Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:24
Size: 100,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:50)  1. Brilliant Corners
(13:19)  2. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are
( 8:56)  3. Pannonica
( 5:31)  4. I Surrender, Dea
( 7:46)  5. Bemsha Swing

Although Brilliant Corners is Thelonious Monk's third disc for Riverside, it's the first on the label to weigh in with such heavy original material. Enthusiasts who become jaded to the idiosyncratic nature of Monk's playing or his practically arithmetical chord progressions should occasionally revisit Brilliant Corners. There is an inescapable freshness and vitality saturated into every measure of every song. The passage of time makes it all the more difficult to imagine any other musicians bearing the capacity to support Monk with such ironic precision. The assembled quartet for the lion's share of the sessions included Max Roach (percussion), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Oscar Pettiford (bass), and Ernie Henry (alto sax). Although a compromise, the selection of Miles Davis' bassist, Paul Chambers, and Clark Terry (trumpet) on "Bemsha Swing" reveals what might be considered an accident of ecstasy, as they provide a timeless balance between support and being able to further the cause musically. Likewise, Roach's timpani interjections supply an off-balanced sonic surrealism while progressing the rhythm in and out of the holes provided by Monk's jackrabbit leads. It's easy to write Monk's ferocity and Forrest Gump-esque ingenuity off as gimmick or quirkiness. What cannot be dismissed is Monk's ability to translate emotions into the language of music, as in the freedom and abandon he allows through Sonny Rollins' and Max Roach's mesmerizing solos in "Brilliant Corners." 

The childlike innocence evoked by Monk's incorporation of the celeste during the achingly beautiful ode "Pannonica" raises the emotional bar several degrees. Perhaps more pointed, however, is the impassioned "I Surrender, Dear" the only solo performance on the album. Brilliant Corners may well be considered the alpha and omega of post-World War II American jazz. No serious jazz collection should be without it. ~ Lindsay Planer https://www.allmusic.com/album/brilliant-corners-mw0000188572

Personnel:  Thelonious Monk – piano; piano and celeste on "Pannonica", solo piano on I Surrender Dear;  Ernie Henry – alto saxophone on "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are" and in ensemble on "Pannonica";  Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone (except "I Surrender Dear");  Oscar Pettiford – double bass on "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are" and "Pannonica";  Max Roach – drums (except "I Surrender Dear"); timpani on "Bemsha Swing";  Clark Terry – trumpet on "Bemsha Swing";  Paul Chambers – double bass on "Bemsha Swing"

Brilliant Corners

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Ernie Henry - Last Chorus

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:20
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Autumn Leaves
(6:28)  2. Beauty And The Blues
(7:49)  3. All The Things You Are
(2:41)  4. Melba's Tune
(4:54)  5. S'Posin'
(6:58)  6. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are
(4:40)  7. Like Someone In Love
(8:31)  8. Cleo's Chant

Ernie Henry was a promising alto saxophonist who passed away prematurely on December 29, 1957, when he was only 31. He had recorded his album Seven Standards and a Blues on September 30, and four songs for an uncompleted octet date on September 23. This CD reissue has the latter tunes (which feature trumpeter Lee Morgan; trombonist Melba Liston, who contributed "Melba's Tune"; tenor saxophonist Benny Golson; and pianist Wynton Kelly), an alternate take from the Seven Standards set ("Like Someone in Love"), a leftover track from the preceding year ("Cleo's Chant"), the solos of Thelonious Monk and Henry (from the lengthy "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are"), and an alternate version of "S'posin'" taken from the altoist's final recording (a quartet outing with trumpeter Kenny Dorham). Overall, the music is fine and, surprisingly, does not have an unfinished air about it. It does make one wish that Ernie Henry had taken better care of his health, as he was just beginning to develop a sound of his own. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/last-chorus-mw0000036951

Personnel:  Ernie Henry - alto saxophone;  Kenny Dorham,  Lee Morgan – trumpet;  Melba Liston – trombone;  Benny Golson, Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone;  Cecil Payne - baritone saxophone;  Kenny Drew, Wynton Kelly, Thelonious Monk – piano;  Paul Chambers, Eddie Mathias, Oscar Pettiford, Wilbur Ware – bass;  G. T. Hogan, Philly Joe Jones, Max Roach , Art Taylor - drums

Last Chorus

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Fats Navarro - Goin' to Minton's

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:07
Size: 165,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Boppin' A Riff
(5:45)  2. Fat Boy
(5:52)  3. Everything's Cool
(5:38)  4. Webb City
(2:50)  5. Calling Dr. Jazz
(2:53)  6. Fracture
(2:42)  7. Hollerin' & Screamin'
(2:49)  8. Stealing Trash
(2:16)  9. Just A Mystery
(3:06) 10. Red Pepper
(2:33) 11. Spinal
(3:03) 12. Maternity
(2:21) 13. Fat Girl
(2:41) 14. Ice Freezes Red
(2:25) 15. Eb Pob
(2:52) 16. Goin' to Minton's
(3:00) 17. A Be Bop Carroll
(2:53) 18. The Tadd Walk
(2:44) 19. Nostalgia
(2:40) 20. Barry's Bop
(2:37) 21. Be Bop Romp
(2:48) 22. Fats Blows

There are many tragic figures in bebop history, but Fats Navarro's story is even sadder than most. Considered by some to be a better trumpeter than Dizzy Gillespie (Lennie Tristano is reported to have said of Gillespie, "He's a nice trumpet player, but he's no Fats"), Navarro was killed by his heroin addiction at age 26. This disc includes material from five sessions recorded between September of 1946 and December of 1947, when bop was at the height of its popularity and its most important and influential practitioners were still alive. Some of them, in addition to Navarro, are present on these sessions: Bud Powell plays piano on "Boppin' a Riff," "Fat Boy," "Everything's Cool," and his own "Webb City," tracks which also feature Sonny Stitt on alto and Kenny Clarke on drums. Other sessions feature Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis on tenor, frequent Charlie Parker sideman Curley Russell on bass, Charlie Rouse on tenor, and Art Blakey on drums. While the sound quality isn't always great, the performances themselves rarely fall short of greatness, and Navarro's sweet tone and effortlessly beautiful phrasing are a constant pleasure throughout. ~ Rick Anderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/goin-to-mintons-mw0000252304

Personnel includes: Fats Navarro (trumpet); Leo Parker (alto & baritone saxophones); Sonny Stitt, Ernie Henry (alto saxophone); Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Charlie Rouse, Morris Lane (tenor saxophone); Ed DeVerteuill (baritone saxophone); Kenny Dorham (trumpet); Bud Powell, Tadd Dameron, Al Haig (piano); Huey Long (guitar); Al Hall, Gene Ramey, Curley Russell, Nelson Boyd (bass); Kenny Clarke, Denzil Best, Art Blakey (drums).

Goin' to Minton's

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Fats Navarro - Fats Blows 1946-1949

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:54
Size: 166,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:53)  1. Dance Of The Infidels
(2:49)  2. 52nd St. Theme
(5:34)  3. Double Talk
(2:35)  4. Move
(2:41)  5. Hollerin' And Screamin'
(2:54)  6. The Tadd Walk
(3:09)  7. Jumpin' For Jane
(2:50)  8. Lady Bird
(2:53)  9. Goin' To Minton's
(2:45) 10. Nostalgia
(2:25) 11. Eb Pob
(2:59) 12. Our Delight
(3:16) 13. Bouncing With Bud
(3:04) 14. Wail
(3:05) 15. Symphonette
(3:07) 16. Boperation
(2:49) 17. Fats Blows
(4:02) 18. Stop
(2:52) 19. Sid's Delight
(2:53) 20. Jahbero
(2:57) 21. The Skink
(2:59) 22. The Squirrel
(3:13) 23. Groovin' High

A 23-track overview of Fats' brief moments of brilliance in the jazz skyline. The groups are varied, as was Navarro's wont, featuring such luminaries as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Tadd Dameron, Leo Parker, Art Blakey, Howard McGhee, Bud Powell, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Clarke, Milt Jackson, and Fats' idol, Charlie Parker. Navarro was a brilliant musician, done in by drugs and tuberculosis. This disc gives you an idea of how tragic his loss was to the jazz world. ~ Cub Koda http://www.allmusic.com/album/fats-blows-1946-1949-mw0000051021

Personnel includes: Fats Navarro (trumpet); Leo Parker (alto & baritone saxophones); Charlie Parker, Ernie Henry, Budd Johson, Sahib Shihab, Ernie Henry (alto saxophone); Eddie Davis, Charlie Rouse, Don Lamphere, Allen Eager, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Wardell Gray (tenor saxophone); Cecil Payne, Marion De Veta (baritone saxophone); Howard McGhee (trumpet); Kai Winding (trombone); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Al Haig, Tadd Dameron, Lennie Tristano, Linton Garner, Bud Powell (piano); Huey Long, Billy Bauer, Chuck Wayne (guitar); Gene Ramey, Curley Russell, Nelson Boyd, Tommy Potter, Jimmy Johnson, Jack Lesberg (bass); Denzil Best, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, Shadow Wilson, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, Roy Haynes (drums); Chano Pozo, Diego Ibarra (bongos); Vidal Bolado (conga).

Fats Blows 1946-1949

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Ernie Henry - Presenting Ernie Henry

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:51
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:24)  1. Gone With the Wind
(5:10)  2. Orient
(5:48)  3. Free Flight
(5:55)  4. Checkmate
(5:03)  5. Active Ingredients
(5:07)  6. I Should Care
(8:22)  7. Cleo's Chant

Long available on LP in the Fantasy Records catalog this reissue marks the first compact disc appearance of Ernie Henry’s auspicious debut as a leader. In the annals of jazz lore Henry has sometimes been discounted as merely a Charlie Parker imitator on alto saxophone. Based on his work on this inaugural album and the handful of others he fronted as a leader before his early demise at age 31 this once popular opinion appears something of an unfair assessment. In addition to possessing an adroit and diplomatic tone on his instrument that nods at Parker, but is clearly his own, Henry also has impeccable taste in associates as substantiated by the crew of hard bop heavyweights he assembled for this date. Dorham and Drew are both in particularly fine form and Ware and Taylor leave a memorable rhythmic stamp on the proceedings. The disc also serves as a chance for Henry to try out a cluster of his own compositions alongside a pair of standards and the quintet seizes the opportunity to play hard and with much gusto. 

Commencing with a bop-flavored reading of “Gone With the Wind” the group cycles through a unison head before Henry, Dorham and Drew all take brief solo statements. Taylor is the focal point on the briskly rendered “Orient” and his series of volcanic press rolls that close the piece take things out in a heated finish. “Free Flight” is less overtly kinetic but follows basically the same succession of solos with Henry, Dorham, Drew, Taylor and even Ware turning in burners. Both “Checkmate” and “Active Ingredients” are cut from the same bop-textured cloth and Henry uses their inherent alacrity to turn the pace of the group up a notch. The cerulean smoothness of “I Should Care,” negotiated at ballad speed, stands in sharp contrast. Henry takes an initial solo chorus before Dorham moves to the fore and caresses one of his most successful solos of session from his horn. The shuffling blues groove of “Cleo’s Chant” serves as a fitting addendum. Henry preaches a persuasive pitch and Dorham and Drew answer with resoundingly unanimous agreement. 

The only glaring disappointment with this disc is the paucity of solos by Ware. One of the greatest bassists in the history of the instrument he often shied away from the solo spotlight on his numerous recordings as a sideman. On this session he exhibits his usual reticence and Henry’s arrangements offer little encouragement for him to step beyond a strictly rhythmic role. Overall though this is a fine slice of vintage hard bop with lots of high points and very few lows.~Derek Taylor http://www.allaboutjazz.com/presenting-ernie-henry-fantasy-jazz-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Ernie Henry- alto saxophone; Kenny Dorham- trumpet; Kenny Drew- piano; Wilbur Ware- double bass; Art Taylor- drums.

Presenting Ernie Henry

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Ernie Henry Quartet - Seven Standards And A Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1957

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:38

Size: 90,7 MB

Art: Front

(4:39)  1. I Get A Kick Out Of You

(2:46)  2. My Ideal

(6:33)  3. I've Got The World On A String

(5:01)  4. Sweet Lorraine

(6:00)  5. Soon

(2:41)  6. Lover Man

(6:39)  7. Specific Gravity

(5:15)  8. Like Someone In Love

Recorded just three months before his unexpected death, this set by altoist Ernie Henry is his definitive album as a leader. Reissued on CD with a second take of "Like Someone In Love" added to the program, Henry, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Philly Joe Jones do indeed play seven standards (including "I Get a Kick Out of You," "Soon" and "I've Got the World on a String"), plus a Henry blues ("Specific Gravity"). Superior modern mainstream music, but there should have been much more from the potentially significant Ernie Henry. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/seven-standards-and-a-blues-mw0000096491

Personnel: Ernie Henry (alto saxophone), Wynton Kelly (piano), Wilbur Ware (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums).

Seven Standards And A Blues

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Ernie Henry, Kenny Dorham - Ernie Henry Meets Kenny Dorham

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:32
Size: 175.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Gone With The Wind
[5:08] 2. Orient
[5:48] 3. Free Flight
[5:53] 4. Checkmate
[8:22] 5. Cleo's Chant
[5:07] 6. I Should Care
[5:01] 7. Active Ingredients
[5:22] 8. Lotus Blossom
[2:56] 9. Soon
[4:24] 10. The End Of A Love Affair
[4:22] 11. I'll Be Seeing You
[6:34] 12. Noose Bloos
[6:13] 13. 'sposin'
[4:41] 14. Is It True What They Say About Dixie
[3:11] 15. Jazz-Classic

Kenny Dorham (tp), Ernie Henry (as), Kenny Drew (p), Wilbur Ware, Eddie Mathias (b), Art Taylor, Granville T. Hogan (d). Tracks #1-7 from the 12" Riverside LP "Presenting Ernie Henry" (RLP 12-222). Later reissued as Jazzland JP-982. Tracks #8-15 from the Kenny Dorham 12" Riverside album "2 Horns/2 Rhythm" (RLP 12-255).

By 1956 the trumpet of Kenny Dorham was recognized as one of the most exciting and swinging; he had become one of the key voices in modern jazz. He had gone through the years from his first prominence in the Hampton, Eckstine, and Gillespie bands, to the Charlie Parker and Art Blakey groups always respected and admired, but never winning any polls and never going out after individual fame as a leader.

In these recordings he introduced his friend Ernie Henry, a gifted alto player and jazz writer, with a firm command of his instrument, a fresh sound, and more than his share of legitimately new ideas. He had been a part of the bop scene of the late 1940s, and had appeared on records with Tadd Dameron, Fats Navarro, and Howard McGhee. His moment had arrived: he was fully ready to be heard and enjoyed by as many as would give themselves that privilege.

That Kenny and Ernie were close transpires in the sound they achieve together. It involves the kind of rapport that not even the best musicians can hope to establish quickly and easily: the fact is that Kenny and Ernie had known each other for a long time and had worked out extensively in the Henry basement, although this was their first opportunity to demonstrate in a recording studio their cohesive playing and thinking.

Ernie Henry Meets Kenny Dorham

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