Art Pepper - Surf Ride

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:25
Size: 87,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:54)  1. Tickle Toe
(2:59)  2. Chili Pepper
(3:14)  3. Susie The Poodle
(2:26)  4. Brown Gold
(3:11)  5. Holiday Flight
(2:54)  6. Surf Ride
(2:52)  7. Straight Life
(3:10)  8. Cinnamon
(3:29)  9. Thyme Time
(3:48) 10. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:15) 11. Nutmeg
(3:07) 12. Art's Oregano

The music on this Savoy LP is quite brilliant, but the packaging leaves something to be desired. The recording dates are all incorrect and there are only 12 performances included (around 37 minutes). There are quartet outings with either Russ Freeman or Hampton Hawes on piano and tracks from a classic session with tenor saxophonist Jack Montrose. The somewhat random nature of this set is unfortunate, for Pepper is in superior form throughout, with highlights including "Tickle Toe," "The Way You Look Tonight," and his earliest recordings of such originals as "Susie the Poodle," "Straight Life," and "Surf Ride." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/surf-ride-mw0000612532

Personnel:  Art Pepper - alto saxophone; Jack Montrose - tenor saxophone; Russ Freeman, Hampton Hawes, Claude Williamson - piano; Monty Budwig , Joe Mondragon, Bob Whitlock - bass; Larry Bunker, Bobby White - drums

Surf Ride

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Hampton Hawes - Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (2-Disc Set)

Hampton Hawes (p), Harper Crosby (b), Lawrence Marable (d), Joe Mondragon (b), Red Mitchell (b), Larry Bunker (d,vib), Shelly Manne (d), Clarence Jones (d), Chuck Thompson (d).

Hampton Hawes was one of the finest jazz pianists of the 1950s, a fixture on the Los Angeles scene who brought his own interpretations to the dominant Bud Powell style. In the mid- to late '40s, he played with Sonny Criss, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray, among others on Central Avenue. He was with Howard McGhee's band (1950-1951), played with Shorty Rogers and the Lighthouse All-Stars, served in the Army (1952-1954), and then led trios in the L.A. area, recording many albums for Contemporary. Arrested for heroin possession in 1958, Hawes spent five years in prison until he was pardoned by President Kennedy. He led trios for the remainder of his life, using electric piano (which disturbed his longtime fans) for a period in the early to mid-'70s, but returned to acoustic piano before dying from a stroke in 1977.

Album: Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:39
Size: 164.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010

[4:25] 1. Buzzy
[3:13] 2. What Is This Thing Called Love
[6:32] 3. Bud's Blues
[4:12] 4. Another Air Do
[4:32] 5. All The Things You Are
[6:03] 6. Blue Bird
[4:53] 7. I'll Remember April
[2:36] 8. Where Or When
[2:26] 9. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
[3:14] 10. Jumpin' Jacque
[4:16] 11. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[3:45] 12. Hawes Paws
[3:50] 13. It's You Or No One
[3:09] 14. Buzzy
[3:10] 15. Just One Of Those Things
[2:28] 16. Again
[4:42] 17. What A Difference A Day Makes
[4:06] 18. Blue Bird

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Album: Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:25
Size: 120.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. Night And Day
[2:56] 2. Where Or When
[2:48] 3. Jumpin' Jacques
[2:30] 4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[2:43] 5. It's You Or No One
[2:40] 6. Thou Swell
[2:41] 7. Terrible T
[2:44] 8. Fanfare
[2:55] 9. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[2:54] 10. I'll Remember April
[2:54] 11. Hamp's Paws
[1:53] 12. Move
[2:32] 13. Once In A While
[2:36] 14. Buzzy
[3:22] 15. I Hear Music
[3:53] 16. All The Things You Are
[3:31] 17. I Got Rhythm
[4:11] 18. How High The Moon

Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (Disc 1)(Disc 2)

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Harold Land - Westward Bound

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:13
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:17) 1. Vendetta
( 9:20) 2. Beep Durple
( 8:38) 3. Happily Dancing Deep Harmnoies Falling
(10:38) 4. My Romance
(11:07) 5. Triplin' The Groove
(11:27) 6. Autumn Leaves
( 4:54) 7. Who Can I Turn To
( 7:07) 8. Beau-Ty
( 2:43) 9. Blue 'n' Boogie

Contains previously un-issued live recordings of unsung tenor saxophone hero Harold Land from The Penthouse in Seattle from 1962, 1964 and 1965 with stellar musicians including Hampton Hawes, Carmell Jones, Buddy Montgomery and Philly Joe Jones. Released in partnership with the Harold Land Estate, the remastered audio was captured from direct transfers of the original Penthouse's tape reels. Westward Bound! includes an extensive booklet with rare photos; essays by jazz historian Michael Cuscuna, co-producers Zev Feldman and Cory Weeds, and pianist Eric Reed; plus interviews with tenor saxophone giant Joe Lovano and the legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins.

About the Artist: Harold Land was a legendary hard bop/post-bop tenor saxophonist. Land developed his hard bop playing with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown band. His first recording was as the leader of the Harold Land All-Stars, for Savoy Records in '49. In '54 he joined the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, with whom he was at the forefront of the hard-bop/bebop movement. He moved to Los Angeles in '55 and co-led groups with Bobby Hutcherson, Blue Mitchell, and Red Mitchell. In the early '80s through to the early '90s he worked regularly with the Timeless All Stars; a group sponsored by the Timeless jazz record label.

The group consisted of Land on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, Curtis Fuller on trombone and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Over his career he was a sideman on albums from Roy Ayers, Bill Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Freddie Hubbard, Thelonious Monk, Wes Montgomery, Donald Byrd, Dinah Washington and countless others. Land was a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles and joined the UCLA Jazz Studies Program in 1996 to teach instrumental jazz combo. ''Harold Land was one of the major contributors in the history of the jazz saxophone,'' said jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, founder and director of the UCLA Jazz Studies Program.~Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Westward-Bound-Harold-Land/dp/B08X5GPPV7

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land; Bass – Monk Montgomery; Drums – Joseph Rudolph Jones, Mel Lee; Piano – Buddy Montgomery, Hampton Hawes, John Houston; Trumpet – Carmell Jones

Westward Bound

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Charles Mingus - Mingus Three (feat. Hampton Hawes & Danny Richmond)

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:22
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:16) 1. Yesterdays
(5:31) 2. Back Home Blues
(6:31) 3. I Can't Get Started
(3:55) 4. Hamp's New Blues
(4:40) 5. Summertime - 1997 Remaster
(6:54) 6. Dizzy Moods
(6:33) 7. Laura

Most often heard in large ensembles and rarely in a trio context, Charles Mingus joined forces with pianist Hampton Hawes for this 1957 studio date. It features four standards, two originals by the bassist, and a jam by the group credited to Hawes. While there's nothing particularly arresting or startling about the date, the relationship between the two ostensible co-leaders is a good case study in group dynamics when deference between two strong-willed individualists turns into a certain amount of compromise. Drummer Danny Richmond is not so much the peacemaker or even mediator, and he is the one with the most common sense who actually pulls this triad into a simpatico unit, cooling the embers with his steady, willful-in-its-own-right playing. As complex as the music of Mingus tends to be, it's nice to hear what he does in a more simplified area.

His "Back Home Blues" is so basic as his bass leads out, while the Mingus chart "Dizzy Moods" is deeper within an easier swing, allowing darker colors to fully but slowly blossom. Richmond favors the tambourine on "Dizzy Moods" and the hip "A Night in Tunisia"-styled take of "Summertime," while a faster "Hamp's New Blues" bops along effortlessly, chided by the drummer's accents. Hawes shines in his gilded, rearranged concept of "Yesterdays," intentionally messing up the changes for the first few bars before settling in, while slowing the Vernon Duke evergreen "I Can't Get Started" (always a personal staple of the Mingus book) to a crawl. The most intriguing selection comes at the end, as "Laura" sounds derived from "Tea for Two," with the hardy upright of Mingus sallying forth about this imaginary woman made real through this poignant song. Some six years later, Mingus, Duke Ellington, and Max Roach would record the controversial trio effort Money Jungle, so in many ways this album is a prelude to that all-star combination, both one-shots and definitely sidebars to the careers of all of these brilliant jazzmen.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/mingus-three-mw0000309628

Personnel: Bass – Charles Mingus; Drums – Danny Richmond;Piano – Hampton Hawes

Mingus Three (feat. Hampton Hawes & Danny Richmond)

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Hampton Hawes - I'm All Smiles

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:01
Size: 89,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:38)  1. I'm All Smiles
( 5:35)  2. Manhã de Carnaval
( 5:11)  3. Spring Is Here
(10:04)  4. The Shadow of Your Smile
(10:31)  5. Searchin'

Pianist Hampton Hawes led a trio during the 1960s and '70s that remained popular without compromising its sound or musical integrity. His phrasing and voicings could entice or amaze, and he displays great range, rhythmic vitality, and harmonic excellence during the five selections featured on this 1966 live date now reissued on CD. Hawes moves from the Afro-Latin feel of "Manha de Carnaval" to the brilliant chordal exposition on "Spring Is Here" and "The Shadow of Your Smile," before concluding with a flourish on "Searchin." Hawes is backed by wonderful bassist Red Mitchell and steady drummer Donald Bailey, who had both been with him for over a decade. They are not just a cohesive unit, but an intuitive team, maintaining a communication with him that is amazing even within a genre that demands it. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-all-smiles-mw0000623559

Personnel: Hampton Hawes - piano; Red Mitchell - bass; Donald Bailey - drums

I'm All Smiles

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Sonny Criss - I'll Catch The Sun

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:46
Size: 82,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Don't Rain on My Parade
(8:11)  2. Blue Sunset
(4:45)  3. I Thought About You
(6:05)  4. California Screamin'
(5:43)  5. Cry Me a River
(5:33)  6. I'll Catch the Sun

Altoist Sonny Criss made some of his finest recordings for Prestige during the mid- to late '60s; I'll Catch the Sun was the seventh and final. Since this CD reissue is only 35 minutes long, it is overly brief, but the straight-ahead music (featuring Criss with pianist Hampton Hawes, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Shelly Manne) is often excellent as the altoist performs two blues, two standards (including a passionate "Cry Me a River"), and two forgotten pop tunes from the era. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/ill-catch-the-sun-mw0000626431

Personnel:  Sonny Criss - alto saxophone;  Hampton Hawes - piano;  Monty Budwig - bass;  Shelly Manne - drums

I'll Catch The Sun

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Bill Perkins - Just Friends

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:59
Size: 92,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Just Friends
(3:57)  2. A Foggy Day
(4:34)  3. All Of Me
(3:09)  4. Diane-A-Flow
(3:19)  5. Limehouse Blues
(5:22)  6. What Is This Thing Called Love
(4:32)  7. Solid Desylva
(5:06)  8. Sweet And Lovely
(3:43)  9. Zenobia

Tremendous work from tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins  easily one of our favorite talents of the LA scene of the 50s, heard here on material from 2 rare albums! On these 50s recordings, Bill's got a great tone that really deserves to be heard  as lean and cool as fellow LA scenester Bud Shank, but also with a soulful quality that recalls some of the alto work coming out of Boston at the same time. Half the CD features titles from the Pacific Jazz album Just Friends  and Perkins plays tenor on most of the album, plus a bit of flute and bass clarinet  in the company of Art Pepper, Richie Kamuca, Jimmy Rowles, and Hampton Hawes. Tracks include "Solid De Sylva", "Zenobia", "Diane A Flow", and "Just Friends". The remaining tracks are from the even more obscure Liberty album Tenors Head On  a tight small group session that matches the horns of Perkins and Richie Kamuca, alongside rhythm from Pete Jolly on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/bill-perkins-albums/4380-just-friends-tenors-head-on.html

Personnel:  Art Pepper (as) Bill Perkins (ts,bclar,f) Richie Kamuca (ts) Jimmy Rowles/ Hampton Hawes (p) Ben Tucker/ Red Mitchell (b) Mel Lewis (d)

Just Friends

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Hampton Hawes Quartet - All Night Session, Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3.

Originally issued on three LPs, the music resulting from Hampton Hawes' All Night Session! was stereophonically recorded for the Contemporary label in Los Angeles on the night of November 12 and into the morning of November 13, 1956. This session transcended the conventions of studio production by moving steadily from one tune to the next like a live gig with no alternate takes. Here is West Coast bop at its most spontaneous and exciting. Prior to this highly successful quartet experiment, Hawes had recorded mainly with his trio. He said that the addition of guitarist Jim Hall opened up more rhythmic possibilities. The currents passing between Hawes and bassist Red Mitchell were the metabolic pulse of this group; drummer Eldridge "Bruz" Freeman was a replacement for Chuck Thompson, whose heroin habit had forced him out of the band earlier that year. On this night Hawes chose to reinterpret no less than four Dizzy Gillespie compositions, along with themes by Duke Ellington and Duke Jordan as well as six chestnuts from the standard jazz repertoire. But there's nothing "standardized" about this music. Like his main influence, Charlie Parker, Hampton Hawes was a strikingly inventive blues-based improviser; this element is strongly present throughout, particularly during five spontaneously composed Hawes originals that materialized during this monumentally creative All Night Session! Now, 50 years after this music was first made available to the public, the Definitive label's beautifully remastered edition should enable this to be acknowledged and appreciated as one of the truly essential jazz recordings of all time. ~ arwulf arwulf https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-night-session%21-vols-1-3-mw0000364190 

Personnel: Hampton Hawes (piano); Jim Hall (guitar); Bruz Freeman (drums).

Album: All Night Session, Vol. 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:14
Size: 90,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:07)  1. Jordu
( 5:48)  2. Groovin' High
( 8:09)  3. Takin' Care
( 6:54)  4. Broadway
(11:14)  5. Hampton's Pulpit

Album: All Night Session, Vol. 2

Time: 42:59
Size: 99,4 MB

(7:05)  1. I'll Remember April
(4:28)  2. I Should Care
(5:45)  3. Woody'n You
(2:54)  4. Two Bass Hit
(6:59)  5. Will You Still Be Mine
(7:35)  6. April In Paris
(8:10)  7. Blue 'N' Boogie

Album: All Night Session, Vol. 3

Time: 41:37
Size: 95,9 MB

(11:03)  1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
( 7:38)  2. Blues #3
(11:00)  3. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
( 6:17)  4. Blues #4
( 5:37)  5. Blues Of A Sort

All Night Session, Vol. 1, Vol.2, Vol. 3

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Red Mitchell - Jam For Your Bread

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:31
Size: 92.8 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1956/2015
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Duff
[5:09] 2. Ornithology
[3:23] 3. Section Blues
[5:05] 4. You Go To My Head
[4:50] 5. Where Or When
[4:14] 6. Jam For Your Bread
[4:24] 7. East Coast Outpost
[4:01] 8. I'll Never Be The Same
[4:45] 9. Will You Still Be Mine

Red Mitchell (b) Conte Candoli (tp) Joe Maini (as, ts) Hampton Hawes (p) Chuck Thompson (d) recorded Los Angeles, CA, September 27, 1955.

Mitchell took up the bass while serving in the armed forces, a career path followed by many would-be jazz musicians during their military service, though the bass must have been particularly cumbersome on the battlefield. A regular feature of the Fifties West Coast scene, Red worked with Gerry Mulligan among others. He helped establish the potential of bass as a “solo” instrument, and escape the rhythm section. Like many boppers in the late 60s, as jazz fell out of fashion, Mitchell moved to Europe, living in Sweden, where he remained until the late Seventies, and continued to play for many decades later moving between the US and Europe.

Fine West Coast artists Hampton Hawes piano and Conte Candoli trumpet help put an extra sparkle into these pieces.

Jam For Your Bread mc
Jam For Your Bread zippy

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Hampton Hawes - Playin' In The Yard

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:56)  1. Playin' in the Yard
( 8:53)  2. Double Trouble
( 5:06)  3. Pink Peaches
( 8:35)  4. De De
( 7:36)  5. Stella by Starlight

This live LP (which has not yet been reissued on CD) mostly features Hampton Hawes on electric piano, performing at the 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival in a trio with electric bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Kenny Clarke. Hawes interprets three of his originals, Sonny Rollins' catchy "Playin' in the Yard," and "Stella by Starlight." 

Although well-played, little memorable occurs, and Hawes never did sound as distinctive on keyboards as he did on acoustic piano. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/playin-in-the-yard-mw0001882935     

Personnel:  Hampton Hawes - piano, electric piano;  Bob Cranshaw - electric bass;  Kenny Clarke - drums

Playin' In The Yard

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Hampton Hawes - Something Special

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:37
Size: 115.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[7:47] 1. BD & DS Blues
[9:13] 2. Pablito
[9:37] 3. Sunny
[9:03] 4. Nice Meanderings
[5:29] 5. St. Thomas
[9:25] 6. Fly Me To The Moon

This 1994 CD released for the first time a live set (recorded at Half Moon Bay, California) performed less than a year before pianist Hampton Hawes' death. Hawes, in a quartet with guitarist Denny Diaz, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Al Williams, dominates the music and displays his ability to uplift a couple of pop tunes ("Sunny" and "Fly Me to the Moon"). He also swings creatively through a blues, "St. Thomas" and a pair of his originals. This excellent music gives no hints of Hawes' upcoming demise. ~Scott Yanow

Something Special mc
Something Special zippy

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Freddie Redd Trio, Hampton Hawes Quartet - Piano East Piano West

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:59
Size: 96.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1956/1991
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Terrible T
[2:47] 2. Fanfare
[2:59] 3. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[2:58] 4. I'll Remember April
[2:59] 5. Hamp's Paws
[1:57] 6. Move
[2:35] 7. Once In A While
[2:39] 8. Buzzy
[4:16] 9. Debut
[5:47] 10. The Things We Did Last Summer
[5:20] 11. Lady J Blues
[4:53] 12. Ready Freddie

This CD reissue has two unrelated early sessions from pianists Hampton Hawes and Freddie Redd. Hawes, heard in a quartet with vibraphonist Larry Bunker, bassist Clarence Jones and drummer Larence Marable, already ranked as one of the top bop-based pianists in 1952. He performs eight straight-ahead numbers (five bop standards and three originals like "Hamp's Paws"), including a two-minute version of "Move" that lives up to its name. Redd, who recorded much less during his longer career, stretches out a bit more on four numbers (including three originals) in a trio with bassist John Ore and drummer Ron Jefferson. Excellent music, easily recommended to bop collectors. ~Scott Yanow

Piano East Piano West 

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Hampton Hawes!!! With Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne & Red Mitchell - Four!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:01
Size: 121.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1958/1988
Art: Front

[6:40] 1. Yardbird Suite
[6:59] 2. There Will Never Be Another You
[6:30] 3. Bow Jest
[5:36] 4. Sweet Sue
[5:08] 5. Up Blues
[3:21] 6. Like Someone In Love
[5:42] 7. Love Is Just Around The Corner
[4:54] 8. Thou Swell
[8:08] 9. The Awful Truth

Bass – Red Mitchell; Drums – Shelly Manne; Guitar – Barney Kessel; Piano – Hampton Hawes. Recorded January 27, 1958 at Contemporary's studio in Los Angeles.

Pianist Hampton Hawes' 1950s recordings for the Contemporary label are at such a high level that they could all be given five stars. This outing with bassist Red Mitchell, drummer Shelly Manne, and guitarist Barney Kessel (who is a slight wild card) is also quite successful. Two previously unreleased numbers ("Thou Swell" and "The Awful Truth") have been added to the CD reissue. Highlights of the exciting bop date include "Yardbird Suite," "There Will Never Be Another You," and "Love Is Just Around the Corner." ~Scott Yanow

Four!

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Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon - Jazz Undulation

Styles: Trumpet Jazz

Year: 2014

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 41:49

Size: 95,8 MB

Art: Front

( 7:09)  1. Body & Soul

(13:54)  2. All The Things You Are

(20:45)  3. Blues Up And Down

One of the all-time great tenor saxophonists, Johnny Griffin will go down in the annals of jazz as a performer easily able to negotiate the tricky harmonic changes and swift tempos of modern music. He'll also be remembered as a player who could masterfully interpret tender ballads, rivaling Ben Webster in that regard. Born John Arnold Griffin III in Chicago, Illinois, on April 24, 1928, he resided on the South Side of the Second City with his mother, who was a singer, and father, who played cornet. An adolescent Griffin heard Gene Ammons play in the big band of King Kolax. Two years later he picked up an alto saxophone, and soon thereafter was working with bluesman T-Bone Walker. A student at DuSable High School, he was tutored by the legendary band director Captain Walter Dyett. Upon graduation, he toured with Lionel Hampton's big band, switched to the tenor sax, and moved to New York City. The late '40s saw Griffin honking his share of R&B with Joe Morris up to 1950, alongside the band of Jo Jones in 1950, and with Arnett Cobb in 1951. He enlisted in the armed services stationed in Hawaii, and played in an Army band. After his military commitment, he returned to Chicago and was in the company of Thelonious Monk's various ensembles up to the mid-'60s. Griffin cut his Blue Note album Introducing Johnny Griffin in 1958, and that year formed a sextet with Detroiters Pepper Adams and Donald Byrd. He collaborated with pianists Bud Powell and Elmo Hope, was enlisted by Art Blakey briefly as a member of the Jazz Messengers, energized his solo recording career for the Riverside label, and obtained his nickname, The Little Giant, with that eponymously titled LP in 1959. His most famous and popular teaming was with fellow saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Griffin also recorded the legendary A Blowin' Session for the Blue Note label with John Coltrane and Hank Mobley.

But Griffin grew weary of the U.S. and its apathy regarding jazz, so he became an expatriate. He was living in Paris, France, by 1963, and did many albums with European rhythm sections for the Storyville, Black Lion, and Steeplechase labels. He was also a charter member and chief soloist for many years in the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band alongside American and Continental standouts. The year 1975 was an important one for Griffin, who was featured with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie as documented in recordings of their sets at the Montreux Jazz Festival. He also collaborated with German saxophonist Klaus Doldinger and his fusion band Passport. In the late '70s, Griffin returned to the States to record for the Galaxy label, and toured with fellow expatriate tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon.  He left Paris for the countryside of the Netherlands to live on a farm, then headed to the Côte d'Azur in 1980, and in 1984 to rural Availles-Limouzine. In 1986 he was a member of the Paris Reunion Band with Woody Shaw, Dizzy Reece, Slide Hampton, and Kenny Drew, making one album for the Sonet label. During his time in France, Griffin recorded for the Antilles and Verve labels, including The Cat in 1991 and Chicago, New York, Paris in 1994. On the weeks of his birthday, Griffin made regular appearances at the Jazz Showcase back home in Chicago. In his later years he collaborated with pianist Martial Solal and saxophonist Steve Grossman. Griffin passed away at age 80 on July 25, 2008, at his home in Availles-Limouzine. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-griffin-mn0000213510/biography

Personnel:  Johnny Griffin - tenor saxophone;  Hampton Hawes – piano;  Jimmy Woode – bass;  Kenny Clarke – drums;  Dexter Gordon - tenor saxophone

Jazz Undulation

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Bill Perkins & Richie Kamuca - Tenors Head On

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Flute Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:34
Size: 143,6 MB
Art:

(4:37)  1. Cotton Tail
(5:57)  2. I Want A Little Girl
(4:30)  3. Blues For Two
(4:40)  4. Indian Summer
(5:06)  5. Don't Be That Way
(5:38)  6. Oh! Look At Me Now
(5:02)  7. Spain
(4:25)  8. Pick A Dilly
(4:32)  9. Solid De Sylva
(5:10) 10. Just Friends
(4:32) 11. All Of Me
(3:19) 12. Limehouse Blues
(5:02) 13. Sweet And Lovely

The Lester Young-influenced tenors of Bill Perkins (who later developed a more Coltrane-oriented style) and Richie Kamuca are matched on this 1956 set. The music comprises hard-swinging but light-toned run-throughs on standards with the two complementary tenors both in excellent form. The material is taken from two former LPs and feature a pair of all-star rhythm sections (pianist Pete Jolly, bassist Red Mitchell, drummer Stan Levey, or pianist Hampton Hawes, Mitchell, and drummer Mel Lewis). Lovers of bebop and solidly swinging music will find much to enjoy on the set including some rare (if conventional) bass clarinet and flute from Perkins on a colorful version of "Sweet and Lovely." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/tenors-head-on-mw0000277343

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – Bill Perkins;  Tenor Saxophone – Richie Kamuca;  Bass – Red Mitchell;  Drums – Mel Lewis (tracks: 9 to 13), Stan Levey (tracks: 1 to 8);  Piano – Hampton Hawes (tracks: 9 to 13), Pete Jolly (tracks: 1 to 8)

Tenors Head On

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Hampton Hawes - Hamp's Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:39
Size: 98,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Villingen Blues
(2:25)  2. Rhyhm
(4:22)  3. Black Forest Blues
(9:07)  4. Autumn Leaves
(5:17)  5. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:05)  6. Sonora
(5:14)  7. I'm All Smiles
(5:24)  8. My Foolish Heart

Hampton Hawes was one of the finest jazz pianists of the 1950s, a fixture on the Los Angeles scene who brought his own interpretations to the dominant Bud Powell style. In the mid- to late '40s, he played with Sonny Criss, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray, among others on Central Avenue. He was with Howard McGhee's band (1950-1951), played with Shorty Rogers and the Lighthouse All-Stars, served in the Army (1952-1954), and then led trios in the L.A. area, recording many albums for Contemporary. Arrested for heroin possession in 1958, Hawes spent five years in prison until he was pardoned by President Kennedy. He led trios for the remainder of his life, using electric piano (which disturbed his longtime fans) for a period in the early to mid-'70s, but returned to acoustic piano before dying from a stroke in 1977. Hampton Hawes' memoirs, Raise Up Off Me (1974), are both frank and memorable, and most of his records (for Xanadu, Prestige, Savoy, Contemporary, Black Lion, and Freedom) are currently available. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hampton-hawes-mn0000558596/biography

Personnel:  Piano – Hampton Hawes;  Bass – Eberhard Weber;  Drums – Claus Weiss

Hamp's Piano

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Slide Hampton - Mellow-Dy

Styles: Trombone Jazz

Year: 1968

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:02

Size: 127,0 MB

Art: Front

( 4:15)  1. Lament

( 7:11)  2. Impossible Waltz

(12:15)  3. Chop Suey

( 5:16)  4. Mellow- Dy

(18:32)  5. The Thing

( 7:30)  6. Us Six

Trombonist Slide Hampton's writing ability has long overshadowed his skills as a player. This CD reissue sets the record straight by putting the focus on Hampton's boppish and consistently creative trombone. The first three selections (a couple of originals and J.J. Johnson's "Lament") showcase Hampton really stretching out with a quartet also including pianist Martial Solal, bassist Henri Texler and drummer Daniel Humair. The second half of the CD has Hampton joined by tenor saxophonist Nathan Davis, vibraphonist Dave Pike, pianist Hampton Hawes (sounding quite modern), Texler, and Humair for a couple more originals and Hawes' "Us Six." Overall, the advanced straight-ahead music on this CD comprises one of Hampton's best showcases as a trombonist, and the release is easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/mellow-dy-mw0000234931

Personnel: Slide Hampton (trombone); Nathan Davis (tenor saxophone); Dave Pike (vibraphone); Martin Solal, Hampton Hawes (piano); Henri Texier (bass); Daniel Humair (drums).

Mellow-Dy

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Nathan Davis - Rules of Freedom

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:16
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:40)  1. Blues for Trane
( 8:32)  2. A 5
( 3:52)  3. Ahali the Painter
( 5:35)  4. Mandingo's Pad
(11:07)  5. Love is Freedom
( 3:26)  6. Rules of Freedom

Nathan Davis has split his career between being a fine tenor saxophonist and a jazz educator. He played briefly with Jay McShann in 1955, attended the University of Kansas, spent time in the Army in Berlin (1960-1963), and stayed in Paris where he worked with Kenny Clarke (1963-1969), Eric Dolphy (1964), and Art Taylor. He also toured Europe with Art Blakey (1965) and Ray Charles. Since 1969, Davis has been a professor of jazz at the University of Pittsburgh and Moorhead State University. His two most important musical associations have been heading the Paris Reunion Band (1985-1989) and leading Roots (which he formed in 1991).~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nathan-davis-mn0000377691/biography

Personnel:  Bass – Jimmy Garrison;  Drums – Art Taylor;  Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Nathan Davis;  Piano – Hampton Hawes

Rules of Freedom

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Charlie Haden & Hampton Hawes - As Long As There's Music

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:14
Size: 161,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:01)  1. Irene
(5:39)  2. Rain Forest
(7:57)  3. Turnaround
(8:15)  4. As long as there's music
(9:16)  5. This is called loved
(8:09)  6. Hello/Goodbye
(8:43)  7. Irene (alternative)
(6:40)  8. Turnaround (alternative)
(7:31)  9. As long as there's music (alternative)

Although one would not immediately associate bassist Charlie Haden with pianist Hampton Hawes, they had performed together on an occasional basis since first meeting in 1957. This Artists House LP, a set of five duets, was their last opportunity to play together because Hawes would pass away the following year. The music includes a fairly free improvisation on "Hello/ Goodbye," the duo's intepretation of the title cut, a collaboration on "This Is Called Love" and two originals from the pianist. This quiet and often lyrical set contains a great deal of thoughtful and subtle music by two masters. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/as-long-as-theres-music-mw0000100247

Personnel: Charlie Haden (bass); Hampton Hawes (piano).

As Long As There's Music                

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Hampton Hawes - Here and Now

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1965

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:25

Size: 90,4 MB

Art: Front

(7:01)  1. Fly Me to the Moon

(4:44)  2. What Kind of Fool Am I?

(4:08)  3. The Girl from Ipanema

(3:39)  4. Rhonda

(5:29)  5. Dear Heart

(5:07)  6. People

(4:29)  7. Chim Chim Cher-ee

(4:43)  8. The Days of Wine and Roses

For this interesting but not essential CD reissue, pianist Hampton Hawes, along with bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Donald Bailey, tries his best to uplift then-current songs (plus his original "Rhonda") including "Fly Me to the Moon," "What Kind of Fool Am I," "Chim Chim Cheree," and even "People." In general, the treatments are somewhat straight-ahead ("The Girl from Ipanema" is taken as swing rather than bossa nova), and Hawes' solos transform some of the tunes a bit. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/here-and-now-mw0000674696

Hampton Hawes Trio: Hampton Hawes (piano); Chuck Israels (bass); Donald Bailey (drums).

Here and Now

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