Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Goin' To The Meetin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:00
Size: 171,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. I Wished On The Moon
(4:24)  2. From This Moment On
(5:44)  3. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight
(6:17)  4. Just Friends
(7:03)  5. The Moon Of Mankoora
(6:53)  6. Speak Low
(5:27)  7. Goin' To Meetin'
(3:05)  8. People Will Say We're In Love
(5:00)  9. Night And Day
(3:41) 10. Pass The Hat
(3:48) 11. Yes, Yes
(3:59) 12. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(2:40) 13. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(5:35) 14. Oh Babee
(4:15) 15. Little Cougar

The esthetic and visceral aspects of Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis’ music have been on my mind a lot lately. My regular AAJ column “Combing the Fantasy Catalog” allowed me the welcome chance to explore his Prestige label legacy at length, but much to my regret this recent reissue wasn’t in circulation until after I’d put the wrap on the articles. The generous clutch of material from three albums, Misty, Stompin’ and Goin’ to the Meetin’ gathered here is much in line with his other work circa this vintage. The disc’s first half revisits the classic Davis/Scott combo flying its full hard-swinging soul-hued regalia with the added bonus of conguero Ray Barretto in the ranks. Originally a Moodsville release the tunes are a surprising mix of up-tempo burners like “From This Moment On” and balladic fare such as “Just Friends.” Both vie to create a swirling batch of performances that bring out the band’s best side. Just drop in on the furious conga breaks on the former tune and tidal force of Scott’s sustain-saturated fills for a taste guaranteed to leave even the most sullenly jaded listener rapacious for more. Even the slice of pop exotica “The Moon of Manakoora,” a regular staple of the Bachelor pad orchestras bandleaders like Les Baxter and is successfully given a make-over in line with the Davis’ no-frills delivery.

The album from which the disc’s title is taken fills out the second half trading Scott’s soul organ for Parlan’s hard bop piano and convening a completely different rhythm section with conga presence intact. Catlett’s moody walking line on the title track (which strangely recalls the bass line to Gil Melle’s “Mars”- how’s that for an obscure reference?) is but one of the many indications of a different, but no less visceral vibe. Bobo’s skins are sparser and more staccato in sound, accenting rather than driving the group, and Taylor’s sticks deliver a crisper, more measured sound than Edgehill. Parlan steps to the solo podium almost as often as the leader, but tune lengths are significantly shorter. Highlights are numerous, but the Latin groove of “Night and Day” where Taylor and Bobo sculpt a living lattice of interlocking cross rhythms beneath Davis’ booting phrasings garners first prize by my estimation. Listener’s familiar with Davis won’t need much prodding when it comes to acquisition of this disc, but suffice it to say that those unfamiliar with his gruff charms are likely to find themselves pleased by the purchase as well.By Derek Taylor
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/goin-to-the-meetin-eddie-lockjaw-davis-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophone); Horace Parlan (piano); Shirley Scott (organ); George Duvivier (bass); Ray Barretto, Willie Bobo (congas).

Goin' To The Meetin'

---

Ruby Braff - Ruby Braff Goes “Girl Crazy”

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
Time: 39:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 92,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:56) 1. Embraceable You
(4:18) 2. Treat Me Rough
(6:28) 3. But Not For Me
(3:07) 4. Boy! What Love Has Done For Me
(5:39) 5. I Got Rhythm
(5:27) 6. Bidin' My Time
(6:18) 7. Could You Use Me
(3:03) 8. Barbary Coast

The then-32-year-old trumpeter Ruby Braff was fond of show tunes, and took for his concept the songs from the Gershwin brothers' Broadway stage play Girl Crazy for this album, his sixth as a leader. The music played by this band under the moniker of the Shubert Alley Cats is fairly predictable within the swing style, but this recording at times leans more toward bop with the inclusion of pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Jim Hall, and especially Al Cohn, who plays his trusty tenor sax and a lot of clarinet.

The musicianship is solid enough, the songs a bit stretched with solos, and the jazz fairly interesting within the conservative, mainstream, straight-ahead idiom. The hottest tune is the last, "Barbary Coast," as bassists Bob Haggart and George Duvivier go to town while the horns jam, while the slowest "Embraceable You" is the opener, a ballad where Braff plays in a style akin to Louis Armstrong.

In the middle you get a contradictory easy blues in "Treat Me Rough," and the uncharacteristically down-home "I Got Rhythm," accented by Jones and Hall, which merges into swing via Cohn's tenor. Hall's role as a rhythm guitarist seems untoward in what he would be as a leader, but his feature during the old-fashioned "Could You Use Me?" sets up the horns counterpoint, and is particularly pronounced on "But Not for Me."

While Cohn's clarinet might not settle into familiar territory for those who know him as a bop tenor, he's especially sweet with Braff on "Treat Me Rough," and repentant for the poignant, lovely, melancholy, no-frills take of "But Not for Me." There's one more ballad, "Bidin' My Time," which is as basic as it gets, while a more vocal sound from Braff's muted trumpet comes forth on "Boy! What Love Has Done for Me."

While the music is sophisticated, the heat of this music barely sparks any real flames, excepting the fine drumming of Buzzy Drootin and the always exceptional Jones when he chooses to turn it up a notch. It would have been nice to hear a follow-up recording from this clearly talented ensemble, for this instance captured in the early years of their lengthy and successful careers.By Michael G.Nastos
https://www.allmusic.com/album/ruby-braff-goes-girl-crazy-mw0000819868

Personnel: Trumpet – Ruby Braff; Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn; Piano – Hank Jones; Guitar – Jim Hall; Drums – Buzzy Drootin; Bass – Bob Haggart, George Duvivier

Ruby Braff Goes “Girl Crazy”

---

Wild Bill Davis, Johnny Hodges - Con-Soul and Sax

Styles: Post Bop, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:59
Size: 85,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(3:15)  2. On Green Dolphin Street
(4:10)  3. Lil' Darlin'
(4:52)  4. Con-Soul and Sax
(2:30)  5. The Jeep Is Jumpin'
(3:25)  6. I'm Beginning to See the Light
(4:01)  7. Sophisticated Lady
(4:25)  8. Drop Me Off In Harlem
(3:21)  9. No One
(3:09) 10. Johnny Come Lately

Con-Soul & Sax is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in 1965 and released on the RCA Victor label. The title is a play on words based on the term "console organ", a term used by the Hammond organ company to describe the type of organs favored by Davis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Con-Soul_%26_Sax

Personnel:  Wild Bill Davis - organ; Johnny Hodges - alto saxophone; Dickie Thompson, Mundell Lowe - guitar; Milt Hinton, George Duvivier - double bass; Osie Johnson - drums

Con-Soul and Sax

---

Mundell Lowe - Blues for a Stripper

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:18
Size: 73,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:30) 1. Blues for a Stripper
(3:25) 2. From Mundy On
(2:15) 3. Montage
(3:33) 4. Coffee, Coffee
(3:41) 5. The Lost and the Lonely
(2:28) 6. Pattern of Evil
(3:30) 7. Satan in High Heels
(2:54) 8. East Side Drive
(3:33) 9. Lake in the Woods
(2:25) 10. The Long Knife

The music on this big-band date led by guitarist Mundell Lowe has a somewhat confusing history, since it was initially released as the soundtrack to the low-budget film Satan in High Heels and later reissued as Blues for a Stripper. The ten originals are written, arranged, and conducted by Lowe, with a formidable all-star big band that includes Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Jimmy Cleveland, Joe Newman, Al Cohn, Oliver Nelson, and Eddie Costa.

His brief sketches are enjoyable, running the gamut of bop, hard bop, cool, and swing, though none of them makes a lasting impression. Sadly, none of the soloists is identified and the solos are too brief to make it obvious who is playing, though Costa takes several excellent solos on vibes. This LP, issued on the Charlie Parker label, is a bit of an obscurity that is worth searching for. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-for-a-stripper-mw0000350724

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods; Baritone Saxophone – Gene Allen, Sol Schlinger; Bass – George Duvivier; Drums – Ed Shaughnessy; Guitar – Mundell Lowe; Piano, Vibraphone – Eddie Costa; Saxophone – Al Cohn, Al Klink, Ray Beckenstein, Walter Levinsky; Saxophone, Flute – Walter Levinsky; Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, Oliver Nelson; Trombone – George "Buster" Cooper*, Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green; Trumpet – Bernie Glow, Clark Terry, Carl Severinsen*, Ernie Royal, Joe Newman

Blues for a Stripper

---

Oliver Nelson - Meet Oliver Nelson / Main Stem

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:25

Size: 165.8 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[7:02] 1. Jams And Jellies

[6:51] 2. Passion Flower

[3:44] 3. Don't Stand Up

[5:30] 4. Ostinato

[6:52] 5. What's New

[6:34] 6. Booze Blues Baby

[6:50] 7. Main Stem

[5:50] 8. J & B

[4:33] 9. Ho!

[6:11] 10. Latino

[5:18] 11. Tipsy

[7:03] 12. Tangerine

Kenny Dorham, Joe Newman (tp), Oliver Nelson (ts), Ray Bryant, Hank Jones (p), Wendell Marshall, George Duvivier (b), Charlie Persip, Art Taylor (d).

”Meet Oliver Nelson” marked the leader recording debut of a considerable talent in tenor saxophonist Oliver Nelson (1932-1975). He was to win even greater acclaim later as a composer and arranger, but at 27 he was already a vastly experienced performer and a notably imaginative soloist, affectingly sensitive on ballads like Passion Flower and What’s New, with a voluminous sound, full and fiery, on more driving material.

For his debut he had simpatico company in trumpeter Kenny Dorham, so lyrical on Booze Baby Blues, and a shrewdly chosen rhythm section in pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Art Taylor. It was a noteworthy beginning.

Recorded almost two years later, “Main Stem” was much more like a typical Prestige blowing session of the time, heavily dependant on the wit and invention of the participants. Fortunately, Nelson again chose his colleagues well. Trumpeter Joe Newman is particularly good and pianist Hank Jones is his usual lucidly impeccable self in a swinging rhythm section with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Charlie Persip, while the leader, on both alto and tenor, produces an abundance of melodic, well-constructed solos over a satisfying session.

Meet Oliver Nelson/Main Stem  

---

Gene Ammons - Up Tight!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:04
Size: 171.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/1994
Art: Front

[6:25] 1. The Breeze And I
[6:06] 2. Carbow
[5:03] 3. Moonglow
[6:01] 4. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
[4:47] 5. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[8:17] 6. Jug's Blue Blues
[4:13] 7. Lester Leaps In
[5:57] 8. The Five O'clock Whistle
[4:31] 9. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman
[5:12] 10. Song Of The Islands
[3:32] 11. Up Tight
[3:40] 12. Travelin'
[4:49] 13. Soft Summer Breeze
[6:24] 14. Don't Go To Strangers

Bass – Arthur Davis, George Duvivier; Congas – Ray Barretto; Drums – Arthur Taylor; Piano – Patti Bown, Walter Bishop; Saxophone – Gene Ammons. Recorded in October 17th & 18th, 1961.

Gene Ammons recorded many albums for Prestige but, if this CD is a good start for listeners unfamiliar with his playing. A reissue of two LPs (Up Tight and Boss Soul) recorded during the same two-day period, these performances find Ammons backed by a pair of four-piece rhythm sections (with either Walter Bishop or Patti Bown on piano and Ray Barretto's congas a major asset) and taking the lion's share of the solo space. Ammons sounds particularly warm and emotional throughout this CD, particularly on such numbers as "The Breeze and I," "I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is over," a cooking "Lester Leaps In" and "Song of the Islands." His sound and style effectively bridged the gap between bop and soul jazz. ~Scott Yanow

Up Tight!

---

Tadd Dameron - The Magic Touch

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:37
Size: 85,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. On A Misty Night
(4:11)  2. Fontainebleau
(4:54)  3. Just Plain Talking
(3:18)  4. If You Could See Me Now
(2:51)  5. Our Delight
(3:01)  6. Dial B For Beauty
(4:56)  7. Look, Stop And Listen
(3:31)  8. Bevan's Birthday
(3:42)  9. You're A Joy
(3:12) 10. Swift As The Wind

Tadd Dameron is known to proclaim that he became an arranger rather than stay an exclusive instrumentalist because it was the only way he could get his music played. In retrospect, considering his best-known works are widely revered, few of them are frequently played by other bands, and only the finest musicians are able to properly interpret them. Dameron's charts had an ebb and flow that superseded the basic approach of Count Basie, yet were never as quite complicated as Duke Ellington. Coming up in the bop movement, Dameron's music had to have been by definition holding broader artistic harmonics, while allowing for the individuality of his bandmembers. The Magic Touch includes a handful of Dameron's most beloved compositions, as well as those that were more obscure, and have still never been covered. When you look at the sheer talent level of the players on this recording Clark Terry, Charlie Shavers, Joe Wilder, Jimmy Cleveland, Britt Woodman, Julius Watkins, Jerry Dodgion, Jerome Richardson, Johnny Griffin, Bill Evans, Ron Carter, George Duvivier, et al.one has to be in awe of them, and that only Dameron was able to convene such a band of extraordinary jazz performers in their prime. To effectively rein them all in was the trick, keeping solos at a bare minimum, and blending their personalized sounds together so harmoniously. "If You Could See Me Now" is the most famous, the immortal ballad of regret featuring the Sarah Vaughan styled vocal of Barbara Winfield. She also appears on the restrained and serene "You're a Joy." Dameron was known for his wonderfully piquant flute arrangements, with Dodgion, Richardson, and Leo Wright doing the honors, sounding chirpy during "If You Could See Me Now," in wonderfully supple Japanese style trills during "Dial B for Beauty," in staccato bop trim for "Swift as the Wind," or in heightened dramatic, evocative romantic nuances on the classic "Fontainebleau." The other classic standards include the definitive, spirited, cohesive rock 'em sock 'em horn punctuations and the great drumming of Philly Joe Jones for "On a Misty Night," and the direct, simple, hard swinging bop of "Our Delight" charts in most every big band's repertoire. The blues infused "Just Plain Talkin'" take the flutes and alto saxophonist Dodgion to a higher atmospheric level, "Look, Stop & Listen" is a quirky bop managed in choppy horn layers, while "Bevan's Birthday" is a Latin to easy swing and back inversion, triggered by the flutes to go back to the spicy beats. This CD version features several shorter alternate takes, thus increasing the value of the original sessions, not with longer solos, but different improvisational nuances. As close to a definitive recording as Dameron issued, and considering his very small discography, The Magic Touch is a recording that all modern jazz lovers need to own and take further lessons from. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-magic-touch-of-tadd-dameron-mw0000378367

Personnel: Tadd Dameron - Piano, Arranger, Conductor; Clark Terry - Trumpet; Ernie Royal - Trumpet; Charlie Shavers - Trumpet; Joe Wilder - Trumpet; Jimmy Cleveland - Trombone; Britt Woodman - Trombone; Julius Watkins - French Horn; Jerry Dodgion - Alto Sax, Flute; Leo Wright - Alto Sax, Flute; Jerome Richardson - Tenor Sax, Flute; Johnny Griffin - Tenor Sax; Tate Houston - Baritone Sax; Bill Evans - Piano; Ron Carter - Bass; George Duvivier - Bass; Philly Joe Jones - Drums; Barbara Winfield - Vocals

The Magic Touch

---

Lionel Hampton and Dexter Gordon - Lionel Hampton with Dexter Gordon

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:06
Size: 90,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:01)  1. Cutie
(7:56)  2. They Say That Falling In Love With You Is Wonderful
(4:20)  3. Lullaby Of Birdland
(5:13)  4. I Should Care
(6:30)  5. Seven Comes Eleven
(8:04)  6. Blues For Gates

One of many impromptu sessions staged in 1977 for Lionel Hampton's Who's Who in Jazz label, this recording features the basic band of Hampton on vibes, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Oliver Jackson on drums, and Candido Camero on congas that is common to many of the albums, plus, in this case, Dexter Gordon (an alumnus of the Hampton big band) on tenor and soprano saxophone. The songs are mostly standards like "They Say That Falling in Love Is Wonderful" and "I Should Care," and Hampton and Gordon are given extended solo time in the relaxed arrangements, with Pizzarelli and Jones also taking occasional turns. The charm of all the 1977 Who's Who sessions is their intimacy: they sound more like something overheard after the final set in a club than formal recordings. This is one of the better ones. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/lionel-hampton-with-dexter-gordon-mw0000188260

Personnel: Vibraphone, Producer – Lionel Hampton; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Dexter Gordon; Bass – George Duvivier; Congas – Candido; Drums – Oliver Jackson; Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli; Piano – Hank Jones

Lionel Hampton with Dexter Gordon

---

Bud Powell Trio - Swingin' With Bud

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:03
Size: 90,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. Another Dozen
(4:57)  2. Like Someone In Love
(2:22)  3. Salt Peanuts
(5:09)  4. She
(3:16)  5. Swedish Pastry
(3:16)  6. Shaw 'Nuff
(2:33)  7. Oblivion
(3:25)  8. In the Blue of the Evening
(3:05)  9. Get It
(4:20) 10. Birdland Blues
(3:09) 11. Midway

The immortal pianist Bud Powell's two RCA sets from 1956-1957 have been unjustly neglected through the years. Superior to his Verve releases from the time (although not on the same level as his Blue Note dates), Powell is in generally good form on this trio session with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Art Taylor. Highlights include "Like Someone in Love," "Salt Peanuts," "Shaw 'Nuff" and "Oblivion" (the latter is one of four Powell originals on the program). The set is not essential but is easily recommended to bop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-with-bud-mw0000644656

Personnel: Bud Powell – piano; George Duvivier – bass; Art Taylor – drums

Swingin' With Bud

---

Honi Gordon - Honi Gordon Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:36
Size: 77,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Strollin'
(2:28)  2. Ill Wind (You're Blowing Me No Good)
(5:16)  3. My Kokomo
(4:57)  4. Why Try to Change Me Now
(3:19)  5. Cupid
(3:08)  6. Walkin' (Out the Door)
(3:25)  7. Why
(3:40)  8. Love Affair
(2:43)  9. Lament of the Lonely

Honi Gordon's obscurity (this was her only recording as a solo singer) is a mystery for she displays a great deal of talent on this date. Her father George Gordon wrote some of the tricky lyrics (which are phrased like a horn) and Honi (who is given stimulating support by pianist Jaki Byard, Ken McIntyre on flute and alto, guitarist Wally Richardson, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Ed Shaughnessy) is up to the job. Her version of Charles Mingus's "Strollin'" is definitive, she finds something new to say on "Ill Wind" and really digs into the originals. This is bop-based jazz singing at its best. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/honi-gordon-sings-mw0000273471

Personnel:  Honi Gordon – vocals; Ken McIntyre – alto sax, flute; Wally Richardson – guitar; Jaki Byard – piano; George Duvivier – bass; Ed Shaughnessy – drums

Thank You Luis!

Honi Gordon Sings

---

Sonny Clark - Blues Mambo

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:56
Size: 100,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Minor Meeting
(6:16)  2. Nica
(6:18)  3. Sonny's Crip
(5:08)  4. Blues Mambo
(4:24)  5. Blues Blue
(6:16)  6. Junka
(4:31)  7. My Conception
(5:15)  8. Sonja

Like Fats Navarro and Charlie Parker before him, Sonny Clark's life was short but it burned with musical intensity. Influenced deeply by Bud Powell, Clark nonetheless developed an intricate and hard-swinging harmonic sensibility that was full of nuance and detail. Regarded as the quintessential hard bop pianist, Clark never got his due before he passed away in 1963 at the age of 31, despite the fact that it can be argued that he never played a bad recording date either as a sideman or as a leader. Known mainly for seven records on the Blue Note label with a host of players including such luminaries as John Coltrane, Art Farmer, Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Art Taylor, Paul Chambers, Wilbur Ware, Philly Joe Jones, and others, Clark actually made his recording debut with Teddy Charles and Wardell Gray, but left soon after to join Buddy DeFranco. His work with the great clarinetist has been documented in full in a Mosaic set that is now sadly out of print. Clark also backed Dinah Washington, Serge Chaloff, and Sonny Criss before assuming his role as a leader in 1957. Clark's classic is regarded as Cool Struttin' but each date he led on Blue Note qualifies as a classic, including his final date, Sonny's Crib with John Coltrane. And though commercial success always eluded him, he was in demand as a sideman and played dozens of Alfred Lion-produced dates, including Tina Brooks' Minor Move. Luckily, Clark's contribution is well documented by Alfred Lion; he has achieved far more critical, musical, and popular acclaim than he ever did in life. ~ Thom Jurek  https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sonny-clark-mn0000036934/biography

Personnel: Sonny Clark (Piano); Max Roach (Drums); George Duvivier (Double Bass)

Blues Mambo

---

Benny Goodman - B. G. In Hi Fi

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:23
Size: 149,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:15)  1. Let's Dance
(3:38)  2. Air Mail Special
(3:27)  3. Ain't Misbehavin'
(3:05)  4. Get Happy
(3:00)  5. Slipped Disc
(3:07)  6. Jersey Bounce
(3:25)  7. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(2:51)  8. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
(2:51)  9. Blue Lou
(3:30) 10. Jumpin' At The Woodside
(3:15) 11. Stompin At The Savoy
(3:05) 12. Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today
(3:54) 13. Rose Room
(3:10) 14. What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry?
(3:28) 15. Rock Rimmon
(3:01) 16. You're A Sweetheart
(3:26) 17. Somebody Stole My Gal
(3:43) 18. (I Would) Do Anything For You
(3:08) 19. Big John's Special
(2:55) 20. Let's Dance

On this all-around excellent CD, Benny Goodman performs a dozen selections (mostly Fletcher Henderson arrangements) with a big band filled with sympathetic players in 1954 and eight other numbers with a pair of smaller units that also feature pianist Mel Powell and either Charlie Shavers or Ruby Braff on trumpets. Although the big-band era had been gone for almost a decade, Benny Goodman (then 46) plays these swing classics with enthusiasm and creativity and shows that there was never any reason for anyone to write him off as "behind the times."~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/bg-in-hi-fi-mw0000199310

Personnel: Clarinet – Benny Goodman; Bass – George Duvivier; Drums – Robert Donaldson; Guitar – Steve Jordan; Piano – Mel Powell; Saxophone – Boomie Richman, Al Klink, Hymie Shertzer, Paul Ricci, Sol Schlinger; Trombone – Cutty Cutshall, Vernon Brown, Will Bradley; Trumpet – Bernard Privin, Carl Poole, Chris Griffin, Ruby Braff

B. G. In Hi Fi

---

Lee Wiley - At Carnegie Hall

Styles: Vocal, Swing, Cabaret 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 143,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Intro
(2:42)  2. Back Home Again In Indiana
(0:15)  3. Announcement
(2:21)  4. When I Fall In Love
(4:35)  5. You Lucky To Me
(0:12)  6. Announcement
(2:47)  7. A Love Like This
(3:15)  8. Moon River
(0:15)  9. Announcement
(4:16) 10. Come Sunday
(3:04) 11. I'm Coming Virginia
(2:34) 12. A Woman Intuition
(4:18) 13. Sugar
(0:19) 14. Announcement
(2:07) 15. Manhattan
(3:24) 16. Someone To Watch Over Mee
(2:01) 17. Street Of Dreams
(2:02) 18. Some Sunny Day
(2:58) 19. Chicken Today And Feathers
(3:52) 20. A Ghost Of A Chance
(1:44) 21. Any Time, Any Day, Anywhere
(1:17) 22. 'S Wonderful
(1:12) 23. Somebody Loves Me
(1:26) 24. Soft Lights And Sweet Music
(2:20) 25. The Man I Love
(2:11) 26. Any Time Any Day Anywhere

Lee Wiley was a superior singer whose style feel between swing and cabaret. She gave straightforward interpretations of lyrics yet also had a strong sense of swing. Discouraged by the music business, Wiley retired in 1958 when she was still in her prime. She made a brief return during 1971-72 when she recorded a final album and performed at the first Newport in New York Jazz Festival. The latter concert has been released for the initial time on this Audiophile CD and is Wiley's final recording. Accompanied by cornetist Bobby Hackett, pianist Teddy Wilson, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Don Lamond, Lee Wiley sounds in surprisingly good form. Although her voice had deepened a little, she is quite recognizable and had not declined at all. Before a loving crowd (that sounds quite delighted to get the rare chance to see her), Wiley sings 11 songs. Best are "Indiana," "You're Lucky to Me," an emotional "Come Sunday" and "Sugar." Although she forgets the words at one point on "Manhattan" (a surprise request from George Wein), Lee Wiley does quite well and exits on top. The remainder of this CD is comprised of ten songs recorded at a rehearsal in 1952 with Wein himself on piano, bassist John Field and drummer Marquis Foster. The trumpeter is listed as Johnny Windhurst but I would opt for Bobby Hackett. Although quite informal (and some of the renditions are under two minutes), this rehearsal is an important addition to the relatively slim discography of the charming Lee Wiley. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-carnegie-hall-concert-mw0000913043

Personnel:  # 1-16:  Lee Wiley - vocal;  Bobby Hackett - cornet;  Teddy Wilson - piano;  Bucky Pizzarelli - guitar;  George Duvivier - bass;  Don Lamond - drums
# 17-26:  Lee Wiley - vocal ;  Johnny windhurst - trumpet ;  George Wein - piano ;  John Field - bass;  Marquis Foster - drums

At Carnegie Hall

---

Cat Anderson - Cat's In The Alley

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:23
Size: 144,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:40)  1. Little Man
(2:26)  2. Cat's In The Alley
(4:00)  3. Blue Jean Beguine
(2:48)  4. My Adorable "D"
(3:23)  5. June Bug
(2:37)  6. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:24)  7. Birth Of The Blues
(3:12)  8. You're The Cream In My Coffee
(2:37)  9. Nina
(4:20) 10. Chelsea Bridge
(2:46) 11. The Mexican Bandit
(4:18) 12. Loveinnessence
(4:36) 13. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(3:41) 14. Between Some Place, Goin' No Place
(3:04) 15. Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive
(3:45) 16. Summertime
(3:39) 17. Like Dig

As the lead soloist for the Duke Ellington Orchestra and recognized in smaller circles as one of the all-time great jazz trumpet improvisers, Cat Anderson did not have much time for fronting a band of his own. Up until his passing in 1981, Anderson still took many a backseat for listeners, critics, and the general public who knew virtually nothing about him. This single CD should change all of that, a reissue of his first two dates as a leader, with a 15-piece big band Cat on a Hot Tin Horn for Mercury records, and Ellingtonia, for octet, originally on the obscure Wynne label. Both have been out of print on vinyl for decades, making this release more than merely long awaited. Anderson, a proprietor of the upper octave high note solos that bent notes and challenged air traffic lanes, surprisingly takes a backseat for the greater good of the ensemble on most of this, and also finds him an adept composer of original swing to bop music. Of course the bands are fully loaded with great soloists, Ellingtonians or not, most notably fellow trumpeters Clark Terry and Ernie Royal, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, tenor saxophonists Jimmy Forrest and Ernie Wilkins (also arranger,) and drummer Panama Francis. Of the nine big band charts from 1958, the opener and longest jam, "Little Man," gets the ball rolling with standout solos from the wailin' Forrest, baritone saxophonist Sahib Shihab, Cleveland, and a free-for-all from the trumpet section. 

The rest of the tunes are short, ranging from Anderson's supremely confident low octave, vocal-like lead on "Birth of the Blues," the dramatic, Latin "Besame Mucho" flavored, light lavender colored "Blue Jean Beguine," and the jumpier "Mexican Bandit." Earle Warren's bravissimo vibrato on alto sax is featured during "My Adorable D," while the rocking drums of Francis set off the sparks of a "Blues for Sale" spin-off "Cat's in the Alley," and the skittering and even slightly irritating but big themed "June Bug." The large group pieces from 1959, with legendary Elllington trombonist Quentin "Butter" Jackson and different (than Francis for sure) drummer Sam Woodyard, sports an entirely different lineup, with two features, the sensual "Lovelinnessence" and the classic ballad "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," for the immortal violinist Ray Nance. Budd Johnson and Rudy Powell split sax and clarinet chores. Johnson is backing Nance, and Powell adds to the advanced modern swinger "Between Some Place, Goin' No Place" the bouncy, fun "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," and the bright, happy "Like Dig." Throughout the disc you hear many typical Ellington phrases, as if the master is looking over Anderson's shoulder, but they are snippets and not clichés. Besides "Flower," the big band with Anderson upfront does a muted trumpet wah wah plunger-accented "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," while the octet performs a perfect "Chelsea Bridge" and a lush, Ellington-like, hot, slow, and sultry "Summertime," but those are the few and far between covers. This one should, by definition, be impossible to nit-pick, for the recording sound is excellent, the players beyond reproach, and the variety of (then) modern jazz fits the progressive aesthetic of Ellington and the then expanding Anderson to a T. This comes highly recommended; it's nearly essential, and is one of the best mainstream jazz reissues in recent years. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/cats-in-the-alley-mw0001161028

Personnel:  Cat Anderson, Ernie Royal, Clark Terry (tp), Jimmy Cleveland, Henderson Chambers (tb), Earl Warren, Jimmy Forrest, Ernie Wilkins, Budd Johnson (reeds), Ray Nance (vln), Jimmy Jones (p), George Duvivier, Jimmy Woode (b), Panama Francis, Sam Woodyard (d)

Cat's In The Alley

---

Mildred Anderson - Person to Person

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:43
Size: 70,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright
(4:57)  2. I'm Free
(4:33)  3. Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)
(3:47)  4. Hello Little Boy
(3:07)  5. Person to Person
(2:57)  6. Cool Kind of Poppa
(3:50)  7. Kidney Stew Blues
(4:45)  8. I Didn't Have a Chance

Mildred Anderson, who recorded with organist Bill Doggett as early as 1953, only made two albums as a leader and, although thought of as as being in the R&B/blues field, both records have some notable jazz players supporting her. For this CD reissue, Anderson is joined by tenor-saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, organist Shirley Scott, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Arthur Edgehill for such songs as "Hello Little Boy," "Person to Person" and "Kidney Stew Blues" (the latter two tunes were associated with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson). Despite being rather brief (just 31 minutes), this set is worth checking out if quite obscure. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/person-to-person-mw0000108898

Personnel:  Mildred Anderson - vocals;  Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - tenor saxophone;  Shirley Scott - organ;  George Duvivier - bass;  Arthur Edgehill - drums

Person to Person

---

Arnett Cobb with the Red Garland Trio - Sizzling & Blue And Sentimental

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:39
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:24)  2. Black Velvet
(7:46)  3. Blue Sermon
(6:05)  4. Georgia On My Mind
(7:37)  5. Sizzlin'
(6:58)  6. The Way You Look Tonight
(7:13)  7. Willow Weep For Me
(4:49)  8. Hurry Home
(5:10)  9. P.S. I Love You
(5:23) 10. Blue And Sentimental
(4:49) 11. Darn That Dream
(2:52) 12. Why Try To Change Me Now
(3:18) 13. Your Wonderful Love

This CD reissue combines together tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb's two LPs, Sizzlin' and Ballads by Cobb. The former session has a good mixture of stomps and ballads with highlights including "Black Velvet," "Georgia on My Mind," and "The Way You Look Tonight." The latter date (originally cut for the Moodsville label) is all slow ballads and, despite the warmth in Cobb's tone, a certain sameness pervades the performances. Pianist Red Garland and drummer J.C. Heard are on both sessions with either George Tucker or George Duvivier on bass. Good music but not quite essential.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-and-sentimental-mw0000096767

Personnel:  Arnett Cobb (ts), Red Garland (p), George Tucker, George Duvivier (b), J.C. Heard (d)

Sizzling & Blue And Sentimental

---

Hank Jones, Oliver Nelson - Happenings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:44
Size: 77.2 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Bop
Year: 1966/2001
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Broadwalk Samba
[2:23] 2. Winchester Cathedral
[2:35] 3. Mas Que Nada (Pow, Pow Pow)
[2:31] 4. Lullaby Of Jazzland
[2:18] 5. Jazztime, U.S.A
[3:03] 6. Cul-De-Sac
[3:09] 7. Happenings
[4:21] 8. Lou's Good Dues Blues
[4:24] 9. Fugue Tune
[3:10] 10. Spy With A Cold Nose
[2:50] 11. Funky But Blues

Bass – George Duvivier, Ron Carter; Drums – Ed Shaugnessy, Grady Tate; Harpsichord [Electric] – Hank Jones; Percussion – Joe Venuto; Piano – Hank Jones; Trombone – Britt Woodman, J.J. Johnson, Jimmy Cleveland, Tom Mitchell; Trumpet – Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Snooky Young, Joe Newman; Woodwind – Danny Bank, Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Phil Woods, Robert Ashton, Romeo Penque. Recorded October 19, 1966 - October 21, 1966.

The combination of Hank Jones and Oliver Nelson, along with sidemen such as Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, and Jerry Dodgion, would normally have one expecting a great release. Unfortunately, Jones plays an electric harpsichord on seven of the 11 tracks from this mid-1960s LP, plus there are several dated pop numbers from the era, including "Winchester Cathedral" (though it has a campy pesudo-Satchmo vocal by Terry) and the bland "Mas Que Nada (Pow Pow Pow)," which has long since worn out its welcome. Jones' playing, Nelson's arrangements and his originals (including "Happenings" and "Lou's Good Due Blues"), and the work of the various sidemen is all first rate. But the forgettable sound of the electric harpsichord (an instrument that thankfully didn't catch on, contrary to liner note writer Stanley Dance's prediction that it was here to stay along with earlier electronic instruments) keeps this release from achieving the heights it would have if Jones had only stuck to the piano throughout the sessions. This disc will be sought only by those fans who must have everything Hank Jones has recorded. ~Ken Dryden

Happenings mc
Happenings zippy

---

Rolf Kuhn - And His Sound Of Jazz

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:33
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Istambul
(3:58)  2. Waltzing Matilda
(3:44)  3. Lady Of Spain
(5:18)  4. Canadian Sunset
(4:10)  5. South Of The Border
(5:01)  6. Atlanta, GA
(3:08)  7. A Touch Of Berlin
(4:39)  8. Manhattan
(3:21)  9. Chicago
(3:56) 10. Caravan

Rolf Kuhn's style has evolved through the years. The clarinetist started out playing in German dance bands in the late '40s. He worked with radio orchestras starting in 1952 and moved to the U.S. in 1956. Kuhn subbed for Benny Goodman on a few occasions during 1957-1958, played in the Tommy Dorsey ghost band (1958), and worked in a big band led by Urbie Green (1958-1960). In 1962, Kuhn returned to Germany, where he has explored more adventurous styles of jazz (including dates with his younger brother, keyboardist Joachim Kuhn) but still occasionally shows off his ties to swing. Kuhn recorded with an all-star group called Winner's Circle (1957), Toshiko Akiyoshi (1958), and as a leader starting in 1953, including a 1956 New York quartet date for Vanguard. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rolf-kuhn-and-his-sound-of-jazz/462175205

Personnel: Rolf Kuhn (clarinet); Jack Sheldon (trumpet); John Bunch (piano); Jim Hall, Chuck Wayne (guitar); George Duvivier, Henry Grimes (bass); Don Lamond, Ray Mosca (drums).

And His Sound Of Jazz

---

Tubby Hayes with Clark Terry - New York Sessions

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:39
Size: 172,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:39)  1. You For Me
(7:03)  2. Pint Of Bitter
(8:56)  3. Airegin
(7:33)  4. Opus Ocean
(7:36)  5. Soon
(9:14)  6. Doxie
(8:05)  7. Soho Soul
(9:00)  8. The Simple Waltz
(7:16)  9. Half A Sawbuck
(5:13) 10. You're My Everything

One of England's top jazz musicians of the 1950s and '60s, Tubby Hayes was a fine hard bop stylist on tenor and occasionally vibes and flute. A professional at 15, Hayes played with Kenny Baker and in the big bands of Ambrose, Vic Lewis, and Jack Parnell during 1951-1955. He led his own group after that, and started doubling on vibes in 1956. Hayes co-led the Jazz Couriers with Ronnie Scott (1957-1959), and appeared in the U.S. a few times during 1961-1965. He headed his own big band in London, sat in with Duke Ellington's Orchestra in 1964, and was featured at many European festivals. Heart trouble forced him out of action during 1969-1971, and caused his premature death. Tubby Hayes led sessions for Tempo (1955-1959), London, Jazzland (1959), Fontana, Epic (a 1961 date with Clark Terry and Horace Parlan), Smash (a 1962 album which matched him with James Moody and Roland Kirk), 77, Spotlite, and Mole. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tubby-hayes-mn0000842398/biography

Possessor of the happiest sound in jazz, flügelhornist Clark Terry always played music that was exuberant, swinging, and fun. A brilliant (and very distinctive) soloist, Terry gained fame for his "Mumbles" vocals (which started as a satire of the less intelligible ancient blues singers) and was also an enthusiastic educator. He gained early experience playing trumpet in the viable St. Louis jazz scene of the early '40s (where he was an inspiration for Miles Davis) and, after performing in a Navy band during World War II, he gained a strong reputation playing with the big band of Charlie Barnet (1947-1948), the orchestra and small groups of Count Basie (1948-1951), and particularly with Duke Ellington (1951-1959). Terry, a versatile swing/bop soloist who started specializing on flügelhorn in the mid-'50s, had many features with Ellington (including "Perdido"), and started leading his own record dates during that era. He visited Europe with Harold Arlen's unsuccessful Free & Easy show of 1959-1960 as part of Quincy Jones' Orchestra, and then joined the staff of NBC where he was a regular member of the Tonight Show Orchestra. He recorded regularly in the '60s, including a classic set with the Oscar Peterson Trio and several dates with the quintet he co-led with valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer. Throughout the '70s, '80s, and '90s, Terry remained a major force, recording and performing in a wide variety of settings, including as the head of his short-lived big band in the mid-'70s, with all-star groups for Pablo, and as a guest artist who provided happiness in every note he played. Terry died on February 21, 2015, at age 94, after an extended battle with diabetes. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/clark-terry-mn0000133832/biography

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Tubby Hayes;  Trumpet – Clark Terry; Bass – George Duvivier;  Drums –Dave Bailey;  Piano – Horace Parlan;  Vibraphone – Eddie Costa 

New York Sessions

---

Clea Bradford - ...Now

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:09
Size: 75.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1965/2018
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Row, Row, Row
[3:20] 2. Don't Let It Rain On My Parade
[2:35] 3. Hey Look Me Over
[3:43] 4. Once Upon A Time
[2:51] 5. The Other Half Of Me
[2:52] 6. All Around The World
[2:12] 7. I Had A Ball
[3:02] 8. Ol' Man River
[2:25] 9. Come Rain Or Shine
[2:16] 10. After You
[2:49] 11. What's A Poor Fool To Do
[2:12] 12. Little Boy Bad

Bass – George Duvivier, Milt Hinton; Cello – Alla Goldberg, Tony Sophos, Pete Makas; Drums – Osie Johnson; Flute, Clarinet – Joe Soldo, Leon Cohen; Flute, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Bob Tricarico, Romeo Penque, Sid Cooper, Stan Webb, Walter Levinsky; Trombone – Eddie Bert, John Messner, Tony Studd, Urbie Green; Viola – Alfred Brown, David Mankovitz, Emanuel Vardi; Violin – Anthony Zungolo, Ariana Bronne, Bernard Eichen, Fred Buldrini, Jack Zayde, Joe Cali, Norman Carr, Pete Buonconsiglio, Walter Legawiec; Vocals – Clea Bradford.

Exuberant jazz and blues vocalist who had series of good albums released in '60s, enjoyed some success with Cadet in late '60s, though these were more soul-oriented records arranged by Richard Evans. She had more straight jazz sessions with Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson and others on Mainstream, Tru-Sound. ~Ron Wynn

...Now mc
...Now zippy

---