Buster Williams Quartet - Lost In A Memory

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:37
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:20)  1. A Different Place
(9:04)  2. Lost in a Memory
(7:53)  3. Deja
(7:03)  4. I Thought About You
(4:16)  5. Why Should I Pretend
(5:29)  6. Skim Coat
(5:05)  7. Ambiance and Pie
(9:54)  8. Christina
(6:27)  9. Tunnel Wind

Bassist Buster Williams contributed eight of the nine selections (all but the standard "I Thought About You") for this well-conceived set of advanced straight-ahead jazz. Williams (who had recently turned 50) teams up with vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianist Geri Allen and drummer Lenny White. Harris is mostly the lead voice and the group does sound at times a little like the Modern Jazz Quartet, due to the identical instrumentation. Williams takes a surprisingly effective vocal on his "Why Should I Pretend" and otherwise is mostly in the background behind Harris and Allen. Due to the excellent originals, this is one of Buster Williams' strongest dates as a leader. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lost-in-a-memory-mw0000606488

Buster Williams Quartet: Buster Williams (vocals, bass); Stefon Harris (vibraphone); Geri Allen (piano); Lenny White (drums).       

Lost In A Memory

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Geri Allen - Open On All Sides In The Middle

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:17
Size: 101,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:49) 1.Open On All Sides / The Glide Was In The Ride...
( 4:26)  2. Forbidden Place
( 2:36)  3. The Dancer
( 4:06)  4. In The Middle
( 4:22)  5. Ray
(12:48) 6. I Sang A Bright Green Tear For All Of Us This Year...
( 2:29)  7. Drummer's Song
( 5:05)  8. In The Morning (For Milton Nascimento)
( 1:34)  9. The Dancer Pt. 2

Electric and acoustic pianist Geri Allen joins with fellow Detroiters for one of her more ambitious projects, offering a large ensemble featuring bassist Jaribu Shahid, drummer Tani Tabbal, soloists David McMurray and trumpeters Rayse Biggs and Marcus Belgrave, and New Yorkers as saxophonist Steve Coleman and trombonist Robin Eubanks. The tour de force "I Sang A Bright Green Tear For All Of Us This Year" is stunning, featuring the wonderful vocals of Shahida Nurullah, insistent rhythm, haunting refrains from Allen's keyboards, and shifting dynamics that are compelling. The rest of the material is not as innovative within a jazz-funk/M-Base framework, but contrasts her piano trio work. Not essential, but still an invigorating session. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/open-on-all-sides-in-the-middle-mw0000196997

Personnel: Geri Allen (piano), Steve Coleman (saxophone), Marcus Belgrave (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Jaribu Shahid (bass), Lloyd Storey (tap dancer), Shahita Nurallah, David McMurray, Racy Biggs, Mino Cinelu.
 

R.I.P.

Open On All Sides In The Middle

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Geri Allen, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette - The Life Of A Song

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:29
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. LWB's House (The Remix)
(8:08)  2. Mounts & Mountains
(8:15)  3. Lush Life
(6:13)  4. In Appreciation - A Celebration Song
(7:12)  5. The Experimental Movement
(4:40)  6. Holdin' Court
(4:05)  7. Dance Of The Infidels
(5:19)  8. Unconditional Love
(5:24)  9. The Life Of A Song
(4:33) 10. Black Bottom
(5:40) 11. Soul Eyes

Life of a Song is Geri Allen's first recording under her own name in six long years. She teams with the rhythm section of bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette, whom she worked with on the late Betty Carter's stellar live date Feed the Fire in 1993. Allen composed eight of the album's 11 cuts, and the covers include Bud Powell's "Dance of the Infidels," Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life," and Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes." This last selection is augmented by the participation of Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, saxophonist Dwight Andrews, and trombonist Clifton Anderson. The album's title reflects the depth of commitment to the song forms inherent in jazz. Allen is in fine form here, and one can hear her various instrumental and vocal influences. The album swings, but looks underneath swing for its subtleties and its edges, too. The set opens with a playful, pianistic dissonance on "LWB's House (The Remix)" and lest punters be alarmed, the tune is not "remixed" at all, but is actually an earlier composition reworked. The bluesy funk here is augmented with Afro-Cuban rhythms and a series of tonal shifts where Allen is trying to emulate the African stringed instrument, the kora. Swing is inherent in every chorus, and Holland and DeJohnette keep the pace relaxed yet deeply focused. The interplay between Holland and Allen on "Mounts and Mountains" particularly during the bassist's solo passage are remarkable as she responds with a contrapuntal solo that draws on both Herbie Hancock and Ahmad Jamal. Elsewhere, on the Powell tune her facility to usher it in a relaxed, easy way, and then dazzle with her two-handed counterpoint in the solo showcase Allen's quick wit and dazzling chromatic command. The title cut, with its obvious Hancock homage in the head and swinging head, is one of the album's many high points. This is a trio date that has all the elements: an indefatigable lyricism and honesty of emotion, as well as beautiful colors and deft, even uncanny engagements among the three principals. What a welcome return for Allen, who expertly displays she's been refining her chops and listening deeply to her Muse these past six years. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-life-of-a-song-mw0000151431

Personnel:  Geri Allen – piano;  Dave Holland – bass;  Jack DeJohnette – drums;  Marcus Belgrave – flugelhorn;  Dwight Andrews – saxophone;  Clifton Anderson – trombone.

R.I.P.
Born:  June 12, 1957 
Died:  June 27, 2017

The Life Of A Song

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Geri Allen - Timeless Portrait And Dreams

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:27
Size: 134,3 MB
Art: Front

(1:52)  1. Oh Freedom
(7:07)  2. Melchezedik
(2:27)  3. Portraits And Dreams
(5:22)  4. Well Done
(4:21)  5. La Strada
(2:23)  6. I Have A Dream
(4:27)  7. Nearly
(5:40)  8. In Real Time
(2:48)  9. Embraceable You
(4:51) 10. Al-Leu-Cha
(4:21) 11. Just For A Thrill
(5:59) 12. Our Lady (for Billie Holiday)
(5:05) 13. Timeless Portrait And Dreams
(1:38) 14. Portrait And Dreams, reprise

There's a certain purity, perhaps innocence, about jazz that's played without the bells and whistles of modern technology and untainted by commercial trappings. When that purity is combined with superb songwriting, you have the makings of a recording that will never sound old. So it is with Timeless Portraits and Dreams.  A native of Detroit, Geri Allen began taking piano lessons at age eleven. She graduated from Howard University with a degree in jazz studies, and she later earned a master's degree in ethnomusicology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her professional career has included professorships in music at Howard and the University of Michigan; she has earned several awards. As a recording artist, she has collaborated with Mino Cinelu, Mary Wilson and the Supremes, Tony Williams, Ron Carter and Betty Carter, among others. On Timeless Portraits and Dreams, Allen delivers nearly an hour's worth of musical elegance. The stage is set on the opening tracks, "Oh Freedom and "Melchezedik, two originals that feature Allen on solo piano and then joined by her rhythm section of bassist Ron Carter and drummer Jimmy Cobb. On the latter piece, Carter stretches out. Allen is backed by the Atlanta Jazz Chorus on "Well Done, which features guest vocalist Carmen Lundy. Donald Walden introduces "I Have a Dream with a soft tenor sax solo. George Shirley, the first African-American tenor to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, sings lead on this tribute to the famous speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., accompanied by the Atlanta Jazz Chorus. 

Trumpeter Wallace Roney takes the lead on "In Real Time, an upbeat original penned by Allen and Roney. Allen's solo in the middle is one of the finer points of the album, aided by Carter's bass. Though he plays in the background for much of the album, Cobb steps up with a drum solo on the cover of Charlie Parker's "Ah-Leu-Cha. Throughout Timeless Portraits and Dreams, Allen's piano and Carter's bass keep the listener engaged. Cobb's drum work is subtle but effective. Lundy, Walden, Roney, Shirley and the Atlanta Jazz Chorus supplement the trio with great results. The collection includes a bonus CD single, "Lift Every Voice and Sing, which features Shirley and the Atlanta Jazz Chorus. Together, they form a gallery of emotions, thought-provoking messages and good jazz.~ Woodrow Wilkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/timeless-portraits-and-dreams-geri-allen-telarc-records-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php

Personnel: Geri Allen, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums; Carmen Lundy, vocals; Wallace Roney, trumpet; George Shirley, vocals; Donald Walden, tenor saxophone; Atlanta Jazz Chorus, directed by Dwight Andrews.

Timeless Portrait And Dreams

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Roy Brooks - Duet In Detroit

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:50
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

( 0:56)  1. Introduction
( 8:12)  2. Zulu
( 6:26)  3. Waltz For Sweetcakes
(12:07)  4. Elegy For Eddie Jefferson
( 2:37)  5. Jeffuso
( 0:36)  6. Introduction
(11:45)  7. Forever Mingus
(15:00)  8. Healing Force
( 4:33)  9. Samba Del Sol
( 7:33) 10. Duet In Detroit

This CD features drummer Roy Brooks (who also plays musical saw on one piece) on two duets apiece (recorded live over a period of six years) with trumpeter Woody Shaw and pianists Randy Weston, Don Pullen and Geri Allen. The music is full of surprises and generally holds one's interest with the trumpet-drums duets being the most unusual. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/duet-in-detroit-mw0000095280

Personnel:   Roy Brooks - drums, percussion, musical saw, composer;  Randy Weston - piano, composer;  Woody Shaw - trumpet, composer;  Don Pullen - piano, composer;  Geri Allen - piano, composer

Duet In Detroit

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Geri Allen - Some Aspect of Water (Remastered)

Styles: Geri Allen
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:00
Size: 156,1 MB
Art: Front

(11:03) 1. Feed The Fire
( 9:52) 2. A Beautiful Friendship
( 9:51) 3. Old Folks
( 8:15) 4. Smooth Attitudes
(19:07) 5. Some Aspects Of Water
( 9:49) 6. Skin

Pianist, composer, Guggenheim Fellow, and educator Geri Allen died on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 from complications of cancer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She had recently celebrated her 60th birthday. Hailed as one of the most accomplished pianists and educators of her time, Allen’s most recent position was as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. She was especially proud of performing with renowned pianist McCoy Tyner for the last two years, and was also part of two recent groundbreaking trios: ACS (Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Esperanza Spalding) and the MAC Power Trio with David Murray and Carrington their debut recording Perfection was released on Motéma Music in 2016 to critical acclaim. “The jazz community will never be the same with the loss of one of our geniuses, Geri Allen. Her virtuosity and musicality are unparalleled,” expressed Carrington upon learning of her passing. “I will miss my sister and friend, but I am thankful for all of the music she made and all of the incredible experiences we had together for over 35 years. She is a true original a one of kind never to be forgotten. My heart mourns, but my spirit is filled with the gift of having known and learned from Geri Allen.“

She was the first woman and youngest person to receive the Danish Jazzpar Prize, and was the first recipient of the Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Jazz. In 2011, she was nominated for an NAACP Award for Timeline, her Tap Quartet project. Over the last few years, Allen served as the program director of NJPAC’s All-Female Jazz Residency, which offered a weeklong one-of-a-kind opportunity for young women, ages 14-25, to study jazz. Allen was also recently honored to be one of the producers of the expanded and re-mastered recording of Erroll Garner’s The Complete Concert by the Sea, which garnered her an Essence Image Award nomination as well as a GRAMMY® Award-nomination in 2016. She felt strongly that students should have access to this material, and went on to organize a 60th anniversary performance of the material at the 2015 Monterey Jazz Festival with Jason Moran and Christian Sands.

Having grown up in Detroit, a region known for its rich musical history, Allen’s affinity for jazz stemmed from her father’s passion for the music. She began taking lessons at 7-years-old, and started her early music education under the mentorship of trumpeter Marcus Belgrave at the Cass Technical High School. In 1979, she was one of the first to graduate from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in jazz studies. It was there that she began to embrace music from all cultures that would ultimately influence her work. During that time, she studied with the great Kenny Barron in New York City. “I first met Geri when she was a student at Howard. She would take the train up to my house in Brooklyn for lessons. Even then it was apparent that Geri heard some things musically that others did not,” Barron reflects. “In 1994 we performed a duo piano concert at the Caramoor Festival in New York and I realized how fearless she was and at the same time how focused she was. It was a lesson that I took to heart. Geri is not only a great musician, composer and pianist, she is a giant and will be sorely missed.”More... https://geriallen.com/biography/

Personnel: Geri Allen - piano; Palle Danielsson - bass; Lenny White - drums; Johnny Coles - flugelhorn (tracks 3-5); Henrik Bolberg Pedersen - trumpet, flugelhorn (tracks 4 & 5); Kjeld Ipsen - trombone (tracks 4 & 5); Axel Windfeld - tuba (tracks 4 & 5); Michael Hove - alto saxophone, flute, clarinet (tracks 4 & 5); Uffe Markussen - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, flute (tracks 4 & 5)

Some Aspect of Water (Remaster)

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Ralph Peterson - Triangular

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:09
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:05) 1. Bemsha Swing
(7:37) 2. Triangular
(5:16) 3. Water Colors
(6:17) 4. Princess
(5:57) 5. Just You, Just Me
(4:38) 6. Move
(6:42) 7. Splash
(5:34) 8. Smoke Rings

This is a consistently simulating trio session by the creative drummer Ralph Peterson. On "Bemsha Swing," Peterson's drumming is straight from a New Orleans parade band while "Just You, Just Me" (which features pianist Geri Allen doing her witty impressions of Thelonious Monk) has the trio playing the opening and closing melody choruses in three different tempos simulataneously. "Move" really cooks and each of the five originals (bassist Essiet Essiet's "Splash," three diverse Peterson compositions and the fairly free improvisation "Triangular") have their own personalities. Although Allen is the lead voice, the musical communication between the members of the group results in each musician having an equally important role. Highly recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/triangular-mw0000202206

Personnel: Drums – Ralph Peterson; Bass – Essiet Okon Essiet, Phil Bowler; Piano – Geri Allen

Triangular

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Geri Allen - Twylight

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:44
Size: 105,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:43) 1. When Kabuya Dances
(6:08) 2. Shadow Series
(1:45) 3. Skin
(4:12) 4. A Place of Power
(1:15) 5. Twylight
(4:08) 6. Stop the World
(2:36) 7. Wood
(4:26) 8. Little Wind
(3:45) 9. Dream Time
(4:13) 10. Blue
(4:29) 11. Black Pool

Geri Allen's fifth recording overall, and second effort that features both acoustic and electric instruments, is a stunning display in merging basic natural and spiritual ideas with jazz, funk, soul, space, and tribal elements. Sticking with Metro-Detroit friends like drummer Tani Tabbal, bassist Jaribu Shahid, and percussionist Sadiq Bey and Eli Fountain, Allen's role as a musical sorceress was never more pronounced and uniquely realized. The music, part of her self-dubbed "Black Pool Project," is altogether punctuated by multi-ethnic percussion, while liquid, mercurial, and elusive modal melodies, extended by the fresh harmonic pianistics of Allen, sends this brand of jazz into a third dimension. Tracks like the funky, angular "Shadow Series" have an Asian flavor spiced by her feline synthesizer lines, "Wood" is slowed, very mysterious, and cave-dweller like, "Little Wind" darker and wispy, while "Black Pools" is a circus siren's song, wonderfully macabre and even bizarre.

The definitive composition, "A Place of Power," has a memorable piano line plus Allen's brilliant solo sneaking around a light calypso funk expertly rendered by Tabbal. Equally outstanding in a different light, "Dream Time" perfectly represents its sequential title, as quirky, jumpy hooks with a surreal harmonic foundation allows for many layers of subtle rhythms from the percussionists, all cemented by the modal bass of Shahid. Then there's "When Kabuya Dances," a signature song for Allen, as her peaceful, thematic, reverent piano introduction speeds into full-flight fancy, and a kinetic pulse that is magnificent beyond compare. "Skin" showcases a repeat, off-minor theme, "Stop the World" is pure electronica and percussive, while the title track reflects the inexplicable daily shift of light to dark. This is a stunningly beautiful recording marking a distinct progression for Allen, and her complete awareness of the world at large. It might take several listenings to get used to, but the ultimate reward of this high artistic achievement is limitless, as are the possibilities of human endeavor on this Earth.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/twylight-mw0000202181

Twylight

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Courtney Pine - Modern Day Jazz Stories

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:00
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

( 1:24)  1. Prelude - The Water Of Life
( 4:21)  2. The 37th Chamber
( 4:56)  3. Don't 'Xplain
( 8:48)  4. Dah Blessing
( 5:58)  5. In The Garden Of Eden - Thinking Inside Of You
(10:36)  6. Creation Stepper
( 7:33)  7. Absolution
( 3:50)  8. Each One - Must) Teach One
( 6:39)  9. The Unknown Warrior - Song For My Forefathers
( 3:41) 10. I've Known Rivers
( 1:09) 11. Outro - Guiding Light

On his return to Antilles and his debut with the Verve Group, Courtney Pine reaches out to unchartered musical zones, reflecting the sound of the street in a modern mix of pop, hip hop and jazz music. Described as Courtney's most focused album to date, Modern Day Jazz Stories combines the worlds of jazz and hip hop, utilizing the traditional sounds of jazz instruments simultaneously with turntables, but without overdubs. Full album to ship to jazz and college radio. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Jazz-Stories-Courtney-Pine/dp/B000004703

Personnel: Saxophone [Tenor], Saxophone [Soprano], Flute – Courtney Pine; Double Bass – Charnett Moffett; Drums, Percussion – Ronnie Burrage; Guitar – Mark Whitfield; Piano [Acoustic], Organ [Hammond B3] – Geri Allen; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson; Voice – Cassandra Wilson

Modern Day Jazz Stories

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Wallace Roney - Misterios

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:12
Size: 136,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:17)  1. Meu Menino
(4:47)  2. In Her Family
(6:32)  3. Michelle
(6:30)  4. Cafe
(4:52)  5. Misterios
(6:49)  6. Last to Know
(5:18)  7. Memoria E Fado
(6:53)  8. 71+
(5:50)  9. Muerte
(5:19) 10. I Will Always Love You

Trumpeter Wallace Roney avoids the standard repertoire altogether on this CD, playing pieces by Pat Metheny, the Beatles, Egberto Gismonti, Jaco Pastorius and even Dolly Parton among others but, try as hard as he may, he still sounds like Miles Davis every time he hits a long tone or plays a doubletime passage. Backed by a small orchestra that mostly interprets Gil Goldstein arrangements, Roney is the main soloist throughout this interesting ballad-dominated set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/misterios-mw0000117814

Personnel: Trumpet – Wallace Roney; Bass – Clarence Seay; Drums – Eric Allen; Keyboards – Gil Goldstein; Piano – Geri Allen; Tenor Saxophone – Antoine Roney, Ravi Coltrane

Misterios

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Wallace Roney - Prototype

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:43
Size: 123,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:48)  1. Cyberspace
(10:37)  2. Shadow Dance
( 6:13)  3. Prontotype
( 4:49)  4. Then and Now
( 4:59)  5. Let's Stay Together
( 6:19)  6. Quadrant 329-4-526
( 5:19)  7. Three Views of the Blues
( 7:36)  8. Secret Identity

On Prototype , his first album in four years, trumpeter Wallace Roney continues to develop ideas begun on Village ('97) and No Room For Argument ('00). That is to say, as the liner notes describe, "Miles' playing and his album Nefertiti as one link; Weather Report as the compositional link; Mwandishi (pianist Herbie Hancock groundbreaking early '70s fusion band) as the conceptual link, with John Coltrane as the spiritual link." Roney's links to Miles Davis have been written about and, perhaps, overexaggerated. There is no doubt that Roney's playing and concept of openness stems from Miles and a time in the late '80s when Roney was hanging with the Prince of Darkness. But whereas Miles changed direction countless times during his career, Roney has chosen a starting point for his music that of the transitional Miles period of Nefertiti through Filles de Kilimanjaro and steadfastly evolved the idea, incorporating contemporary technologies and rhythms, painting a picture of where Miles might have gone had he been more evolutionary than revolutionary. Take "Then and Now," with its "I Got Rhythm" changes. It may start out as the most mainstream-sounding piece on the record, but only for about thirty seconds as it quickly breaks down into a freer piece, with wife Geri Allen peppering the song with abstract harmonies while bassist Matt Garrison and drummer Eric Allen play loose and elastic with the time. But while the track unquestionably fits within the context of the album as a whole, it is something of an anomaly. 

"Cyberspace" opens the album with a dark and deep funk groove, Roney and brother Antoine on saxophone stating the attractive yet edgy theme while keyboardist Adam Holzman, who spent time in Miles' late '80s bands, colors the piece with sharp chords and subtle washes. Similarly, "Shadow Dance" finds an expanded horn section building the extended theme over a 3/4 ostinato before heading into more exploratory territory, with guest Don Byron delivering a particularly pungent solo. The title track is a tender ballad, but even though it is one of only two completely acoustic tracks ("Then and Now" being the other), it brings a sense of freedom to the more closely-adhered changes that lends it a consistency with the rest of the record. It is, in fact, this sense of freedom that pervades the whole record, giving it a sense of urgency. That's not to say this is exactly free jazz; rather it is more open-ended jazz where a firm sense of rhythm exists throughout, but with harmonic and thematic liberation the group is less concerned with hanging on specific changes and, instead, uses harmonic devices as a jumping off point, much as early Weather Report did. Prototype continues to evolve Roney's conception of jazz, one that successfully combines inarguable roots with a more contemporary view, incorporating a diversity of influences into a blend where the fundamental notion is that of freedom, but, like Miles before him, with a clearly-defined rhythmic and harmonic basis. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/prototype-wallace-roney-highnote-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Wallace Roney: trumpet; Antoine Roney: saxophones; Geri Allen: piano; Adam Holzman: keyboards; Matthew Garrison: basses; Eric Allen: drums; Clifton Anderson: trombone; Don Byron: clarinet; DJ Logic.

Prototype

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Charles Lloyd - Lift Every Voice Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Lift Every Voice Disc 1

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:19
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(15:00)  1. Hymn To The Mother
( 4:05)  2. You Are So Beautiful
( 4:42)  3. Amazing Grace
( 9:40)  4. East Virginia, West Memphis
( 5:07)  5. What's Going On
( 3:33)  6. Angel Oak
( 6:47)  7. Te Amaré
( 7:38)  8. I'm Afraid
( 4:43)  9. Hafez, Shattered Heart

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Album: Lift Every Voice Disc 2

Time: 69:07

Size: 159,6 MB

( 7:05)  1. Rabo De Nube

( 5:06)  2. Blood Count

(10:37)  3. Go Down Moses

( 7:51)  4. Beyond Darkness

( 6:12)  5. Nocturne

( 8:35)  6. Wayfaring Stranger

( 6:25)  7. Deep River

( 3:08)  8. Lift Every Voice And Sing

(14:03)  9. Prayer, The Crossing

The initial response of most Americans to the tragedy of September 11th was shock, quickly followed by anger. While many maintain that anger, others have moved on to mourning, contemplation, and hope. Such is the mood for Charles Lloyd’s recording, over two hours of introspection and spiritual resurrection. This recording of two sessions from the winter of 2002 follows two of the most beautiful records Lloyd has ever made. Both The Water Is Wide (2000) and Hyperion With Higgins (2001) showcase Lloyd’s spiritual side and, as these were some of the last recordings made by drummer Billy Higgins, they have an supernatural deliberation about them. In the wake of the events of 9-11, Lloyd reassembled Larry Grenadier and John Abercrombie from the Higgins’ dates and added Geri Allen, and long time companions Billy Hart and Marc Johnson. Lloyd worked these sessions as a quartet with Allen, Grenadier and Hart, then a quintet adding Abercrombie and switching bassists to Johnson. Perusing the titles Lloyd’s purpose becomes apparent. His response to the tragedy is one of lament, longing, and faith. His creed is interdenominational, and multi-racial. He covers music of spirituals, “Deep River,” “Go Down Moses,” and “Amazing Grace,” alongside of the Negro National Anthem as the albums title piece and Islamic poet’s “Hafez, Shattered Heart.” Lloyd’s “Moses” has a certain sense of anger before settling into a comforting blues. His solo taragato on “Hafez” applies a patient yet unresolved inquiry into the Eastern experience of world events. Along with traditional music he plies his own craft, that is jazz, to these statements. Recalling a peaceful response he takes up Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and Billy Preston’s “You Are So Beautiful.” No grandstanding is allowed here or on any of these tracks. The melodies are touched on with a minimum of soloing as if to focus on the message and not the musician. It’s not that these talented musicians are held back. This disc reminds one of John Coltrane’s ballads recording where less was more. Bringing forth Allen and Abercrombie’s spiritual/folk side is a valued gift. Lloyd’s largess here is his sincerity. The distinctness of this music is a break from the artificiality of many responses to 9-11. Lloyd’s belief in humanity and reliance on the healing and redemptive qualities of music propels this compassionate recording. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lift-every-voice-charles-lloyd-ecm-records-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel:  Charles Lloyd - tenor saxophone, flute, tarogato; Geri Allen - piano; John Abercrombie - guitar; Marc Johnson - double bass; Larry Grenadier - double bass; Billy Hart - drums

Lift Every Voice Disc 1 And Disc 2

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Wallace Roney - Jazz

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:05
Size: 149,9 MB
Art: Front

( 8:51)  1. Vater Time
( 5:22)  2. Children of the Light
( 6:29)  3. Inflorescent
( 5:00)  4. Fela's Shrine
( 9:18)  5. Nia
( 5:28)  6. Revolution: Resolution
( 5:46)  7. Her Story
(11:00)  8. Stand
( 7:48)  9. Un Poco Loco

In a time when the definition of the word jazz is in heated debate, it takes a certain amount of courage for trumpeter Wallace Roney to use it as the title of his third release for HighNote. Roney continues to mine the place where contemporary rhythms and technology meet the language of jazz, and while there are those who will balk at his use of turntablists, synthesizers and hip hop rhythms, one listen is all it takes. It may be increasingly difficult to empirically define jazz, but one knows it when one hears it, and Jazz is most definitely a jazz album. With the same core group that's been with him since Prototype (HighNote, 2004) saxophonist/clarinetist/brother Antoine Roney, pianist/keyboardist/wife Geri Allen and drummer Eric Allen there are a couple of new faces, most notably keyboardist Robert Irving III, who replaces Adam Holzman. Both Irving and Holzman were key players in Miles Davis' 1980s bands and, given that Roney's starting point has, since Village (Warner Bros., 1997), been the late trumpeter's earliest forays into electric music and he was a protégé of the late icon in his final years working with Miles alumni has always felt completely right. Roney is no mere Miles clone, however, and only those listening to him with the most cursory of ears could suggest otherwise. Roney possesses a similarly rich tone, an ear for playing exactly what's required no more, no less and an ability to morph pop music like Sly and the Family Stone's "Stand" into an extended and open-ended modal workout. 

But while the persistent, In a Silent Way-like groove that defines its core is referential, the hard-hitting and virtuosic trumpet/drums duo that opens "Stand" is not. Miles' technical skill often ebbed and flowed with his health, but Roney suffers no such inconsistencies. He's never sounded better, moving from strength to strength. Roney's time spent from the mid-1980s to the early-1990s with another Miles alumnus, the late drummer Tony Williams, informs bassist Rashaan Carter's "Inflorescent," a relaxed, largely acoustic track that features Geri Allen's best piano solo of the set. Antoine Roney's "Nia" is another lyrical piece, with subtle turntable work by another regular collaborator, Val Jeanty, and stunning less-is-more (but all the more powerful for it) solos from both Roney brothers. It's the more energetic tracks, however, that are the most revealing indicators of just how far along the trumpeter has come at taking his stylistic starting point and making it his own. His "Vater Time," which begins with a hip hop beat and turntable work by DJ Axum but turns decidedly swinging for Antoine Roney's tenor solo, proves that there is a nexus where the traditional and the modern can coexist. It's a theme that's run through Roney's albums for a decade now, but it's never been so clear, so wonderfully conceived and so flawlessly executed. For those who think jazz has to live in a time warp, Jazz just might sway that opinion. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-wallace-roney-highnote-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Wallace Roney: trumpet; Antoine Roney: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Geri Allen: piano, keyboards (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9); Robert Irving III: keyboards, Fender Rhodes (1, 4, 6, 8); Rashaan Carter: bass; Eric Allen: drums; DJ Axum: turntables (1, 4); Val Jeanty: turntables (5, 6, 8).

Jazz

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Geri Allen - Home Grown

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:52
Size: 101,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. Mamma's Babies
(2:55)  2. Bemsha Swing
(8:36)  3. No More Mr. Nice Guy
(4:06)  4. Black Man
(6:14)  5. Round Midnight
(3:23)  6. Blue
(7:39)  7. Alone Together
(5:23)  8. Home Grown

Geri Allen's second recording, a solo effort for the German Minor Music label, finds her already displaying a pretty original style (which occasionally has hints of Herbie Nichols). Allen performs a pair of Thelonious Monk tunes ("Bemsha Swing" and "'Round Midnight"), plus six of her diverse and usually rhythmic originals. A fine early set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/homegrown-mw0001885479

Personnel:  Geri Allen - piano

Home Grown

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Murray, Allen & Carrington Power Trio - Perfection

Styles: Clarinet, Piano, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:46
Size: 134,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Mirror Of Youth
(5:59)  2. Barbara Allen
(6:11)  3. Geri-Rigged
(8:16)  4. The David, Geri & Terri Show
(4:43)  5. The Nurturer
(6:06)  6. Perfection
(2:55)  7. D Special (Interlude)
(5:44)  8. Samsara (For Wayne)
(5:35)  9. For Fr. Peter O'Brien
(6:21) 10. Cycles And Seasons

As great as saxophonist David Murray, pianist Geri Allen and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington are separately, it’s truly difficult to remember the last time any of them sounded as good as they all do together on Perfection. The members of the jazz “power trio” share a chemistry that gives their music remarkable strength.That chemistry comes without any musician compromising or overtly accommodating the others. Murray’s coarseness of tone and lyricism-to-paroxysm developments remain intact, but nonetheless fuse with Allen’s warm surrealist fancies and Carrington’s restless reimagining of the beat. (Carrington often stands in for the bass, via subtle kick-drum; thus on “The Nurturer,” she singlehandedly brings the funk.) They use those signature techniques to brilliantly follow and respond to each other on “Barbara Allen” and “The David, Geri & Terri Show,” and to oppose each other with equal brilliance on “Samsara (For Wayne).” Only on Ornette Coleman’s “Perfection” do their styles reconfigure-so as to improvise in Coleman’s freeform image, with trombonist Craig Harris, bassist Charnett Moffett and trumpeter Wallace Roney along for the ride.

Their chemistry also produces a sense of humor that’s rarely seen in their solo projects, ranging from mere playfulness to dark comedy. How else but the latter to describe the off-kilter lurch of “Cycles and Seasons”? Carrington’s 7/4 rhythm makes it lopsided to begin with; Allen and Murray add their own angular parts (subsumed, momentarily, by 4/4 bridges that vanish as quickly as they arrive) that then dissolve into gleefully improvised dementia. The playfulness, whether by accident or design, comes primarily through in the two tunes on which Murray wields bass clarinet-“D Special (Interlude),” with its lively bounce, and “For Fr. Peter O’Brien,” a soft-shoe for Mary Lou Williams’ onetime spiritual/musical counsel. It’s a welcome byproduct of an already impressive chemical reaction. ~ Michael J.West https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/murray-allen-carrington-power-trio-perfection/

Personnel: David Murray (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Geri Allen (piano); Terri Lyne Carrington (drums).

Perfection

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Sir Simon Rattle - Duke Ellington Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:58
Size: 180.8 MB
Styles: Big band, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[ 9:05] 1. Take The 'A' Train
[ 2:56] 2. You're The One (with Joshua Redman)
[ 5:12] 3. Sophisticated Lady (With Bobby Watson)
[14:09] 4. Harlem (A Tone Parallel To Harlem)
[ 4:50] 5. Isfahan (With Peter Walden)
[ 8:56] 6. Ad Lib On Nippon (Part 2) (With Colin Parr)
[ 9:04] 7. That Doo-Wah Thing From 'it Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing' Part 2, Duet Fugue (With Joe Lovano)
[ 4:33] 8. Something To Live For
[ 5:30] 9. Come Sunday (With Regina Carter)
[ 4:38] 10. Solitude In Transblucency (With Richard Simpson)
[ 2:44] 11. Maybe
[ 7:15] 12. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (With Regina Carter)

Clark Terry, John Barclay, Simon Gardner- trumpet; Joshua Redman, Joe Lovano- tenor saxophone; Bobby Watson- alto saxophone; Regina Carter- violin; Andrew Barnell- bassoon; Colin Parr- clarinet; Peter Walden- English horn; Richard Simpson- oboe; Geri Allen, Mike Renzi- piano; Peter Washington, Mark Goodchild- double bass; Lewis Nash- drums; Lena Horne- vocals; City of Birmingham [England] Symphony Orchestra.

Sir Simon Rattle conducts the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in a celebration of Duke Ellington’s music. Each impressive orchestration has been reworked by Luther Henderson to provide a full sound. The orchestra performs admirably with accurate interpretations of classic Ellington songs. Along the way, we find Clark Terry, Bobby Watson, Joe Lovano, Regina Carter, Lewis Nash and Josh Redman trading solos with the ensemble. They work together on three tracks, recalling the personal spirit of Ellington’s music and how it was created to fit his individual band members.

Some time ago, Duke Ellington and Luther Henderson discussed what would some day become this particular project. Ellington asked Henderson to arrange “Harlem” (from “Far East Suite”) for performance by a symphony orchestra, combined with his band in concerto grosso form. The two gentlemen agreed that it would represent a blending of two cultural traditions: Western European and African.

Lena Horne sings three songs. Her vocal lines, however, were prerecorded. Thus, there’s a distinct separation in sound between vocalist and accompaniment. Horne’s features appear cold and distant, while Lovano, Watson, Nash, Geri Allen and Peter Washington attempt to make things appear more convincing. Watson has a feature on “Isfahan” and Allen has a feature on “Ad Lib on Nippon,” while Carter and Terry take center stage for a lovely arrangement of “Come Sunday.” Much of the 80-minute album remains focused on celebrating Ellington’s music through full orchestral colors and carefully interwoven instrumental voices. As if to remind us of the balance achieved here between jazz and classical, Clark Terry takes over the closing number with a classic mumbles and wah-wah trumpet routine. The program makes a fine tribute to the music of Duke Ellington and presents these treasured pieces in a slightly different light. ~Jim Santella

Duke Ellington Album

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Bobby Hutcherson - Skyline

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:52
Size: 132.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. Who's Got You
[6:45] 2. I Only Have Eyes For You
[6:28] 3. Delilah
[5:21] 4. Chan's Song
[7:22] 5. Pomponio
[6:14] 6. Can You Read My Mind
[6:09] 7. Tres Palabras
[6:39] 8. The Coaster
[5:19] 9. Candle

Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett; Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Al Foster; Marimba – Bobby Hutcherson; Piano – Geri Allen. Recorded August 3-5, 1998 at Avatar Studios, New York City.

Hard bop vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, 58, came to the jazz world during one of its most fertile eras: in the late fifties and early sixties. His early experience in the clubs and coffeehouses of Pasadena (California) prepared Hutcherson for New York City's fast pace and innovative ways. His recording contract with Blue Note placed the vibraphonist squarely in the middle of jazz's mainstream of the 1960s, and today his current Verve release holds the same connotation. It's an eclectic session of up-tempo jaunts, lush ballads, Latin syncopation, and other small ensemble workouts. Kenny Garrett participates on half the session with a heady, mostly lower register saxophone tone and an improviser's attitude much like that of the leader's. For an in-depth look at what motivates Bobby Hutcherson and how others have influenced his performance, see Fred Jung's recent interview with the vibraphonist.

Kenny Garrett and Bobby Hutcherson make a fine pair of conversationalists. Their imaginations run wild and there's a little fire in everything they accomplish; yet both are lyrical and offer seamless phrases. Their alternating improvised solo work on "I Only Have Eyes for You" is quite similar in approach. Both leave a little space here and there, leaving traces of the familiar melody for the listener to recognize, while moving freely around the chords. Hutcherson's "Pomponio," a Latin jazz dazzler, lets marimba and alto sax stretch out over the rhythm section's powerful son montuno. Geri Allen tosses out fluid phrases that ripple over the percussive keyboard; her interludes, particularly on "Delilah," "Candle," and "Chan's Song," make a welcome addition. John Towner Williams' "Love Theme from Superman" is included to emphasize lush lullaby harmonies from both pianist and vibraphonist. Christian McBride drives the unit with an overt pulse that is particularly effective through his rhythmic Latin solo on "Tres Palabras." Al Foster's consistent performance is highlighted on "Pomponio," as he drops bombs and flirts with the various metallic textures of his drum set. Hutcherson has the track record to back up this stellar performance, so another great session comes as no surprise. Recommended. ~Jim Santella

Skyline 

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Rodney Whitaker - Children of the Light

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:36
Size: 160,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:47)  1. Mandela's Muse
(4:30)  2. Broadway
(6:06)  3. One Silent Moment
(5:31)  4. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:13)  5. Woman Child
(7:25)  6. Mood Swings
(6:53)  7. (Queen) Roz
(5:51)  8. Children of the Light
(7:00)  9. Langman
(7:13) 10. El Morro
(7:02) 11. Cultural Warrior

For his debut as leader, Rodney Whitaker takes center stage on several melodies and solos frequently. His playing is well-rounded in every respect, and he has a supple, sleek, strong tone. His core group for this outing consists of James Carter (tenor sax), Cassius Richmond (flute), Wallace Roney and Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Cyrus Chestnut (piano), Karriem Riggins and Gregory Hutchinson (drums), and Andrew Daniels (percussion); pianist Geri Allen and baritone saxophonist Alex Harding make cameo appearances. Three of the 11 tracks were penned by Whitaker the bass/percussion workout "Woman Child," the jungly "(Queen) Roz," and the crackling "Langman." Ken Cox's triumphant melody for Nelson Mandela, "Mandela's Mood," is a highlight, featuring bright melodies and Afro-Cuban underpinnings. Everyone solos on this piece, but it's Carter's histrionics that really provide the exclamation point. There are two hard boppers a version of "Broadway" featuring a path-clearing solo by Carter, and Richmond's "Mood Swings," which finds Carter and Roney acting like Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis. The title track features Payton's plaintive head statement and Chestnut's fervid solo. Whitaker's wife, Monzola, contributes the soft "One Silent Moment," while Roney lights things up for "On Dolphin Street." Allen waxes poetic beneath a bed of exotic, subtle rhythms on "El Morro," and the finale, "Cultural Warrior," is languid and solemn. Whitaker shows a grand diversity on this complete package of modern jazz. Highly recommended. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/children-of-the-light-mw0000085197

Personnel:  Baritone Saxophone – Alex Harding (tracks: 3);  Bass – Rodney Whitaker;  Drums – Gregory Hutchinson (tracks: 4-6, 9, 10), Karriem Riggins (tracks: 1-3, 7, 8, 11);  Flute – Cassius Richmond (tracks: 1, 3, 10);  Percussion – Andrew Daniels (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10);  Piano – Cyrus Chestnut (tracks: 1-3, 6-9, 11), Geri Allen (tracks: 4, 10);  Tenor Saxophone – James Carter (3) (tracks: 1-4, 6, 7, 9, 10);  Trumpet – Nicholas Payton (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8), Wallace Roney (tracks: 4, 6, 9, 10)

Children of the Light

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Mary Stallings - Remember Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:50
Size: 146,5 MB
Art: Front

(1:30)  1. What A Difference A Day Makes
(4:18)  2. No Greater Love
(6:24)  3. Hello Yesterday
(4:47)  4. Centerpiece
(4:18)  5. Moment To Moment
(5:37)  6. Dindi
(3:56)  7. Remember Love
(4:35)  8. Lucky To Be Me
(3:22)  9. I Just Found Out About Love
(3:12) 10. Make Me Rainbows
(7:18) 11. Why Should There Be Stars
(3:31) 12. Still THe One
(5:57) 13. Stuck In A Dream
(2:53) 14. Funny Not Much
(2:04) 15. What A Difference A Day Makes

Starting with Concord Jazz in the '90s and continuing with MaxJazz and now Half Note Records, Mary Stallings's talents have finally been revealed.  On Remember Love, she is abetted by a stellar band, including pianist Geri Allen (who also provides arrangements and serves as producer), drummer Billy Hart, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, trumpeter Wallace Roney, and alto saxophonist Vincent Herring. Stallings sings well and stays focused, avoiding a distracting habit of singing the wrong words. She seems to relish the lyrics of Henry Mancini's "Moment to Moment as well as Allen's Latin-inflected setting. The gorgeous "Dindi, however, never finds its focus. Like the great Etta Jones, Stallings is at her best as a flat-footed (Jones' apt term for her own sorely missed art), straight-shooting raconteur of love lost and found. As if to prove this point, with just Darryl Hall's bass, she smokes "Centerpiece, and she outswings the curiously restrained band on "I Just Found Out About Love.  

The band seems reluctant to let loose, creating an atmosphere far too somber at times. The rough-and-tumble accompaniment of Gene Harris and Monty Alexander on previous sessions is missing here. And, because of this restraint, there is too much of one mood. Songs like Shania Twain's "Still the One and "Stuck in a Dream, although nicely sung, fail to take off. One of the session's finest moments comes, however, when Stallings stands "Funny Not Much on its head, eschewing the usual slow tempo for a bracing stroll. Likewise, she negotiates the rhythmic shifts of "There Is No Greater Love skillfully. Allen's organ solo is thoughtful and restrained. "Hello Yesterday and "Why Should There Be Stars showcase her art so well as she lingers over blue-hued melodies, singing of lost loves. This type of singing, almost a forgotten art today, is not merely a lesson in nostalgia, but a reminder of the continuing importance of tradition in jazz. Here the arrangements lovingly frame the singer, and Wess and Roney carefully caress her declarations. Stallings takes the long-honored blues-ballad approach, shows she is not afraid to swing hard, and revitalizes a venerable tradition in jazz singing. ~ Andrew Rowan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/remember-love-mary-stallings-half-note-records-review-by-andrew-rowan.php
 

Personnel: Mary Stallings: vocals;  Geri Allen: piano, organ;  Darryl Hall: bass;  Billy Hart: drums;  Frank Wess: tenor saxophone, flute;  Vincent Herring: alto saxophone;  Wallace Roney: trumpet.

Remember Love

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Wallace Roney - No Room for Argument

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:40
Size: 164,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:29)  1. No Room for Argument
( 7:47)  2. Homage & Acknowledgement 

( 7:11)  3. Straight No Nothing
( 4:33)  4. Metropolis
( 8:02)  5. Christina
(10:14)  6. NeuBeings
( 8:22)  7. Cygroove
( 5:19)  8. He Who Knows
( 8:27)  9. Virtual Chocolate Cherry
( 6:13) 10. Midnight Blue

In the mid-eighties I caught the great drummer Tony Williams’ band live. Williams, a member of Miles Davis’ second great quintet, had been making some pretty interesting music leading a band of youngsters including bassist Ira Coleman, saxophonist Billy Pierce, and trumpeter Wallace Roney. His music was a natural extension of those great sixties records and the Miles tradition. When the band took the stage my jaw dropped seeing the young Wallace Roney. He was the spitting image of the young Miles Davis. Although he didn’t play with his back to the band, I saw and heard the similarities. The resemblance has been both a blessing and a curse. It has drawn attention to his smoking trumpet, yet also given fuel to his detractors. The Art Blakey graduate received the ultimate blessing when Miles himself asked Roney to play alongside, and to take many of his parts on a Quincy Jones conduction of Gil Evans’ arrangements in 1991. His prior major label release Village (Warner 1997) was the precursor to this date, hinting at Miles’ Nefertiti, Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi group and even some early Weather Report. No Room For Argument gives us a fully formed concept. Roney, like Williams before him, is taking Miles’ concepts the next logical step. In other words he is advancing the music of Davis, who advanced Charlie Parker, who advanced Lester Young, and so on. Many may claim Roney to be looking backwards. 

Listening to this disc, I’d say he’s walking a street dedicated to Miles, one few have dared to walk or even cross. The title track opens with samples of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Deepak Chopra and Marcus Garvey. Over the drum machine march, Roney’s muted melody speaks a continuous line almost in response to the samples. This opening blow signals this record is going to be forward looking and forward sounding, but with tradition in mind. Roney then follows with the bass line of “Love Supreme” and a melody from Miles’ “Filles De Kilimanjaro.” With this as a base camp, he climbs into a future formed from Herbie Hancock’s electric/acoustic years, Chick Corea’s Return To Forever bands, and the much loved/hated Bitches Brew. His band includes former Hancock Sideman Buster Williams, Corea and Davis sideman Lenny White and Davis sideman Adam Holzman. 

With the question WWMD (what would Miles Do?), Roney invokes the Miles admired music of Prince (and Morris Day’s Time) on “Virtual Chocolate Factory.” While the mid-eighties funk can get a bit silly, the fiery trumpet Roney displays makes you ignore the cheese.This isn’t a fusion record in any sense of the word. Roney speaks authentic jazz. His slow/fast “He Who Knows” emits enough spark to be bebop, yet it’s filled with synthesizers. Herbie Hancock is conjured on ‘CyGroove” as is the organ/funk of Medeski, Martin, and Wood. Roney burns on “Neubeings” along with brother Antoine and wife Geri Allen. They mix hard bop with a Wayne Shorter-like composition for Weather Report. Many criticize Roney for being too much like Miles. Now comes something more to hate, or love. Roney gives us a relentless hardcore electric record. If there is still a public audience for progressive jazz, let them digest, argue, and deal with this music. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/no-room-for-argument-wallace-roney-concord-music-group-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: Wallace Roney (trumpet); Steve Hall (bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Antoine Roney (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Geri Allen (piano, electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer); Adam Holzman (electric piano, organ, Wurlitzer organ, synthesizer, mini-Moog synthesizer); Lenny White, Val "Gelder" Jeanty (drums).

No Room for Argument

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