; that year, he also undertook the most prominent of several film-scoring projects, the Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence comedy Life. Reed also continued to record with Marsalis up into the new millennium. 2001 brought the acclaimed Happiness on Nagel-Heyer, and the next year saw two releases, the well-received From My Heart and a duet album with frequent cohort Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, We. He recorded and played frequently during subsequent years, including a second volume with Gordon (We, Vol. 2) and several sessions for Savant. In 2009, Reed released the gospel-inspired Stand! and returned the following year with Plenty Swing, Plenty Soul, a duet album with Cyrus Chestnut. Beginning with 2011's The Dancing Monk, Reed embarked on an ongoing recording project of Thelonious Monk's music; a theme he revisited on 2012's Baddest Monk and 2014's The Adventurous Monk. 

Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/eric-reed/id27950#fullText

Personnel: Eric Reed (vocals, piano); Carolyn Johnson-White (vocals); Patrick Wessel Anderson III (alto saxophone);  Rodney Whitaker (acoustic bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

It's All Right To Swing

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