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'

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Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:32
Size: 168,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:22) 1. Better Git It in Your Soul
(5:44) 2. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(5:02) 3. Boogie Stop Shuffle
(3:10) 4. Self-Portrait in Three Colors
(5:51) 5. Open Letter to Duke
(6:17) 6. Bird Calls
(8:13) 7. Fables of Faubus
(9:14) 8. Pussy Cat Dues
(6:17) 9. Jelly Roll
(6:30) 10. Pedal Point Blues
(4:39) 11. GG Train
(4:07) 12. Girl of My Dreams

Charles Mingus' debut for Columbia, Mingus Ah Um is a stunning summation of the bassist's talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. While there's also a strong case for The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady as his best work overall, it lacks Ah Um's immediate accessibility and brilliantly sculpted individual tunes. Mingus' compositions and arrangements were always extremely focused, assimilating individual spontaneity into a firm consistency of mood, and that approach reaches an ultra-tight zenith on Mingus Ah Um.

The band includes longtime Mingus stalwarts already well versed in his music, like saxophonists John Handy, Shafi Hadi, and Booker Ervin; trombonists Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis; pianist Horace Parlan; and drummer Dannie Richmond. Their razor-sharp performances tie together what may well be Mingus' greatest, most emotionally varied set of compositions. At least three became instant classics, starting with the irrepressible spiritual exuberance of signature tune "Better Get It in Your Soul," taken in a hard-charging 6/8 and punctuated by joyous gospel shouts. "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is a slow, graceful elegy for Lester Young, who died not long before the sessions.

The sharply contrasting "Fables of Faubus" is a savage mockery of segregationist Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, portrayed musically as a bumbling vaudeville clown (the scathing lyrics, censored by skittish executives, can be heard on Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus). The underrated "Boogie Stop Shuffle" is bursting with aggressive swing, and elsewhere there are tributes to Mingus' most revered influences: "Open Letter to Duke" is inspired by Duke Ellington and "Jelly Roll" is an idiosyncratic yet affectionate nod to jazz's first great composer, Jelly Roll Morton. It simply isn't possible to single out one Mingus album as definitive, but Mingus Ah Um comes the closest. By Steve Huey
https://www.allmusic.com/album/mingus-ah-um-mw0000188531

Personnel: Charles Mingus – bass, piano (with Parlan on track 10); John Handy – alto sax (1, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12), clarinet (8), tenor sax (2); Booker Ervin – tenor sax; Shafi Hadi – tenor sax (2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10), alto sax (1, 5, 6, 9, 12); Willie Dennis – trombone (3, 4, 5, 12); Jimmy Knepper – trombone (1, 7, 8, 9, 10); Horace Parlan – piano; Dannie Richmond – drums

Mingus Ah Um

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Benny Bailey - For Heaven's Sake

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:17
Size: 122.0 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[ 5:25] 1. Little Jazz
[ 6:00] 2. Blues East
[ 7:14] 3. Peruvian Nights
[ 4:47] 4. Mood Indigo
[11:12] 5. For Heaven's Sake
[ 5:36] 6. One For Wilton
[ 7:30] 7. No Mo Blues
[ 5:30] 8. Arrival

Bass – Jimmy Woode; Clarinet – Tony Coe; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Piano – Horace Parlan; Saxophone – Tony Coe; Trumpet – Benny Bailey.

Legendary jazz trumpeter Benny Bailey creates the finest disc of a distinguished career. Featuring an all-star lineup of Tony Coe (tenor & soprano saxes/clarinet), Horace Parlan (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass), and Idris Muhammad (drums), the band swings its butt off with near telepathic interplay, casual sophistication, and a special joie de vivre.

For Heaven's Sake

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Horace Parlan - Happy Frame of Mind

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:56
Size: 89,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:49)  1. Home Is Africa
(6:11)  2. A Tune for Richard
(5:58)  3. Back from the Gig
(5:59)  4. Dexi
(5:44)  5. Kucheza Blues
(6:13)  6. Happy Frame of Mind

Happy Frame of Mind finds Horace Parlan breaking away from the soul-inflected hard bop that had become his trademark, moving his music into more adventurous, post-bop territory. Aided by a first-rate quintet trumpeter Johnny Coles, tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, guitarist Grant Green, bassist Butch Warren, drummer Billy Higgins Parlan produces a provocative set that is grounded in soul and blues but stretches out into challenging improvisations. None of the musicians completely embrace the avant-garde, but there are shifting tonal textures and unpredictable turns in the solos which have been previously unheard in Parlan's music. 

Perhaps that's the reason why Happy Frame of Mind sat unissued in Blue Note's vaults until 1976, when it was released as part of a double-record Booker Ervin set, but the fact of the matter is, it's one of Parlan's most successful efforts, finding the perfect middle ground between accessible, entertaining jazz and more adventurous music. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-frame-of-mind-mw0000207456

Personnel:  Horace Parlan – piano;  Johnny Coles – trumpet;  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone;  Grant Green - guitar;  Butch Warren – bass;  Billy Higgins – drums.

Happy Frame of Mind

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Johnny Griffin, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Pisces

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:17
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Pisces
(4:36)  2. Midnight Sun
(4:32)  3. Willow Weep For Me
(3:44)  4. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
(3:33)  5. What Is There To Say?
(4:32)  6. She's Funny That Way
(4:16)  7. Yesterdays
(4:09)  8. Sophisticated Lady
(4:46)  9. Willow Weep For Me (alternate)
(4:14) 10. She's Funny That Way (alternate)
(4:06) 11. Sophisticated Lady (alternate)
(3:31) 12. What Is There To Say (alternate)

The early '60s was a golden age for tenor tandems. Towering team-ups like Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Johnny Griffin were illustrative of the Zeitgeist. Such a simple formula, joining the talents of two titans on that most popular of jazz horns, but it's one that consistently yielded both artistic and financial profit. For a time the partnership of Davis and Griffin stood at the front of the pack. The 1962 recording Pisces is unique in discography of Davis and Griffin for several reasons. Firstly, though the saxophonists share billing on the traycard as well as the same rhythm section, none of the tracks feature the pair together. Secondly, the set list is comprised almost completely of ballads. The only exception arises in the Griffin-penned title waltz that ambles along at a medium tempo. Thirdly, and perhaps most surprisingly, the tape reel sat sequestered on a shelf for the better part of forty years. The chosen schematic removes the possibility of sparks striking between the two men, but each is so versed at fronting an ensemble that it's worth paying attention to his interplay with the Parlan-led rhythm team that also employs supple bass of Buddy Catlett and the always ecumenical drumming of Art Taylor. 

Aside from Griffin's jovial opener the remaining cuts predictably draw from the jazz standard songbook. For some inexplicable reason Davis is saddled with Parlan's decision to play celeste on his featured tracks and the cloying wind chime tonalities of the instrument quickly pall. Even Catlett and Taylor sound a bit stultified by the situation. Luckily the robust purr of Davis' horn acts as an effective antidote, gliding eloquently through choruses and offering a salty tang to the otherwise saccharine surroundings. Parlan's piano work is a different story, nimble and elegant and dulcetly supportive of Griff's mellifluous lines, particularly on pieces like the positively intoxicating reading of "Willow Weep For Me." Adding measurably to an already valuable trove are four alternate takes (three by Griff and one by Jaws) that bolster the running time to just over fifty fulsome minutes. According the liner notes, the pair cut the date at a New York studio and interest swiftly waned toward the results. Davis' topflight session at Rudy Van Gelder's taped two days earlier with the same rhythm section and conguero Willie Bobo added (released as Goin' to the Meeting ) may have also swayed opinions against releasing the material. Today's vantage point makes room for a different appraisal. Davis' catalog is now a finite commodity, making virtually any "new" work worth scrutiny. Griffin continues to record, but again anything of antique vintage unearthed in his oeuvre is cause for collectors and casual fans to take notice. Despite a minor complaint or two, this collection is certainly that, and one that any fan of either man should waste no time in checking it out. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pisces-johnny-griffin-riverside-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Johnny Griffin- tenor saxophone; Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis- tenor saxophone; Horace Parlan- piano, celeste; Buddy Catlett- bass; Arthur Taylor- drums.

Pisces

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Horace Parlan - Glad I Found You

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:29
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

( 4:54)  1. Monday Morning Blues
(10:08)  2. Hip Walk
( 6:03)  3. Oblivion
( 7:50)  4. Something for Silver
( 7:00)  5. Glad I Found You
( 6:31)  6. Afternoon in Paris

Expatriate pianist Horace Parlan and a couple of fine Scandinavians (bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Aage Tanggaard) welcome Thad Jones (heard exclusively here on flugelhorn) and the great tenor Eddie Harris to this spirited set. Jones was making a successful, if short-lived comeback, and at two years before his death, this was one of his final high-quality small-group recordings. Harris is heard throughout in top form. The quintet performs two Parlan originals (including "Something for Silver"), a couple of obscurities, John Lewis' "Afternoon In Paris" and Bud Powell's "Oblivion." Parlan sounds inspired by the other musicians on this spirited hard bop set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/glad-i-found-you-mw0000196134

Personnel:  Horace Parlan - piano; Thad Jones - flugelhorn; Eddie Harris - tenor saxophone; Jesper Lundgaard - bass; Aage Tanggaard - drums

Glad I Found You

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Archie Shepp, Chet Baker Quintet - In Memory Of: First and Last Meeting in Frankfurt and Paris 1988

Styles: Saxophone, Trumpet And Piano Jazz 
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:47
Size: 160,5 MB
Art: Front

(11:58)  1. Dedication to Bessie Smiths Blues
( 9:14)  2. My Foolish Heart
(11:06)  3. Confirmation
( 9:28)  4. When Lights Are Low
( 9:44)  5. How Deep Is the Ocean
(10:54)  6. Old Devil Moon
( 7:19)  7. My Ideal

This is one of the odder releases of the 1980s. For the first and only times, trumpeter Chet Baker and tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp teamed up for a pair of concerts in a quintet which also included pianist Horace Parlan, bassist Herman Wright and drummer Clifford Jarvis. The fact that Shepp is an emotional avant-gardist and Baker a cool-toned lyrical trumpeter and that both have radically different singing styles (they take a vocal apiece) results in the obvious: these two individualists do not blend together very well. Other than Shepp's "Dedication to Bessie Smith's Blues," the repertoire is all standards. Baker plays pretty, while Shepp sounds sloppy and heavy. This CD is definitely a historical curiosity, but does not need to be listened to more than once.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-memory-of-mw0000654787

Personnel: Trumpet, Vocals – Chet Baker; Saxophone [Tenor], Vocals – Archie Shepp; Piano – Horace Parlan; Bass – Herman Wright; Drums – Clifford Jarvis

In Memory Of: First and Last Meeting in Frankfurt and Paris 1988

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Archie Shepp, Horace Parlan - Trouble in Mind

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:42
Size: 117,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. Back Water Blues
(3:26)  2. Trouble in Mind
(5:55)  3. Nobody Knows You When You're Down A
(2:36)  4. Careless Love
(5:00)  5. How Long Blues
(5:16)  6. Blues in Third
(5:05)  7. When Things Go Wrong
(4:26)  8. Goin' Down Slow
(3:41)  9. Courthouse Blues
(4:43) 10. See See Rider
(3:26) 11. Make Me a Pallet on the Floor
(4:22) 12. St James Infirmary

This is the second set of duets by Archie Shepp (doubling on tenor and soprano) and pianist Horace Parlan after an earlier SteepleChase set titled Goin' Home. It features the duo on blues-oriented pieces from the 1920s. It is particularly interesting to hear Shepp, best known for his ferocious free jazz performances of the mid- to late '60s, adjusting his sound and giving such songs as "Trouble in Mind," Earl Hines' "Blues in Thirds," and "St. James Infirmary" tasteful and respectful yet emotional treatment. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/trouble-in-mind-mw0000649729

Personnel: Archie Shepp - soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Horace Parlan - piano

Trouble in Mind

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Dexter Gordon - Doin' Allright (Remastered 2015)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:18)  1. I Was Doing All Right
( 7:27)  2. You've Changed
( 5:45)  3. For Regulars Only
(12:21)  4. Society Red
( 6:14)  5. It's You Or No One
( 6:14)  6. I Want More
( 6:21)  7. For Regulars Only (Alternate Take)

From the first track of this record in Blue Note's 45rpm double-disc reissue series tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon certainly seems to be doing just fine. That opener, "I Was Doing All Right," lilts along with a nice 'n' easy, early 1960s treatment of an insistently positive George Gershwin melody. Gordon doesn't rush his solo, but allows it to intensify naturally from the surrounding breeze. He explores the entire range of his instrument, allowing his pace to ebb and flow while never jettisoning himself from the track of comfortable swing. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard enters on and retains a brasher course, slashing through a stream of jagged, harmonic lines. Pianist Horace Parlan goes farther afield, injecting the tune with some passing abstract figures. Coming back from the R&B-tinged fade with which he ends the first track, Gordon enters "You've Changed" with acrobatic flips and spirals before settling his horn into the rhythm's crackling warmth. Again, the saxophonist leaves no point on his horn's tonal spectrum untouched, all along dipping into the sugary pools of regret left by the passage of time. Hubbard traces the low, stretched breaths of drummer Al Harewood's brushes, then works the harmony and, later, moans along with Gordon as the leader makes his return. "For Regulars Only," the first of two Gordon originals, lifts the record's spirits back to its opening contentment. Together, Gordon and Hubbard graph a sharp-toothed, yet pleasant, bop melody. Alone, Gordon's tone is bright and forceful, his lines angular and dancing. 

Hubbard, for whom this racing, riff-heavy tune seems tailor-made, surprises a bit by softening the edges of his blowing, rather than cutting into the listener with the expected blare. It's a relaxed, somewhat against-type approach that works to excellent effect. Parlan, for his part, operates here like a film editor, attaching several unresolved passages into a series of piano jump-cuts before the horns return to restate the theme. Yet, despite the solid work heard throughout the first three numbers, the album's lasting value resides on what originally constituted its second side (and which here comprises the second disc). "Society Red," the second Gordon original, is a relaxed, yet powerful, blues that first hands the solo reins to Hubbard. He's in no hurry to jolt the listener, but rides the relaxed vibe awhile. Soon, however, he enters his familiar blowing terrain, spitting piercing shots to the heavens. Gordon revisits some of these volleys with a deeper, warmer sound and the occasional growl. Much as in the album's opener, he steadily builds his story, ever filling the available space with more information more details without ever disrupting the flow, like a boxer expertly working the speed bag. Parlan applies a soft, rolling touch, skewing the blues into an abstract take on ragtime. This nice recollection of jazz's first steps gives way to bassist George Andrew Tucker's only individual statement on the record: a loping bend to the space-time continuum. "It's You or No One," brings all the aforementioned together to close the album. 

A burning bop pow-wow, it's awash with quick, flowing lines, staccato shots, trills and R&B warble. Gordon turns in what may be his best solo of the set here, augmenting the curls of his Spirograph drawing with sharp cutbacks and drooping sighs. While brief, Hubbard's sprinting effort also impresses, retaining through the speed the kind of warmth that made Miles Davis' trumpet smile. Parlan spins a spiked wheel, twirling through cyclical motifs with a cubist touch. The horns blow in to clear the field, then trade with Tucker's bass before giving way to Harewood's brief, but aggressive drum solo. Gordon and Hubbard then join forces a last time to see the album out with a final battle charge. It's a glorious send-off for an album that's rote procedure in spots, but comes on in the second half with two inspired hard bop attacks. ~ Matt Marshall https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dexter-gordon-doin-allright-by-matt-marshall.php

Personnel: Dexter Gordon, tenor sax; Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Horace Parlan, piano; George Tucker, bass; Al Harewood, drums.

Doin' Allright

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Booker Ervin - That's It

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:18
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:57)  1. Mojo
( 4:32)  2. Uranus
( 8:04)  3. Poinciana
( 7:12)  4. Speak Low
(10:59)  5. Booker's Blues
( 4:32)  6. Boo

Booker Ervin, who always had a very unique sound on the tenor, is heard in prime form on his quartet set with pianist Horace Parlan, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood. In virtually all cases, the jazz and blues musicians who recorded for Candid in 1960-61 (during its original brief existence) were inspired and played more creatively than they did for other labels. That fact is true for Ervin, even if he never made an indifferent record. 

In addition to "Poinciana" and "Speak Low," Ervin's quartet (which was a regular if short-lived group) performs four of the leader's originals; best known is "Booker's Blues." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/thats-it-mw0000196833

Personnel:  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone; Horace Parlan - piano; George Tucker - bass; Al Harewood - drums

That's It

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Lou Donaldson - Sunny Side Up

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:55
Size: 103,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Blues for J.P.
(5:16)  2. The Man I Love
(5:53)  3. Politely
(3:58)  4. It's You or No One
(5:22)  5. The Truth
(6:10)  6. Goose Grease
(6:34)  7. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(5:58)  8. Way Down Upon the Swanee River

Sunny Side Up is closer to hard bop than the straight-ahead bop that characterized Lou Donaldson's '50s Blue Note records. There's a bit more soul to the songs here, which pianist Horace Parlan helps emphasize with his lightly swinging grooves. The pair help lead the group which also features trumpeter Bill Hardman, drummer Al Harewood and bassist Sam Jones (Laymon Jackson plays bass on two of the eight songs) through a mellow set of standards and bluesy originals from Donaldson and Parlan. Even the uptempo numbers sound relaxed, never fiery. Despite the general smoothness of the session, Donaldson stumbles a little the quotation of "Flight of the Bumblebee" on "Blues for J.P." is awkward, as is the snippet of "Pop Goes the Weasel" on "Politely," and "Way Down Upon the Swanee River" sounds lazy but there's enough solid material to make Sunny Side Up a worthwhile listen for fans of Donaldson and early-'60s hard bop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunny-side-up-mw0000176137

Personnel:  Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone; Horace Parlan - piano; Bill Hardman - trumpet;  Laymon Jackson - bass Sam Jones - bass;  Al Harewood - drums

Sunny Side Up

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Red Mitchell - Chocolate Cadillac

Styles: Cool, Hard Bop
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:19
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:43)  1. Idrees
(15:39)  2. U.A.I. (You Are Invited)
( 5:17)  3. These Foolish Things
(10:04)  4. A Theme For Ahmad
(11:35)  5. Chocolate Cadillac

During his years living in Sweden the late bassist Red Mitchell made many recordings and this live quintet date at the Montmatre is one of his best. Leading a group that included fellow American expatriates Horace Parlan on piano and Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, they open the CD with "Idrees," a potent bop number penned by the leader, which features strong solos by both Sulieman and tenor saxophonist Nisse Sandstrom. The trumpeter contributed the sauntering "U.A.I. (You Are Invited)" and the title track, which is highlighted by Mitchell's booming bass solo. This impressive swinging date is highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/chocolate-cadillac-mw0000647316

Personnel:  Double Bass – Red Mitchell; Drums – Rune Carlson; Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone – Nisse Sandström; Trumpet – Idrees Sulieman

Chocolate Cadillac

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Horace Parlan - Up & Down

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:58
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:49)  1. The Book's Beat
( 6:10)  2. Up And Down
( 7:08)  3. Fugee
(11:41)  4. The Other Part Of Town
( 4:06)  5. Lonely Blues
( 6:02)  6. Light Blue

I have a new hero: Pianist Horace Parlan. Until recently, I had heard of Parlan, but never really heard him. I certainly never knew his back story. It's inspirational and his music is pretty damn good, too. Parlan had a handicap. As a child, he lost some function in his right hand due to polio. Various bios disagree on the extent of the loss. Some say two fingers, others three. Either way, it's the kind of injury that makes a career as a pianist sound impossible. Yet Parlan found a way to compensate something to do with developing a powerful left hand. In any event, he had a long, successful career as a bop pianist. Of course the music stands on its own, regardless of how it's made. Handicap or no handicap, if the music weren't terrific, there would be nothing to talk about. And it is terrific. (For example, catch him on Charles Mingus' 1959 classic Mingus Ah Um.)  Up and Down, a 1961 bop-and-blues album, is the perfect introduction to Horace Parlan. It features three remarkable solists: Parlan on piano, Booker Ervin on tenor, and Grant Green on guitar. Together, they make wonderful, swinging music that borders on soul-jazz.  While some pianists made their names with jaw-dropping speed and technique think Art Tatum or Oscar Peterson  Parlan (by necessity or choice) goes the other way. He is wonderfully inventive. At times, he sounds almost Monk-ish, choosing unusual chords and odd notes. On every tune, without exception he is soulful and bluesy. Grant Green, of course, is tasteful, as always. Like Parlan, Green does not amaze with lightning-fast runs. Instead, he wrings the blues for every drop of emotion he can find, including the quiet spaces between notes. He is the perfect complement for Parlan.  Finally, there's Booker Ervin. Unlike Parlan and Green, Ervin can shred with the best. On Up and Down, he turns it on and off. On the opener, "Books Beat," Ervin is sassy and aggressive. On the ballad "Lonely One," he is all swirling smoke. And on the closer, "Light Blue," Ervin shows off his technique a toe-tapping, happy blues that sends the listener off with a smile. Up and Down is a great ensemble album. It's full of clever, swinging music. I could listen to it all day. And while you don't need know anything about Parlan's bum right hand to appreciate the music, it helps. The man is an inspiration.

Personnel:  Horace Parlan - piano;  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone;  Grant Green - guitar;  George Tucker - bass;  Al Harewood - drums

Up & Down

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Lou Donaldson - The Time Is Right

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:15
Size: 85,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Lou's Blues
(5:46)  2. Be My Love
(5:11)  3. Idaho
(4:42)  4. The Nearness Of You
(5:18)  5. Mack The Knife
(5:15)  6. Crosstown Shuffle
(5:03)  7. Tangerine

Saxophonist Lou Donaldson is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker. Donaldson has worked with jazz greats including Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk, Blue Mitchell, Horace Silver and Art Blakey. 

First released in 1959, The Time is Right is a warm, mellow affair overall, definitely post-bop. His group features Horace Parlan on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Laymon Jackson on bass and Dave Bailey on drums. Ray Baretto is featured on conga, which gives the session a bit of Latin flavor.~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Time-Right-Lou-Donaldson/dp/B004C6QER6

Personnel:  Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone;  Horace Parlan - piano;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet - except track 2;  Laymon Jackson - bass;  Dave Bailey - drums;  Ray Barretto - congas

The Time Is Right

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Slide Hampton - Explosion! The Sound Of Slide Hampton

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:51
Size: 71,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. Revival
(2:23)  2. Maria
(3:59)  3. Delilah
(2:33)  4. Begin The Beguine
(3:01)  5. Your Cheatin' Heart
(3:33)  6. Spanish Flier
(2:58)  7. Bye Bye Love
(3:29)  8. Love Letters
(5:26)  9. Slide's Blues

The explosion in the title is definitely well-placed as trombonist Slide Hampton makes his group groove with a tremendous amount of power here all horns focused strongly on the rhythms, which themselves are wonderfully soulful! As with some of Hampton's best from the time, there's some really fresh young players on the set some obscure musicians, mixed with future heavyweights Joe Farrell and Ronnie Cuber on reeds plus piano from the great Horace Parlan! The tunes have a tight focus that really shows off Hampton's arranging skills and titles include "Spanish Flyer", "Bye Bye Love", "Slide's Blues", and "Begin The Beguine". (White label promo. Cover has some wear.)  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/33449/Slide-Hampton:Explosion-The-Sound-Of-Slide-Hampton

Personnel:  Slide Hampton - trombone, arranger;  Johnny Bello, Chet Ferretti, Jerry Tyree - trumpet;  Benny Jacobs-El - trombone;  Joe Farrell - tenor saxophone;  Jay Cameron, (1, 3, 5, 7, 8) Ronnie Cuber (2, 4, 6 & 9) - baritone saxophone;  Walter Davis, Jr., (1, 3, 5, 7, 8) Horace Parlan (2, 4, 6 & 9) - piano;  Bob Cranshaw - bass;  Vinnie Ruggiero - drums;  Willie Bobo - congas (2, 4, 6 & 9)

Explosion! The Sound Of Slide Hampton

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Johnny Griffin - Live In Tokyo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:37
Size: 130,2 MB
Art: Front

(18:53)  1. All The Things You Are
(17:08)  2. When We Were One
( 3:47)  3. Wee
(16:47)  4. The Man I Love

The great tenor Johnny Griffin really gets a chance to stretch out on this two-LP set. Joined by pianist Horace Parland, bassist Mads Vinding and drummer Art Taylor for this Tokyo concert, Griffin digs into three standards and a pair of his originals; all except for a rapid "Wee" are at least 16 minutes long. 

Griffin's long cadenza on "The Man I Love" is a highlight.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-tokyo-mw0000094442

Personnel:  Johnny Griffin (saxophone), Horace Parlan (piano), Art Taylor (drums), Mads Vinding (bass).

Live In Tokyo

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Horace Parlan Trio - Like Someone In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:50
Size: 95.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1983/1995
Art: Front

[5:02] 1. U.M.M.G
[5:48] 2. Ballade
[4:27] 3. Scandia Skies
[5:27] 4. Little Esther
[8:45] 5. Like Someone In Love
[6:25] 6. The Duke Ellington Sound Of Love
[5:52] 7. Blues In The Closet

Bass – Jesper Lundgaard; Drums – Dannie Richmond; Piano – Horace Parlan. Recorded 16th. March 1983.

Trio setting best portrays Horace Parlan’s unique method of piano playing with the strong left-hand technique which he developed to supplement his partially paralysed right hand. Here with bassist Lundgaard who is on his way to the stardom as Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen has archived and an old colleague from the Mingus band Richmond, Parlan displays

Like Someone In Love mc
Like Someone In Love zippy

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Booker Ervin - Cookin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:22
Size: 101,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:32)  1. Dee Da Do
(5:18)  2. Mr. Wiggles
(7:25)  3. You Don't Know What Love Is
(6:13)  4. Down In The Dumps
(9:52)  5. Well, Well
(7:00)  6. Autumn Leaves

A very distinctive tenor with a hard, passionate tone and an emotional style that was still tied to chordal improvisation, Booker Ervin was a true original. He was originally a trombonist, but taught himself tenor while in the Air Force (1950-1953). After studying music in Boston for two years, he made his recording debut with Ernie Fields' R&B band (1956). Ervin gained fame while playing with Charles Mingus (off and on during 1956-1962), holding his own with the volatile bassist and Eric Dolphy. He also led his own quartet, worked with Randy Weston on a few occasions in the '60s, and spent much of 1964-1966 in Europe before dying much too young from kidney disease. Ervin, who is on several notable Charles Mingus records, made dates of his own for Bethlehem, Savoy, and Candid during 1960-1961, along with later sets for Pacific Jazz and Blue Note. His nine Prestige sessions of 1963-1966 (including The Freedom Book, The Song Book, The Blues Book, and The Space Book) are among the high points of his career. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/cookin/3907000

Personnel:  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone;  Richard Williams - trumpet;  Horace Parlan - piano;  George Tucker - bass;  Dannie Richmond - drums.

Cookin'

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Booker Ervin - Exultation

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:01
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:18)  1. Mooche Mooche
(6:19)  2. Black And Blue
(8:32)  3. Tune In
(2:29)  4. Just In Time (short take)
(4:55)  5. Just In Time (long take)
(2:38)  6. No Man's Land (short take)
(5:39)  7. No Man's Land (long take)
(4:08)  8. Mour

Booker Ervin's debut for Prestige (which has been reissued on CD with two shorter alternate takes added) matches the intense tenor with altoist Frank Strozier, pianist Horace Parlan, bassist Butch Warren and drummer Walter Perkins for some bop-based music that is actually quite adventurous. Highlights include "Mour" (based on "Four"), "Black and Blue" and Ervin's "Mooche Mooche." Ervin and Strozier made a mutually inspiring team; pity that this was their only recording together. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/exultation%21-mw0000644704

Personnel:  Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone;  Frank Strozier - alto saxophone;  Horace Parlan - piano;  Butch Warren - bass;  Walter Perkins - drums

Exultation

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Horace Parlan - Body And Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:12
Size: 174.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[ 8:05] 1. Scrapple From The Apple
[13:52] 2. Vierd Blues
[12:44] 3. Sandu
[12:18] 4. Bag's Groove
[ 8:26] 5. Body And Soul
[12:52] 6. Confirmation
[ 7:52] 7. Easy Living

Horace Parlan overcame physical disability and thrived as a pianist despite it. His right hand was partially disabled by polio in his childhood, but Parlan made frenetic, highly rhythmic right-hand phrases part of his characteristic style, contrasting them with striking left-hand chords. He also infused blues and R&B influences into his style, playing in a stark, sometimes somber fashion. Parlan always cited Ahmad Jamal and Bud Powell as prime influences. He began playing in R&B bands during the '50s, joining Charles Mingus' group from 1957 to 1959 following a move from Pittsburgh to New York. Mingus aided his career enormously, both through his recordings and his influence. Parlan played with Booker Ervin in 1960 and 1961, then in the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis-Johnny Griffin quintet in 1962. Parlan played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk from 1963 to 1966, and had a strong series of Blue Note recordings in the '60s. He left America for Copenhagen in 1973, and gained international recognition for some stunning albums on SteepleChase, including a pair of superb duet sessions with Archie Shepp. He also recorded with Dexter Gordon, Red Mitchell, Frank Foster, and Michal Urbaniak, and recorded extensively for Enja and Timeless. He died in Denmark in February 2017 at the age of 86. ~ Ron Wynn

Body And Soul

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