Art Pepper - So in Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:48
Size: 109,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:26)  1. Straight No Chaser
( 6:49)  2. Blues for Blanche
(11:42)  3. So in Love
(12:17)  4. Diane
(10:33)  5. Stardust

This deluxe release from the classy (but long defunct) Artists House label, as with all of Art Pepper's recordings of his comeback years, is easily recommended. Actually all of the music on So in Love has been reissued in greatly expanded form in Pepper's massive 16-CD Galaxy box set. The original LP has lengthy versions of "So in Love," "Stardust," "Straight No Chaser" and two Pepper originals ("Diane" and "Blues for Blanche"). 

Assisted by two equally talented rhythm sections (pianists Hank Jones and George Cables, bassists Ron Carter and Charlie Haden, and drummers Al Foster and Billy Higgins), Pepper is in excellent form throughout the album, giving these songs heart-wrenching interpretations. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/so-in-love-mw0000622404

Personnel:  Art Pepper - alto saxophone;  George Cables (tracks 2, 3 & 5), Hank Jones (tracks 1 & 4) - piano;  Ron Carter (tracks 1 & 4), Charlie Haden (tracks 2, 3 & 5) - bass;  Al Foster (tracks 1 & 4), Billy Higgins (tracks 2, 3 & 5) - drums

So in Love

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Nicole Glover - Strange Lands

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
Time: 50:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. Strange Lands
(5:47) 2. Hive Queen
(7:07) 3. The Twilight Zone
(6:39) 4. Dindi
(3:42) 5. Parks
(4:56) 6. The Switch
(6:01) 7. Notturno
(5:07) 8. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
(8:17) 9. I Concentrate on You

Time was when a jazz trio without a piano or guitar was a rare occurrence. But once Sonny Rollins went chordless at the Vanguard the die was cast and, though the instrumentation is still not exactly thick on the ground, it is an important subset in the list of saxophone-fronted jazz groups. For the last three years tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover has embraced this format with her regular band featuring colleagues Daniel Duke (bass) and Nic Cacioppo (drums).

Here, for her first album with the group and her Savant Records debut, she has attracted the attention of keyboard great George Cables, who appears on four tracks of the recording. Michael J. West points out in the album's liner notes that to Glover, "Cables represents the continuum of the music, its past, present and future; she wanted that wisdom and energy to manifest itself and inform the band's work."

In the trio numbers, mostly originals, the musicians display a unity of thought that goes far beyond the notes, one that takes the freedom of a chordless ensemble and runs with it. Their music is full of strength and power, challenging but communicative with a sly sense of playfulness peeking out occasionally all providing a memorable musical experience that is at once high-spirited and deeply felt. https://propermusic.com/products/nicoleglover-strangelands

Personnel: Nicole Glover (tenor saxophone), Daniel Duke (bass), Nic Cacioppo (drums) with special guest: George Cables (piano)

Strange Lands

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Eddie Henderson - Witness to History

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:00
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:02) 1. Scorpio Rising
(8:35) 2. Why Not?
(7:40) 3. Sweet and Lovely
(8:45) 4. It Never Entered My Mind
(5:21) 5. Freedom Jazz Dance
(5:02) 6. I'm Gonna Miss You, My Darling
(7:04) 7. Totem Pole
(6:27) 8. Born to Be Blue

Make no mistake: it is the hot buttered soul, "Shaft"-like theme of "Scorpio Rising" that first snags one's attention. But once snagged, the old cool sets in and Witness To History, trumpeter Eddie Henderson's self curated soundtrack, unwinds with a wicked fervor. A deep, wicked joy.

Henderson who has pretty much seen it all from the impulsive, jazz rock Realization (Capricorn, 1973) through The Cookers to the still palpable Shuffle and Deal (Smoke Avenue, 2020) looks back for a PBS documentary due for release in early 2024 and knows for sure he has had a good run. He then intuitively and soulfully gathers a few wily and confident cohorts and it is away to the races.

But it is not that frantic metro influencer gallop for this crew. Not by any means. These cats are all pure blue, after-hours shuffle. Because not only is Henderson, now in his eighty-third orbit, at a zenith in said orbit, ditto that of Donald Harrison's blue venue sax and George Cables' pianistic touch. Splice all that in with the interstitial elasticity of bassist Gerald Cannon and drummers Lenny White andMike Clark and "Scorpio Rising" becomes an infectious roll through the back alleys of late 1970s urban noir. The liquid gold of "I Am Going to Miss You, My Darling," written by the trumpeter's wife, beautifully occurs.

It is very hard to learn that everyone should lay back on the groove, but to this group it is a banner taken into battle. A badge of honor. Witness To History is full of badges and banners. First heard on Lee Morgan's eventful The Sidewinder (Blue Note, 1964), "Totem Pole" holds all the flash and slink of the original but with its own immediate vibe. Cables' jumpy "Why Not" is a slow steamer highlighted by trumpet and saxophone punching the air. As it should be, "Sweet and Lovely" is all trad jazz with Cannon in the lead.

Maybe when and if it all becomes accountable, Witness To History does not stand the test of time. Maybe it does. The same can be said for all and any of us. But that does not make Witness To History any less of great record. In fact it just being makes it all that much better.By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/witness-to-history-eddie-henderson-smoke-sessions-records__22447

Personnel: Eddie Henderson - trumpet; Donald Harrison - saxophone, alto; George Cables - piano; Lenny White - drums ; Gerald Cannon - bass

Witness to History

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Garrison Fewell Quartet - Red Door Number 11

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:02
Size: 148.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2003/2015
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Hearing Things
[5:31] 2. Johnny Come Lately
[4:27] 3. Spookarella
[9:01] 4. A Reason To Believe
[6:07] 5. Yoùre My Everything
[7:16] 6. 'round Midnight
[5:38] 7. Red Door Number 11
[6:07] 8. Lotus Blossom
[6:49] 9. How Deep Is The Ocean
[7:57] 10. My One And Only Love

Bass – Attilio Zanchi; Drums – Gianni Cazzola; Guitar – Garrison Fewell; Piano – George Cables.

It's been said a thousand times, but restraint is a mark of maturity. When it comes to jazz, understatement is a particular risky maneuver because it can sputter and die right on the tracks. Red Door Number 11 bypasses this pitfall by combining a rich harmonic field with an insistent—in fact, unrelenting, if that word can be used in this context—emphasis on melody.

Guitarist Garrison Fewell has led groups on wax for about ten years, starting with a series on Accurate Records. Technically he's a Bostonian—and professor at Berklee—but he seems to spend most of his time traveling around Europe and the world. His last record on the Italian Splasc(h) label, City of Dreams, was a quintet date featuring saxophonist Tino Tracanna. The brand new Red Door pares things down to a quartet with pianist George Cables reappearing, joined by Italian bassist Attilo Zanchi and drummer Gianni Cazzola.

Fewell completely avoids the usual difficulties guitarists experience when playing alongside pianists, keeping his melody lines clean and never muddling up the harmony. In fact, despite the unobtrusive and propulsive presence of the rhythm section, the hub of the action lies in the counterpoint and interaction between Cables and Fewell. They bounce back and forth, trading roles, reinforcing each other's lines and surprising each other in unpredictable ways. Red Door is a lot like the timeless '60s duet recordings Bill Evans made with Jim Hall in more than a few ways. In the best ways, really.

Four originals by Fewell and his mates balance out a generous handful of standards, though these pieces are nearly indistinguishable in tone. "'Round Midnight" turns the energy down about eight notches, taking the melancholy piece deeper into the grey zone, though the pace belies Fewell's effectiveness as a player and especially an improviser. His solo playing brings a candle into the dark room and renders it a sensitive, romantic experience. The light bopping energy of "How Deep Is the Ocean" builds upon collective strengths and features some of the greatest clarity found on this record.

Provided you have the maturity to appreciate understatement, Red Door Number 11 is an unqualified success. Like his bandmates, Garrison Fewell really has nothing to prove, which in this context is a good thing. But if you're looking for sparks and drama, tune into another channel. That's not what this record is all about. ~AAJ Staff

Red Door Number 11

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John Bailey - Time Bandits

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 122,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:12) 1. Time Bandits
(5:39) 2. Various Nefarious
(5:15) 3. Long Ago And Far Away
(6:00) 4. Ode To Thaddeus
(4:05) 5. Oh Man, Please Get Me Out Of Here!
(4:36) 6. She's Leaving Home
(4:20) 7. Rose
(5:55) 8. How Do You Know?
(5:42) 9. Lullaby
(6:13) 10. Groove Samba

Versatile and in-demand trumpeter and composer John Bailey has played alongside Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Jr., and Latin jazz giants Ray Barretto and Arturo O’Farrill as well as with major jazz musicians in NYC. The backing ensemble he has recruited for Time Bandits, his third album as a leader, is testament to his talent. Fronting a quartet that included mainstay drummer Victor Lewis, esteemed pianist George Cables, and virtuoso bassist Scott Colley, Bailey and crew deliver a varied set of seven originals, five by Bailey and one each by Lewis and Cables. In addition, they tackle a well-known standard, a Beatles tune, and a nod to Bailey’s original mentor, trumpeter Ira Sullivan. Bailey can swing with the best of them and quickly downshift into lovely ballads played on his flugelhorn.

The program opens with Bailey’s title track, the sharp, repetitive bursts from his trumpet inviting his bandmates to join in a swinging tune that bears elements of a New Orleans second line parade, and the bustling bebop heard on NYC’s 52nd street in the ‘50s. Cables is in his element, pushing the rhythm along with Lewis and Colley, each of whom step forward with brief statements of their own. “Various Nefarious” may well be inspired by the COVID viruses and whatever viral element is plaguing our political system (as we write, the Republicans can’t even decide on their leader). Musically, its soul-jazz shuffle fits into an Art Blakey-like groove, one perfectly suited to Blakey alumnus Cables, and perhaps the soulful strains that Bailey absorbed while working with Brother Ray. Colley impresses with his walking bassline and Lewis navigates the combo through those ‘various’ changes.

Bailey and Cables put their own harmonious stamp on Jerome Kern’s “Long Ago and Far Away,” making it a brisk swinger, while the first ballad, “Ode to Thaddeus,” nods to major trumpet influence, Thad Jones with Bailey’s sustained, warm tone and deeply emotive lines leaving no doubt to the degree ofc reverence which he holds for the iconic bandleader. It’s gorgeous statement. Lewis stirs the group to more nodding in his own “Oh Man, Please Get Me Out of Here” as strains of Dizzy, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, and Woody Shaw echo through Bailey’s high-pitched jabs and the strolling rhythms from Cables, Colley, and Lewis.

The slowed tempo arrangement for The Beatles’ “She’s Leaving Home” is another opportunity to digest the balladry elegance of Bailey and Cable, drawing out a deeper sense of melancholy than the song’s original. Bailey’s “Rose” is the freest flowing of the pieces with a challenging pattern built on five 12-tone rows, with surprises at each turn, like a game of hide-and-seek set to music.

Colley introduces “How Do Know,” by Gary Dial, originally appearing on the 1982 Sprint from Red Rodney and the Ira Sullivan Quintet, this a tribute to Bailey’s aforementioned mentor. We hear Bailey’s flugelhorn on Cable’s standout track, “Lullaby.” The piece originally appeared on Frank Morgan’s 1989 Mood Indigo and has Bailey and Cables in lockstep as a duo rendering the tune with stunning tenderness. Given Bailey’s stints in Latin jazz, he’d be remiss to not include at least one piece of that ilk and does so with his own rollicking closer, “Groove Samba.”

Bailey’s Time Bandits speaks to tradition and a mastery of the various jazz idioms that only a group of this caliber could execute so deftly. It’s a clinic in tone, harmony, swing, balladry, and precise, declarative soloing.By Jim Hynes https://www.makingascene.org/john-bailey-time-bandits/

Personnel: John Bailey - Trumpet; Victor Lewis - Drums; George Cables - Piano; Scott Colley - Bass

Time Bandits

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Bebop & Beyond - Plays Thelonious Monk

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:06
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:12) 1. San Francisco Holiday
( 7:01) 2. Brilliant Corners
( 7:29) 3. Think of One
( 4:38) 4. Crepescule with Nellie
(10:43) 5. Misterioso
( 5:02) 6. Criss Cross
( 6:35) 7. Gallop's Gallop
( 4:02) 8. Ugly Beauty
( 5:20) 9. Who Knows

This CD contains one of the best Thelonious Monk tributes that have come out since the pianist/composer's death in 1982. Mel Martin (heard here in top form on tenor, soprano and flute) leads Bebop & Beyond through nine of Monk's most difficult originals, and his arrangements (which use the versatile guitarist Randy Vincent in Monk's place) are consistently inventive. Pianist George Cables, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, and Howard Johnson (on baritone and tuba) make important guest appearances, while trumpeter Warren Gale contributes many fine solos.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/plays-thelonious-monk-mw0000690320

Personnel: Baritone Saxophone, Tuba – Howard Johnson (3) (tracks: 2 to 5,8); Bass – Jeff Chambers (3); Drums – Donald Bailey (tracks: 1 to 3,7), Eddie Marshall (2) (tracks: 4 to 6,8,9); Guitar – Randy Vincent; Piano – George Cables (tracks: 2,7); Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson (tracks: 2,7); Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Mel Martin; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Warren Gale

Plays Thelonious Monk

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George Cables Trio - Cables Fables

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:00
Size: 151.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Post bop
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[ 6:23] 1. In Walked Bud
[ 5:47] 2. Lullaby
[ 8:34] 3. Waltz For Debbie
[ 6:30] 4. Helen's Song
[12:00] 5. Over The Rainbow
[ 5:44] 6. Just Friends
[ 8:13] 7. Con Alma
[ 6:28] 8. Sweet Rita Suite
[ 6:18] 9. All The Things You Are

Known for his outstanding work as a sideman with Joe Henderson, Dexter Gordon, and Frank Morgan, George Cables is also a first-rate leader who has primarily recorded for European and Japanese jazz labels. This 1991 session for Steeplechase with two in-demand musicians, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, finds the pianist at the top of his game, with an aggressive approach to "In Walked Bud," a playful treatment of Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby," and an intense setting of Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" that is beautifully set up by his drummer. The pianist is also a strong composer, offering his delicate ballad "Lullaby" (a favorite of Frank Morgan, especially on duo dates with Cables), the buoyant Latin-tinged "Helen's Song," and the gently swaying "Sweet Rita Suite." Cables is no slouch playing standards, including a spacious, extended take of "Over the Rainbow" and a driving "All the Things You Are," which detours into Afro-Cuban licks with regularity. ~Ken Dryden

Cables Fables

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George Cables - You Don't Know Me Vol 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:13
Size: 131.0 MB
Styles: Jazz piano
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:55] 1. My Foolish Heart
[6:12] 2. You Don't Know Me
[6:27] 3. Evc
[4:00] 4. Up Jumped Spring
[4:48] 5. You Don't Know What Love Is
[5:41] 6. Lullaby
[6:09] 7. Helen's Song
[5:57] 8. Helen Mother's Song
[5:50] 9. Spookarella
[6:09] 10. Honey Lulu

George Cables has quietly assembled an impressive discography as a leader over his long career. Two days of sessions in May 2007, a few months before medical problems caused him to undergo a multiple organ transplant, resulted in one of his very best releases. The first disc opens with a rambunctious take of "My Foolish Heart" that is a refreshing alternative to the typical overly sentimental arrangements. His upbeat, subtle treatment of Freddie Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring" is beautifully understated, while his dramatic setting of "You Don't Know What Love Is" (erroneously credited to Billie Holiday) has Art Tatum-like flourishes. Most of the remaining tracks on disc one are Cables originals, highlighted by his delicate ballad "Lullaby" (a favorite of the late alto saxophonist Frank Morgan when he played with the pianist) and his inventive, bluesy "Helen's Song." Disc two opens with a trio of African-American spirituals, each played with the authority of a man who has lived the music. Cables' breezy take of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" takes this standard into less familiar territory, while his intricate reworking of the warhorse "Stella by Starlight" is just as dazzling. Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby" has long been a favorite of jazz pianists, though Cables successfully puts his own stamp on it with a sparkling arrangement that still retains the original's playful attitude. Cables also includes a trio of originals on disc two, with the descriptive "Morning Song" especially standing out. Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

You Don't Know Me Vol 1

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Bruce Forman - Full Circle

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:52
Size: 102,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Marshall Arts
(6:18)  2. Helen's Song
(5:23)  3. On The Sunny Side of The Street
(6:15)  4. Skylark
(6:16)  5. Circular
(4:04)  6. Giant Steps
(7:02)  7. Desert Rain
(5:36)  8. Summertime

Features tight guitar from Forman, and some great work on vibes from Bobby Hutcherson! Titles include "Giant Steps", "Circular", "Helen's Song", and "Marshall Arts".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/517378

Personnel:  Guitar – Bruce Forman;  Bass – Jeff Carney;  Drums – Eddie Marshall; Piano – George Cables;  Vibraphone, Guest [Special Guest] – Bobby Hutcherson

Full Circle

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Gary Bartz - Music Is My Sanctuary

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:02
Size: 83,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Music Is My Sanctuary
(5:57) 2. Carnaval De L'Esprit
(4:11) 3. Love Ballad
(6:53) 4. Swing Thing
(5:55) 5. Oo Baby Baby
(6:42) 6. Macaroni

Surrounding himself with a world-class ensemble of disco-jazz-fusion musicians and armed with the Mizell brothers at the production console (who were near the peak of their careers around this time), Gary Bartz took the route of Donald Byrd and brought new elements of funk, soul, and a foreshadowing of the soon-to-be-commercial disco craze all into a 40-minute workout on Music Is My Sanctuary. While purists shook their heads in disapproval and disdain at Bartz's new direction (one emulated by several jazz pioneers at the time), those who could take off their traditional jazz mufflers would find Bartz and the Mizells making some highly infectious, soulful music. Further accentuated by the addition of Syreeta Wright on vocals, the Mizells took Bartz into nearly uncharted territories for jazz musicians. The results of this experimentation more than paid off, with the dividends being Bartz's most polished, focused releases.~ Rob Theakston https://www.allmusic.com/album/music-is-my-sanctuary-mw0000027322

Personnel: Gary Bartz - Saxophone (Alto, Soprano), Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals; Larry Mizell - Keyboards, Vocals; George Cables - Piano; David T. Walker, John Rowin, Juewett Bostick, Wah-Wah Watson - Guitar; Curtis Robinson, Jr., Welton Gite - Bass; Howard King, James Gadson, Nate Neblett - Drums; Bill Summers, James Mtume - Percussion; Eddie Henderson, Ray Brown - Trumpet; Sigidi, Syreeta Wright - Vocals

Music Is My Sanctuary

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Massimo Faraò, George Cables - Planet Piano (Live)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:04
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:24) 1. A Beautiful Friendship
( 5:20) 2. The Gipsy
( 8:42) 3. Someday My Prince Will Come
( 5:19) 4. You Stepped out of a Dream
( 7:36) 5. Stella by Starlight
( 5:09) 6. All the Things You Are
( 7:35) 7. Billie's Bounce
( 3:56) 8. It Could Happen to You

Massimo Faraò:"The blackest of Italian pianists" was born May 16th, 1965, in Genoa. He studied piano with Maestro Flavio Crivelli and began his career collaborating with musicians from the Genoa Area, especially with the bassist Piero Leveratto. In 1993 he was invited for the first time in the USA. He plays with Red Holloway and Albert "Tootie" Heath on a tour on the West Coast. In the same year he founded "We love Jazz" Workshop, now become one of the biggest events in Europe for jazz teaching. In 1994 he was hired by "Monad Records" in New York and back in the United States as pianoplayer and music director of Shawnn Monteiro's band, with Keter Betts and Bobby Durham. https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/massimo-farao

Planet Piano (Live)

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George Cables - Too Close for Comfort

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:50
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:15) 1. Too Close for Comfort
(6:01) 2. Circle of Love
(5:56) 3. This Is My Song
(5:51) 4. Klimo
(8:30) 5. For All We Know
(5:34) 6. Crazy Love
(7:13) 7. Roses Poses
(5:38) 8. I've Never Been in Love Before
(4:05) 9. Teddy
(1:43) 10. A Valentine for You

The great George Cables is in wonderful form here balancing things perfectly between the boldness of his left hand on the rhythms, and the more lyrical modes that he opens up with the right serving up these effortless and beautiful tunes that make us fall in love with his music all over again! The trio's every bit as well-balanced and fluid as Cables on the keys Essiet Essiet on bass and Victor Lewis on drums although both of those artists step out for one solo track, and each handle a duo on their own with George.

And although the standard status of the title tune might make you think you're in for something pretty basic, the first note of the record argues strongly against that and keeps on making the case through tunes that include "Teddy", "Crazy Love", "Klimo", "This Is My Song", and "Circle Of Love". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/983957/George-Cables:Too-Close-For-Comfort

Personnel: George Cables (piano), Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)

Too Close for Comfort

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George Cables - Cables' Vision

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:30
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:48) 1. Morning Song
(8:55) 2. I Told You So
(8:49) 3. Byrdlike
(6:02) 4. Voodoo Lady
(4:24) 5. The Stroll
(5:28) 6. Inner Glow

One of the most satisfying recordings to be released in 1980 (and since reissued on CD in the OJC series), this date by pianist George Cables (who contributed four of the six group originals) features trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (who brought in "Byrdlike") and tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts in fiery form; the two horn players took time off from their much more commercial efforts for other labels. Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson is also in the sextet/septet with bassist Tony Dumas, drummer Peter Erskine, and sometimes percussionist Vince Charles; the one departure is "The Stroll," which is an adventurous piano-vibes duet by Cables and Hutcherson. The solos overall are concise and make expert use of each note. Cables' tunes (including "Morning Song," "I Told You So," and "Inner Glow") are generally catchy and memorable while "Byrdlike" gives the virtuosos an up-tempo blues to romp through. This logically conceived and well-paced set is a gem that is highly recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/cables-vision-mw0000085929

Personnel: George Cables - piano, electric piano; Freddie Hubbard - flugelhorn; Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone; Ernie Watts - tenor saxophone (2, 3, 6), flute (4); Tony Dumas - bass, electric bass (1); Peter Erskine - drums; Vince Charles - percussion (2, 4, 6)

Cables' Vision

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Willie Jones III - Fallen Heroes

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:42
Size: 114,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:58) 1. Something for Ndugu
(3:39) 2. Fallen Hero
(4:42) 3. C.T.A.
(3:56) 4. Trust
(6:19) 5. Truthful Blues
(8:36) 6. Annika's Lullaby
(6:06) 7. To Wisdom, the Prize
(7:01) 8. I've Just Seen Her
(5:20) 9. Jackin' for Changes

Drummer Willie Jones III just keeps on winning us over more and more with each new release serving up his own music on his own label, and really keeping a strong fire burning throughout! The set begins with a strong drum solo, dedicated to Ndugu Chancler but right after that, Willie holds strong as a very powerful leader commanding a great array of talent in the group, in the way that Art Blakey might have during the classic Jazz Messengers years! Like Blakey, Jones seems to bring out a special sort of spirit in the musicians a great lineup that includes George Cables on piano, Steve Davis on trombone, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, and both Sherman Irby and Justin Robinson on alto playing in shifting lineups, but always keeping things strong as the group moves through tunes by Larry Willis, Jimmy Heath, Jeremy Pelt, and Jones himself. Renee Neufville turns in a great vocal performance on "Trust" and other tunes include "Something For Ndugu", "Fallen Hero", "CTA", "Annika's Lullaby", and "To Wisdom The Prize". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/980251

Personnel: Willie Jones III drums; Jeremy Pelt trumpet; Sherman Irby alto saxophone; George Cables piano; Gerald Cannon bass,Steve Davis trombone (6); Justin Robinson alto saxophone (9); Isaiah Thompson piano (9); Renee Neufville vocals (4).

Fallen Heroes

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George Cables - I'm All Smiles

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year:  2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:24
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Young at Heart
(6:15)  2. I'm All Smiles - From "The Yearling"
(5:46)  3. Speak No Evil
(7:49)  4. Bésame Mucho
(5:59)  5. Ugly Beauty
(7:18)  6. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing
(5:41)  7. Celebration
(4:16)  8. Three Views of a Secret
(5:09)  9. Thermo
(3:40) 10. Monk's Mood

At a time when jazz is being pulled in every direction at once in search of a future some fear may not exist, musicians such as George Cables, Essiet Essiet and Victor Lewis are proving that, for those who listen, there is no place quite like the present. Essiet became the trio's bassist for its 2012 Highnote release My Muse, and has remained since. Cables has been fortunate with drummers throughout his career as a band leader. During the 1970s and 1980s he played with both Billy Higgins and Carl Burnette. In the 1990s future Cookers band-mate Billy Hart would join him for multiple albums, including the excellent Night And Day (DIW, 1991). Since 2001, Victor Lewis has been his drummer of choice; in fact both Lewis and Essiet have been the pianist's most frequent cohorts when taking the live stage as a trio in the 2010s. Though he was hardly gone for long, I'm All Smiles is something of a comeback album. Early in 2018, George Cables lost much of his left leg by way of amputation. It took a year of recovery, physical therapy and crutches to be well enough again to take the stage, both as a member of the Cookers and with this very trio. Cables dedicates I'm All Smiles to "all those people that sent gifts and messages of support and encouragement during the time [he] was dealing with serious medical issues and unable to play the piano or make gigs." Judging by the album's cover art, which features a dapper Cables leaning on a piano and smiling jauntily, he intends to convey that he is back in good spirits. Contrasting sharply with his previous effort, The George Cables Songbook (Highnote, 2016), all of the songs present on I'm All Smiles are covers of other artists' compositions, save for the newly penned "Celebration," which hurdles forward with an unbound energy befitting its self-explanatory title. 

The trio kicks things off with the widely covered "Young At Heart," which became known in the early 1950s as a Frank Sinatra ballad vehicle, before shifting into the title track. It's here that Cables really lets loose his trademark wit and passion. Written by Michael Leonard and Herbert Martin for the 1965 Broadway musical The Yearling, and subsequently covered by Hampton Hawes, Bill Evans and Barbra Streisand, "I'm All Smiles" is the most playful recording this trio has released yet. It's hard to be sure where the song is going until Cables decides to let his left hand draw out the four note lead-in to the chorus. In some ways this is his method of winking at his audience, knowing that at this point in his career they are wary enough to follow along with his amusements. The trio shifts into the album's second act with "Besame Mucho," a standard Cables hasn't recorded since he was part of Art Pepper's most consistent and comfortable group on the 1979 Galaxy album of the same name. Rather than the frantic, "by the seat of your pants" delivery of Pepper's version, Cables now sets his own pace, calmer and more sure-handed. While it's easy to wistfully recall the more wild, impassioned interpretations of that era now four decades past, the trio present here offers a more measured approach which works well within the context of this album. Cables once said "every time I play with somebody different I have to put on a different hat." To his avid listeners, the pianist doubtlessly wears his own cap, and his inimitable playing style now honed over a half-century, is immediately recognizable. That style permeates Thelonious Monk's "Ugly Beauty" and "Monk's Mood." The latter is a solo piano piece which provides a quiet, self-searching end to the album, allowing it to ebb away rather than suddenly break. One of the finer points of discovery during I'm All Smiles is the way the pianist cohabits other musician's works. He shrewdly keeps the soul of a composition such as Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil" and Freddie Hubbard's "Thermo" alive while subtly sprinkling his own ingredients into the pot. The result of his efforts are albums like this, wherein a keen-eared listener will find an exercise of intuitive musical expertise which has endured personal strife and tragedy and climbed ever closer to perfection. I'm All Smiles is a triumph the sort of jazz piano album which comes along just once in a while to remind genre fans why they started listening in the first place. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/im-all-smiles-george-cables-highnote-records-review-by-peter-hoetjes.php

Personnel: George Cables: piano; Essiet Essiet: bass (1-9); Victor Lewis: drums (1-9).

I'm All Smiles

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Frank Morgan, George Cables - Montreal Memories

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:08
Size: 141,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:29)  1. Now's the Time
(7:01)  2. All the Things You Are
(7:45)  3. A Night in Tunisia
(5:30)  4. 'Round Midnight
(5:00)  5. Confirmation
(8:26)  6. Blues for Rosalinda
(8:24)  7. Helen's Song
(5:02)  8. Lullaby
(7:25)  9. Nefertiti,  Billie's Bounce

Montreal Memories is a duet album recorded at Theatre Port Royal on July 1, 1989, featuring two of the most talented jazz artists of any generation: alto saxophonist Frank Morgan; and pianist George Cables. This is the second duet album they've released, the first being Contemporary's Double Image in 1987. A jazz duet is a format which invites intimacy and profundity, more than the typical quartet or quintet setup. Two musicians must really know each other, to be completely cohesive and able to anticipate the other's changes. This sort of album tends to be either great or lackluster, which makes it a bit of a gamble to record live, but Morgan and Cables play those odds and they pay off well for a second time. And why shouldn't they? They've worked together on and off from the mid-eighties until the Morgan's death in 2007. With a career as pianist for some of the greatest horn players in existence, Cables effortlessly blends his approach with Morgan's singular voice. Both musicians have very recognizable sounds; if one were to remove either from this record, it wouldn't be difficult to tell who's playing. Neither sacrifices a bit of their character to create this, and Montreal Memories is a far stronger album for it. 

The live set swings out of the starting gate with Charlie Parker's "Now's the Time," before mellowing for "All the Things You Are," a standard that allows the pair to showcase their improvisations within the construct of a ballad. Morgan's moody saxophone layers over Cables' subdued piano to lend the song not only emotional resonance but atmosphere. The duo rockets through the familiar, swinging "A Night in Tunisia." A decade earlier, Cables was playing it with another altoist, Art Pepper, during the saxophonist's legendary Village Vanguard sessions. This recording takes the familiarity and toys with it somewhat, giving it a new twist without ever losing sight of its familiar melody. "Round Midnight" seems like a logical choice for a pianist like Cables to include in his set, considering the admiration he held for Dexter Gordon who, at the same time, was making headlines for the classic Thelonious Monk song again, with his appearance in Bernard Tavernier's 1986 film of the same name and subsequent soundtrack. "Confirmation" is an interesting take on a classic Charlie Parker song. Not truly fast-tempo'd, it still feels as if Morgan is pushing just a bit at Cables, nipping at his heels, which has the effect of nudging the heartbeat a bit faster than it would be had they chosen a blisteringly fast song like "Cherokee." It's an unexpected, unique effect halfway through the album. The laid-back tearjerker that Morgan wrote for his wife, "Blues For Rosalinda," is followed by two Cables originals: the ubiquitous "Helen's Song"; and "Lullaby." "Lullaby," as usual, is a weighty and emotional song, perfectly apropos for its title. The song doesn't just ache, it moans and sobs and bleeds all at once, clawing at the heart. "Helen's Song" on the other hand, gets an interesting take from Morgan. While it's typically played with a piano-led trio, this rendition removes the rhythm section and, instead, allows Morgan and Cables to improvise their way through the performance, breathing new life into the pianist's best known composition. If "Lullaby" is intended to lull you to sleep, "Helen's Song" is designed to roust you from it, with its assertions of love and hope. 

Countering the tenderness of the past 22 minutes, the duo chooses to end its live set with an intriguing medley. Bridging Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti" with another Parker tune, "Billie's Bounce," is a wise choice, taking all of the sounds the audience heard throughout the last hour and molding them together in a way that proves how incredible these two were at the time. With Morgan no longer alive (though George Cables is still performing both solo as well as with jazz super group The Cookers), this album may qualify as the final 2018 posthumous release, alongside music from such legendary artists as Erroll Garner, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Dexter Gordon, and Art Pepper. Some were middling, some were a bit disappointing, and some were valuable treasures. Not only does Montreal Memories fall into that final category, it is truly one of the "must hear" jazz albums of the year. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/montreal-memories-frank-morgan-highnote-records-review-by-peter-hoetjes.php

Personnel: Frank Morgan: alto saxophone; George Cables; piano.

Montreal Memories

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Joe Henderson Quintet - At The Lighthouse

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:12
Size: 175,8 MB
Art: Front

( 5:37)  1. Caribbean Fire Dance
( 8:19)  2. Recorda-Me
(10:31)  3. A Shade Of Jade
( 4:30)  4. Isotope
( 9:01)  5. 'Round Midnight
( 8:33)  6. Mode For Joe
( 7:33)  7. Invitation
(11:30)  8. If You're Not Part Of The Solution, You're Part Of The Problem
( 9:47)  9. Blue Bossa
( 0:46) 10. Closing Theme

I was pretty late coming to Joe Henderson. I was never a big sax aficionado, least of all tenors; once I got through Trane, Shorter, Rahsaan, Bartz, and Branford, I kind of grew a preference for alto players. That being what it is, there is a certain class of tenor players who do not wow me so much for their own singular identity, as much as their amazing ability to blend into an ensemble so very well (even if they are the leader). Henderson is one of those, and I do really admire his breadth in that regard. He has class and a vast technique that lets him work gigs like this to maximum. At the Lighthouse is a 1970 performance that had been split up on various releases and box compilations, but was finally loosed upon the record buying public by Milestone/Fantasy in 2004. It is one of Henderson at his peak, playing with a hearty, fat tone that slides around between warm and bubbly to boisterous and blaring. His band has Woody Shaw working a crisp trumpet, that is not too harsh or bright tonally, and reminds me of Clifford Brown a little. The rhythm department is my favorite part; Lenny White on traps never disappoints, and since I love electric piano (the Fender Rhodes is technically incapable of sounding bad…ever), the support from George Cables impresses me (because I had never recalled his name ever entering memory before this album), especially on Invitation. The take on the ‘Round Midnight Monk standard has a lot of space, which lets the various players work through nine minutes of challenging interpretation. The same interplay and great soloing happens on the Kenny Dorham composition Blue Bossa. Henderson brings a few of his on compositions, like Isotope, which are challenging and a whole push back into hard bop in the best way. White hammers and dances on the kit, making the pulse seem both out of control and effortless. The odd duck of the album is another Henderson-penned cut, f You’re Not Part of the Solution, You’re Part of the Problem. It is the closest to funky soul-jazz as this set gets, but at eleven and a half minutes makes for a filling slice of sonic badonkadonk. The sole track where acoustic bassist Ron McCLure switches to electric, he locks in with White in a linear groove workout that lets Shaw, Henderson and even Cables have a field day. I give at least partial credit to the great quality of the recording to uber-producer Orrin Keepnews. Solid! https://devrandom.net/~zeruch/wordpress/?p=453
 

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson; Bass – Ron McClure; Bass [Electric] – Ron McClure; Congas – Tony Waters; Drums – Lenny White; Electric Piano – George Cables; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Woody Shaw

At The Lighthouse

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George Cables - You Don't Know Me, Vol. 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:24
Size: 144,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. Here's One
(5:08)  2. Go Down Moses
(4:42)  3. Going Home
(3:46)  4. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(7:44)  5. Señorita De Aranjuez
(7:20)  6. Looking for the Light
(5:28)  7. Waltz for Debby
(4:22)  8. Stella by Starlight
(6:20)  9. Morning Song
(5:20) 10. Ana Marie
(7:33) 11. The Way We Were

Equally skilled as a leader or as a sideman, George Cables helped to define modern mainstream jazz piano of the 1980s and '90s. When he was 18 and at Mannes College, he formed the Jazz Samaritans with Steve Grossman and Billy Cobham. Cables gained recognition during his stints with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Sonny Rollins (both in 1969), Joe Henderson (1969-1971), and Freddie Hubbard (1971-1976). He was with Dexter Gordon (1976-1978) during the tenor's successful return to the United States, and became known as Art Pepper's favorite pianist (1979-1982). In addition to his occasional work with Bebop and Beyond (starting in 1984), Cables appeared in a countless number of situations through the years, and has recorded frequently as a leader, most notably for Contemporary (including the 1979 classic Cables Vision), Concord, and SteepleChase. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-cables-mn0000634700/biography

Personnel:  George Cables - Piano

You Don't Know Me, Vol. 2

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Dexter Gordon & Johnny Griffin' - Great Encounters

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:50
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(14:05)  1. Blues Up And Down
( 4:52)  2. Diggin' In
(12:04)  3. Cake
( 8:41)  4. Ruby, My Dear
( 5:08)  5. It's Only A Paper Moon

The two great tenors, Dexter Gordon and Johnny Griffin, battle it out on in exciting fashion on live versions of "Blues Up and Down" and "Cake." Bop singer Eddie Jefferson and trumpeter Woody Shaw join Gordon and his quartet (pianist George Cables, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Eddie Gladden) on "Diggin' In" and "It's Only a Paper Moon" and Gordon takes Thelonious Monk's ballad "Ruby My Dear" as his feature. Everything works quite well on this diverse but consistent LP, one of Dexter Gordon's later efforts. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/great-encounters-mw0000421077

Personnel:  Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin (Tenor Saxophone); Rufus Reid (Double Bass); Eddie Gladden (Drums); George Cables (Piano); Curtis Fuller (Trombone); Woody Shaw (Trumpet); Eddie Jefferson (Vocals).

Great Encounters

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Roberta Gambarini - The Shadow Of Your Smile - Homage To Japan

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:58
Size: 154,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:07)  1. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:01)  2. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:58)  3. Someone To Watch Over Me
(5:15)  4. Embraceable You
(2:20)  5. Nobody Else But Me
(4:40)  6. Rainy Days And Mondays
(5:43)  7. Moanin
(4:12)  8. Poor Butterfly
(3:58)  9. My Shining Hour
(4:05) 10. Whisper Not
(5:29) 11. I Remember Clifford
(5:29) 12. Satin Doll
(4:40) 13. Close To You
(5:01) 14. My One And Only Love

Between 2006 and 2009, Italian émigré Roberta Gambarini delivered a trio of albums that earned her widespread plaudits as the heir apparent to Ella or Sarah or both. Then … a deafening silence. A trickle of fresh Gambarini material did appear last year with her four-track appearance on the Pratt Brothers Big Band’s terrific 16 Men & a Chick Singer Swingin’. Now, at last, Gambarini has released a new (if slightly difficult to obtain) disc. The album was recorded in New Jersey earlier this year with an ace quartet of saxophonist/flutist Justin Robinson, pianist George Cables, bassist John Webber and drummer Victor Lewis. But you won’t find it at your local CD outlet. Like the majority of her vocalist peers, Gambarini has an enormous following in Japan. The affection is mutual, and The Shadow of Your Smile is her exclusive billet-doux to them. (It is even subtitled Hommage [sic] to Japan.) And fortunate the Japanese are, for this is Gambarini’s finest outing to date, her plush, round notes and pearlescent tone shown to superb advantage. The mood is generally mellow, with lithe readings of “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Embraceable You,” “Poor Butterfly,” “My One and Only Love” and the haunting title track plus a double-dip into the Carpenters’ songbook for “Close to You” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.” But she also gives her chops a healthy workout on a down-‘n’-dirty “Moanin’,” a scat-infused “Satin Doll” and a breezy “Fly Me to the Moon” that’s at once Sassy-warm and Sinatra-cool. https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/roberta-gambarini-the-shadow-of-your-smile/

Personnel:   Roberta Gambarini (vo);  George Cables (p);  John Webber (b);  Victor Lewis (ds);  Justin Robinson (as)

The Shadow Of Your Smile - Homage To Japan

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