Nicki Parrott - Winter Wonderland

Styles: Holiday
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:08
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:23)  1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
(4:36)  2. Christmas In New Orleans
(3:35)  3. I'll Be Home For Christmas
(5:33)  4. The Christmas Song
(4:11)  5. Blackberry Winter
(3:51)  6. Blue Christmas
(4:23)  7. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
(3:54)  8. Christmas Time Is Here
(3:40)  9. White Christmas
(4:05) 10. June In January
(4:42) 11. My Favorite Things
(3:24) 12. Winter Weather
(3:55) 13. Baby, It's Cold Outside
(3:28) 14. Winter Wonderland
(3:22) 15. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Acclaimed bassist & vocalist Nicki Parrott is joined by sax player Houston Person, pianist John di Martino along with a host of competent musicians for this album dedicated to songs of the Winter season including several Christmas tunes. You'll find such songs as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "Blue Christmas", "June In January", "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", and of course, "Winter Wonderland".

Personnel: Nicki Parrott, vocals, bass; John Di Martino, piano; Houston Person, tenor saxophone; Lisa Parrott, baritone saxophone; Paul Meyers, guitar; Tim Horner, drums

Winter Wonderland

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Houston Person - The Lion and His Pride

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:34
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:32) 1. Dig
( 7:32) 2. I Remember Clifford
( 8:06) 3. Dear Heart
( 6:26) 4. Sweet Love (Theme From Black Orpheus)
( 6:52) 5. You Are Too Beautiful
( 7:11) 6. Like Someone In Love
( 4:45) 7. Our Day Will Come
(10:06) 8. Captain Hook

With his robust sound and swinging style, tenor saxophonist Houston Person has kept the hard bop and organ-soaked soul-jazz traditions alive. Emerging from organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, Person established his reputation as one of the Big Boss tenors in the Gene Ammons style with albums like 1968's Blue Odyssey, 1969's Goodness!, and 1970's Person to Person! He further embraced a funky, soulful vibe in the '70s with albums like 1972's Broken Windows, Empty Hallways and 1976's Stolen Sweets. From the '80s onward, he balanced his love of groove-based R&B with more hard-swinging acoustic sessions, joining contemporaries like Ron Carter and Teddy Edwards, as well as younger players like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. He recorded extensively with singer Etta Jones and has remained a torchbearer for the big tenor sound, releasing warmly attenuated standards and soul-jazz dates like 2015's Something Personal and 2021's Live in Paris.

Born in 1934 in South Carolina, Person started out on piano before picking up the tenor sax in his youth. After high school, he studied at South Carolina State College and then enlisted in the Air Force. Stationed in West Germany, he played in a service band that also included such jazz luminaries as Eddie Harris, Lanny Morgan, Leo Wright, and Cedar Walton. Following his discharge, he finished his studies at Connecticut's Hartt College of Music. In the early '60s, Person was a member of organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, appearing on albums like 1963's A Little Taste, 1965's The Stinger, and 1968's Nasty! It was also during his time with Smith that he first met vocalist and longtime musical companion Etta Jones.

As a leader, Person made his solo debut with 1966's Underground Soul on the Prestige label, featuring organist Charles Boston. More vibrantly earthy albums followed for the label, including 1967's Chocomotive, 1967's Trust in Me, and 1968's Blue Odyssey, all of which found him working with pianist Cedar Walton. Throughout the late '60s and early '70s, he released a handful of albums that all featured exclamation-point titles, starting with 1968's Soul Dance! and ending with 1970's Person to Person! Marked by the inclusion of organist Sonny Phillips, each record grew increasingly funky as Person dipped further into soul and R&B sounds. There were also gritty sessions with Charles Earland and Don Patterson.

Throughout the '70s, Person continued to pursue a soul-oriented crossover sound, as on 1971's large-ensemble Houston Express and 1972's Sweet Buns & Barbecue. Following his time with Prestige, he recorded for a bevy of independent labels, releasing 1973's The Real Thing and 1975's Get Out'a My Way! on the Detroit-based Eastbound and Westbound labels, respectively. He then moved to Mercury for two mid-'70s dates, 1976's Pure Pleasure and 1977's Harmony. He also recorded with equally funk-centric players like Grant Green, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Bernard Purdie, and others. In addition, there were numerous sessions with vocalist Jones, a partnership that would continue for much of Person's career. Toward the end of the decade, he found a home at Muse, releasing a handful of equally earthy soul-, blues-, and hard bop-inflected dates, including Stolen Sweets, Wild Flower, and The Nearness of You. More albums followed for Muse with 1980's Suspicions, 1982's Heavy Juice, and 1985's Always on My Mind.

While funk and soul would remain an integral part of his sound, Person began to incorporate more straight-ahead acoustic jazz back into his work by the late '80s. He released a warm standards date with 1987's Basics and paired with bassist Ron Carter for both 1989's Something in Common and 1990's Now's the Time. He also recorded several albums featuring then up-and-coming young lions, including organist Joey DeFrancesco and a pair of siblings, trumpeter Philip Harper and drummer Winard Harper, as on 1990's Why Not! A year later, he released The Lion and His Pride, which again featured the Harper Brothers, along with pianist Benny Green and bassist Christian McBride.

In 2015, Person delivered the rootsy and soulful Something Personal. The saxophonist then again paired with Carter for the 2016 duo album Chemistry. The following year saw Person issue the soulful Rain or Shine, which marked his 50th year as a combo leader. After 2018's Remember Love, his sixth album of duets with Carter, he returned with the full-band set I'm Just a Lucky So and So. The concert album Live in Paris arrived in 2021 and featured his group with guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Ben Paterson, and drummer Willie Jones III.
By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/houston-person-mn0000827320/biography

Personnel: Houston Person - tenor saxophone; Philip Harper - trumpet; Benny Green - piano; Christian McBride - bass; Winard Harper - drums; Sammy Figueroa - percussion (except #1); Special Studio Guest: Etta Jones

The Lion and His Pride

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Kathy Lyon Feat Houston Person - Nothin' but Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 130,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:40) 1. Candy
(6:33) 2. You Better Go Now
(4:25) 3. Then I'll Be Tired of You
(5:28) 4. Easy Livin'
(4:54) 5. I Remember You
(4:58) 6. Come Rain or Come Shine
(3:46) 7. This Time the Dream's on Me
(3:52) 8. I Wonder Wher Our Love Has Gone
(5:08) 9. Once in a While
(4:15) 10. Good Morning Heartache
(2:30) 11. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(7:11) 12. Everything Happens to Me

Houston Texas (August 9 2021) – Noted jazz vocalist Kathy Lyon (Pensacola Florida) records her latest album “Nothin’ But Love” featuring tenor sax great Houston Person. The twelve song compilation was recorded at Teaneck Sound Studio, produced by Houston Person and includes Lafayette Harris Jr on piano, Peter Hand on guitar, Matthew Parrish on bass, with Vince Ector on drums.

Engineering, Mixing, Mastering performed by Dave Kowalski. With such a great line up behind her Kathy’s voice becomes the icing on the cake as this performer delivers from the soul and yet retains the vocal discipline required to draw inside the lines. The results of this collaboration are exceedingly enjoyable.

Mr. Person’s signature arrangements allow the standards to remain the familiar standards we know and love yet the instrumentation and vocals are able to breathe and produce a refreshing collection of music . This breath of fresh air is felt from the very beginning until the very end. The “Nothin’ But Love” album title came about as a result of the harmony within the studio between everyone involved. Kathy shares https://www.pumpitupmagazine.com

“It felt great, you couldn’t ask for a more refined and harmonious group of musicians. It was a very memorable collaboration, the room was filled with nothing but love.

Personnel: Houston Person - Sax; Lafayette Harris Jr on piano; Peter Hand on guitar; Matthew Parrish on bass, with Vince Ector on drums.

Nothin' but Love

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Houston Person - Legends Of Acid Jazz: Truth!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:54
Size: 182,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:24) 1. Snake Eyes
(4:55) 2. Never Let Me Go
(5:04) 3. Groovin' And A-Groovin'
(5:57) 4. What A Diff'rence A Day Made
(3:58) 5. Soul Dance
(6:03) 6. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:58) 7. Teardrops From My Eyes
(5:26) 8. Blue 7
(8:36) 9. Cissy Strut
(9:27) 10. On The Avenue
(8:39) 11. Wadin'
(5:04) 12. The Pulpit
(5:17) 13. For Your Love

Released in 1999 for Fantasy's Legends of Acid Jazz series, this CD unites two of Houston Person's classic Prestige sessions, 1968's Soul Dance and 1970s Truth!, on a single 78-minute CD. Soul Dance is heard in its entirety, but because the CD didn't have enough room to hold everything from Truth!, the track "If I Ruled the World" ended up being sacrificed. The personnel on the sessions differs while Soul Dance employed organist Billy Gardner, guitarist Boogaloo Joe Jones, and drummer Frankie Jones, Truth! united Person with Frankie Jones, guitarist Billy Butler, electric bassist Bob Bushnell, and percussionist Buddy Caldwell. But the albums are fairly similar in their outlook. Both of them are quite accessible, and both emphasize Person's strong points: funky boogaloos, gritty blues, standards, and sentimental ballads. The tenor titan plays soulfully and authoritatively on material that ranges from "What A Diff'rence a Day Made" and "Here's That Rainy Day" to Horace Parlan's "Wadin," Sonny Rollins' "Blue 7," the Meters' "Cissy Strut" and the Ruth Brown hit "Teardrops from My Eyes." When these albums first came out, they received their share of negative reviews from jazz critics, who had little use for those who set out to fuse hard bop with soul and funk. But the fact remains: much of the music that Person recorded for Prestige was exciting and quite rewarding. Those who like their jazz with a heavy dose of R&B will find a lot to admire on this CD. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-truth%21-mw0000248230

Legends Of Acid Jazz Truth!

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Houston Person - The Art and Soul, Vol.1, Vol.2, Vol.3.

Album: The Art and Soul, Vol. 1
Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:52
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:51) 1. You Do Something To Me
(6:53) 2. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
(3:54) 3. You're A Sweetheart
(6:49) 4. Maybe You'll Be There
(4:56) 5. All The Things You Are
(5:28) 6. You're My Everything
(5:39) 7. Skylark
(4:36) 8. I Only Have Eyes For You
(5:35) 9. Everything I Have Is Yours
(4:05) 10. Wonder Why

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Album: The Art and Soul, Vol. 2
Time: 54:34
Size: 125,4 MB

(5:50) 1. Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me
(5:05) 2. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:15) 3. Isn't It Romantic?
(5:48) 4. Fools Rush In
(6:36) 5. It Had to Be You
(6:13) 6. But Beautiful
(5:59) 7. For All We Know
(5:48) 8. Blue Moon
(4:42) 9. Bewitched
(4:13) 10. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

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Album: The Art and Soul, Vol. 3
Time: 55:20
Size: 127,2 MB

(6:07) 1. Sentimental Journey
(5:09) 2. Where Are You?
(4:32) 3. There's A Small Hotel
(6:43) 4. Tenderly
(6:06) 5. Be My Love
(6:08) 6. It Might As Well Be Spring
(5:05) 7. My Funny Valentine
(6:27) 8. Gentle Rain
(4:04) 9. Mack The Knife
(4:56) 10. The Very Thought Of You

The Art and Soul of Houston Person is an irresistible combination of the celebrated tenor saxophonist and the Great American Songbook. The 30 songs on this generous three-CD set were culled by Person from ten of his HighNote CDs, with the addition of four new songs recorded in spring, 2008. The songs feature an array of talented sidemen, including pianist Bill Charlap, bassists Ron Carter and Ray Drummond and drummer Grady Tate. If that isn't compelling enough, all the tracks were mixed, edited and mastered by the eminent Rudy Van Gelder in his legendary Englewood Cliffs studio.

The collection is full of high points, with several songs particularly worth noting. The upbeat opener, "You Do Something to Me," showcases Person's golden warmth and impeccable swing. The song also features John di Martino's exquisite touch on piano and John Burr's fluid bass. The same group shines on "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance," elegantly capturing the song's quiet longing. Person exhibits a poignant tenderness and drummer Jerome Jennings adds just the right backup with incredibly spacious brushwork. "Sentimental Journey" is a joyful toe-tapper; "Here's That Rainy Day" explores the rich undertones of melancholy and "Blue Moon" is surprisingly upbeat, with Person's tenor fat and happy. And don't miss "Mack the Knife," a duet with Ron Carter where the two musicians turn the song inside out and trade lines with fluent ease.

In a 2004 interview, Person defined jazz as, "something that, when the end of the day comes, after a hard and frustrating day out in the world, relieves you. Relaxes you and makes you feel good." The Art and Soul of Houston Person is exactly that kind of music, a treasure chest of luscious, soothing sound. By Florence Wetzel https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-art-and-soul-of-houston-person-highnote-records-review-by-florence-wetzel

Personnel: John di Martino: piano; Jon Burr: bass; Jerome Jennings: drums; Richard Wyands: piano; Ray Drummond: bass; Kenny Washington: drums; Russell Malone: guitar; Grady Tate: drums; Stan Hope: piano; George Kaye: bass; Chip White: drums; Ron Carter: bass; Peter Washington: bass; Paul Bollenback: guitar; Per-ola Gadd: bass; Bill Charlap: piano.

The Art and Soul,Vol.1,Vol.2, Vol.3

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Ernestine Anderson - A Song for You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:02
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:52) 1. This Can't Be Love
(5:51) 2. A Song for You
(4:34) 3. Make Someone Happy
(7:09) 4. Skylark
(3:26) 5. A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening
(6:10) 6. Candy
(6:41) 7. Day by Day
(7:15) 8. For All We Know

There's no doubt that American Idol, that immensely popular TV vocal competition now in its eighth season as of this writing, has redefined the public's idea of what constitutes "great" singing. In many quarters, the old criteria of good pitch and time, pleasing tone and honest feeling are no longer sufficient, for why hold onto one long note when you can cram three octaves into every bar? Far too often, the meaning of a song is reduced to its melisma, as a singer's athletic ability to embellish a tone seems to trump any lyric attached to it.

So far the jazz world has been relatively immune from this virus, but the growing ease of technology is enabling every aspiring singer to make a CD just pick some artwork, hire a publicist, and poof: you're in the game. This has resulted in a great uncensored flood of music, much of which is best appreciated by the parents, spouses, and friends of the singer.

But into this noisy climate comes a reminder of what true class and swing are all about: A Song for You, from veteran vocalist Ernestine Anderson. Here, backed by a fine and un-fussy quartet, she proves that her six-decade career could not diminish her rich, flexible voice, or her ability to mine the emotional truth in every song; if anything, both are deeper today. Anderson is joined in her explorations by the legendary tenor player Houston Person, whose bluesy obligatos are so empathic that they're practically verbal. During his thirty-year partnership with the late, also-wonderful Etta Jones, Person perfected the art of the voice/horn dialogue: consistently enhancing a singer's meaning without ever getting in her way. His comments are by turns supportive, witty or ironic, and his solos remain unmatched for their expressiveness and soul.

Anderson makes her musical intentions clear from the buoyant opener, "This Can't Be Love": she's going to use her singular phrasing and time to freshen every overplayed standard in the set, including the enthusiastic "Make Someone Happy," the R&B-inflected "Lovely Way to Spend an Evening," and the celebratory "Day by Day.". The CD's four ballads include a surprisingly slow and sexy "Candy," as well as the relatively-recent title tune, where Anderson makes the words so personal that it sounds like she just made them up. A word about "Skylark," that timeless beauty by Hoagy Carmichael: the equally great Johnny Mercer said it took him a whole year to get those lyrics right, and Anderson honors them with a kind of whispering wonder that suits them very well.All told, A Song for You should be required listening for every singer, since Anderson provides such a rare and invaluable lesson: how to touch the listeners' hearts without having to fill up their ears.By Dr. Judith Schlesinger https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-song-for-you-ernestine-anderson-highnote-records-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger

Personnel: Ernestine Anderson: vocals; Houston Person: tenor saxophone; Lafayette Harris, Jr.: piano; Chip Jackson: bass; Willie Jones III: drums.

A Song for You

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Houston Person - The Talk of the Town

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:41
Size: 91,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:26)  1. Only Trust Your Heart
(6:07)  2. Everything Happens to Me
(6:53)  3. Almost Like Being in Love
(7:25)  4. It's the Talk of the Town
(4:18)  5. Just for You
(7:30)  6. I'll Never Be Free

This Muse recording differs from many of tenor saxophonist Houston Person's previous ones in that Person is backed by a piano rather than an organ; he sounds inspired by the "new" setting. Person heads a sextet also including trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, pianist Stan Hope, bassist Buster Williams, drummer Grady Tate and percussionist Ralph Dorsey. They perform the tenor's "Just for You" and five standards, with the highlights including Benny Carter's "Only Trust Your Heart," "Almost Like Being in Love" and a blues-drenched version of "It's the Talk of the Town." A particularly strong effort by the very consistent tenor great. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-talk-of-the-town-mw0000199461

Personnel: Houston Person - tenor saxophone; Cecil Bridgewater - trumpet; Stan Hope - piano; Buster Williams - bass; Grady Tate - drums; Ralph Dorsey - percussion

The Talk of the Town

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Houston Person - Reminiscing at Rudy's

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:24
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:57) 1. At Long Last Love
(6:50) 2. Again
(4:48) 3. Moon River
(5:27) 4. Put Your Head on My Shoulder
(4:12) 5. Why Did I Choose You
(4:17) 6. Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You
(6:15) 7. My Romance
(7:42) 8. I'll Let You Know
(7:01) 9. Please Send Me Someone to Love
(5:50) 10. Reminiscing at Rudy's

The "Rudy's" in the title of tenor saxophonist Houston Person's album, Reminiscing at Rudy's, is not a nightclub or other such venue but the New Jersey studio of celebrated recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder who died in 2016. As befits reminiscing, the bulk of the album's numbers are tender ballads, every one of which lands squarely in Person's amorous wheelhouse.

That is not to say the veteran tenor saxophone maestro who has recorded almost seventy albums as leader of his own groups is not comfortable or creative at other tempos, as he shows, for example, on Cole Porter's medium-paced "At Long Last Love," Henry Mancini's usually placid "Moon River" (presented here as a danceable foxtrot) and his own well-grooved finale, "Reminiscing at Rudy's." The truth is, Person is relaxed and confident in any milieu; he simply has a fondness for sensuous and warm-hearted love songs, and summons forth the utmost warmth and affection each of them has to offer.

As usual, Person is supported by a cannot-lose rhythm section whose members are guitarist Russell Malone, pianist Larry Fuller, bassist Matthew Parrish and drummer par excellence Lewis Nash who even sings possibly a first for him, at least on record on Marvin Fisher's "Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You," which was written for another pretty fair vocalist, Nat King Cole. While he is clearly no Cole nor would he claim to be Nash's smooth, even-tempered baritone is surprisingly good. He may have hit upon an unforeseen side gig.

Even though he is the session's unequivocal guiding light, Person gives everyone a chance to shine, and there are perceptive solos along the way by Fuller, Parrish and Malone, whose easygoing designs mirror Person's and enhance the group's fraternal mood. The most welcome ballad in these quarters is Lionel Newman's too-seldom-heard "Again," an exquisite melody first sung by Ida Lupino in the 1948 film noir, Roadhouse. The others include Paul Anka's "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," Herbert Martin's "Why Did I Choose You," Rodgers and Hart's "My Romance," Cedar Walton's "I'll Let You Know" and Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love."

Person, now nearing his eighty-eighth year, shows no sign of slowing down, playing with the awareness and unerring mastery of someone many years his junior. To put it another way, he is simply quite good at what he does, and what he has been doing for most of his adult life. Reminiscing at Rudy's is yet another melodic milestone in Person's long and impressive career.
By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/reminiscing-at-rudys-houston-person-highnote-records

Personnel: Houston Person: saxophone, tenor; Russell Malone: guitar, electric; Larry Fuller: piano; Matthew Parrish: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Reminiscing at Rudy's

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Etta Jones & Houston Person - Don't Misunderstand: Live In New York

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:32
Size: 123,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:37) 1. Blue Monk
( 3:51) 2. Don't Misunderstand
( 5:28) 3. Exactly Like You
( 4:17) 4. Ain't Misbehavin'
( 4:02) 5. I Saw Stars
( 7:33) 6. I'm Glad There Is You
(10:19) 7. Bluesology
( 9:22) 8. Are you Real

For the over 30 years they worked together (Jones died in 2001), the billing was actually Houston and Etta, and the tenor saxophonist and vocalist achieved a rare collaborative synergy akin to that celebrated in Lester Young and Billie Holiday. They did it largely beyond the purview of most jazz critics and the kind of mostly white, middle-class fans who flock to jazz festivals and concerts, criss-crossing the country by van and playing mostly in black urban clubs on what was once called the chitlin’ circuit. This is a rare live snapshot of the duo, with B3 organist Sonny Phillips and drummer Frankie Jones, recorded in New York on one of their few appearances outside of Harlem, at the short-lived Greenwich Village club Salt Peanuts, in 1980.

In this typical set, the instrumental trio kicks it off with “Blue Monk,” Person weaving quotable blues lines through his solo and Phillips ranging beyond the usual organ stops to give a quirkily Monk-ish feel to his own. Tenor sax sets the table for Jones’ rendition of the title ballad, limned with her trademark tart tone and direct emotional engagement of the lyric. One of the most rhythmically adept and agile of all jazz singers, Jones swoops and swerves around the beat on “Exactly Like You,” playing slip-behind and catch-up games with the time as Person cushions it with his tenor sax, while she also displays her hipness by flatting the word “waited” in the lyric. Tenor and voice intertwine on a swinging “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” as Jones alternates legato with staccato phrasing. Person and Phillips collaborate on a slow “I’m Glad There is You,” marked by lush, sensual sax, before the trio closes the set with a blues and a Benny Golson tune in the soulful groove that made this band such a favorite among urban audiences. By George Kanzler
https://jazztimes.com/archives/etta-jones-houston-person-dont-misunderstand/

Personnel: Etta Jones - Vocal; Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone ; Sonny Phillips - Organ ; Frankie Jones - Drums

Don't Misunderstand: Live In New York

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Joey DeFrancesco - Joey DeFrancesco Plays Sinatra His Way

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:25
Size: 122,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:38) 1. I Get a Kick out of You
(5:58) 2. Teach Me Tonight
(5:23) 3. Pennies from Heaven
(6:47) 4. What's New
(6:05) 5. Witchcraft
(5:37) 6. What Now My Love
(6:21) 7. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(5:22) 8. Falling in Love with Love
(6:09) 9. Angel Eyes

Although he’s been on the Concord label for several years now, it seems that the well spring of material that Joey DeFrancesco cut for Joe Fields’ HighNote imprimatur continues to be harvested with the latest offering being this 1998 session recorded in 24-bit digital splendor by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder. Don’t look for the title on this one to provide much more than a unifying element for the tunes included, which just happen to be numbers that ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ recorded at some point during the span of his career. Known to vocalize somewhat himself, DeFrancesco does no singing here either. The emphasis is on the type of hard swinging groove music that has always been this organist’s main form of expression.

In the company of Houston Person (who led DeFrancesco to the Muse label many years ago), guitarist Melvin Sparks, and longtime drummer Byron Landham, our leading man delivers nine selections that all clock in at around the five to six minute length. With its clever opening vamp, “Pennies From Heaven” finds DeFrancesco at his boppish best, with Sparks weighing in with his own juicy chords in support (as well as a solo that includes a clever “shave and a hair cut” quote to boot). At the start of his career I happened to interview Joey and he commented on how much he dug the bass lines of Groove Holmes. That he’s developed his own way with those foot pedals is clear on this performance alone.

There’s really no need to analyze each individual track here, as anyone even remotely familiar with DeFrancesco will be aware of his mastery of the mighty B-3. Van Gelder’s sound job brings Joey and the guys right into your living room. This no frills affair may be short on the revolutionary, but it will surely please fans of DeFrancesco, Person, and Sparks.
By C. Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/plays-sinatra-his-way-joey-defrancesco-review-by-c-andrew-hovan

Personnel: Joey DeFrancesco (organ), Houston Person (tenor sax), Melvin Sparks (guitar), Byron Landham (drums)

Joey DeFrancesco Plays Sinatra His Way

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Etta Jones - Doin' What She Does Best

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:54
Size: 145,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:53) 1. Laughing At Life
(3:56) 2. Orange Colored Sky
(4:56) 3. Crazy He Calls Me
(3:33) 4. It Could Happen To You
(4:25) 5. I Saw Stars
(5:47) 6. I'm In The Mood For Love
(3:12) 7. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart And Throw Away The Key
(4:34) 8. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:14) 9. My Romance
(4:14) 10. I Laughed At Love
(3:31) 11. East Of The Sun
(5:50) 12. The Man That Got Away
(4:00) 13. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(5:43) 14. Gone Again

Singer Etta Jones made a comeback while with Muse in the 1970s and '80s, recording more than a dozen albums and teaming up with tenor saxophonist Houston Person (who also produced her sessions). This superior sampler has 14 of her very best recordings from that era.

Person's tenor both complements and contrasts with Jones' voice, and the frameworks/arrangements along with the singer's distinctive phrasing uplift these standards. Her renditions of songs like "Crazy He Calls Me," "I Saw Stars," "I'm Gonna Lock My Heart (And Throw Away the Key)," "My Romance," "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)," and "The Man That Got Away" are quite definitive. In fact, these are among the very best (and most enjoyable) recordings of Jones' long career.
~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/doin-what-she-does-best-mw0000040165

Personnel: Vocals – Etta Jones; Bass – Buster Williams, George Duvivier, Milt Hinton, Sam Jones; Congas, Percussion – Lawrence Killian; Drums – Cecil Brooks III, Frankie Jones, Grady Tate, Idris Muhammad, Jimmy Cobb, Walter Davis Jr.; Guitar – Jimmy Ponder, Melvin Sparks; Keyboards – Sonny Phillips; Percussion – Ralph Dorsey; Piano – Cedar Walton, Stan Hope; Tenor Saxophone – Cedar Walton; Tenor Saxophone – Houston Person; Vibraphone – George Devens

Doin' What She Does Best

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Etta Jones - Easy Living

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:21
Size: 132,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:52) 1. Did I Remember
(5:03) 2. Easy Living
(4:53) 3. After You've Gone
(5:23) 4. Something to Remember You By
(4:01) 5. They Say It's Wonderful
(5:18) 6. Time After Time
(4:06) 7. Who Can I Turn To
(4:59) 8. Our Very Own
(5:03) 9. I Thought You Ought to Know
(4:44) 10. Slow Boat to China
(8:55) 11. I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over

For one of her last recordings, Etta Jones sings a wide variety of standards, many of which she had not recorded previously. One does not think of such songs as "Did I Remember," "After You've Gone" (definitely an offbeat choice), "They Say It's Wonderful" and "Slow Boat to China" as blues, but Jones gives each tune such a bluesy approach that she transforms them into new soulful pieces. As always, Houston Person's tenor is a perfect match for Jones' voice. The rhythm section with pianist Richard Wyands is swinging and supportive. Recommended.
~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/easy-living-mw0000098456

Personnel: Etta Jones – vocals; Houston Person – tenor saxophone; Richard Wyands – piano; Ray Drummond – bass; Chip White – drums

Easy Living

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Houston Person - Trust In Me

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:08
Size: 179,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:58) 1. Chocomotive
(3:54) 2. You're Gonna Hear From Me
(7:38) 3. Close Quarters
(8:36) 4. Since I Fell For You
(7:59) 5. More (Theme From Mondo Cane)
(3:27) 6. Airegin [Bonus Track]
(5:27) 7. One Mint Julep
(4:57) 8. Trust In Me
(5:11) 9. Hey There
(4:24) 10. My Little Suede Shoes
(6:10) 11. That Old Black Magic
(6:31) 12. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(5:49) 13. The Second Time Around

Houston Person is generally considered a soul-jazz specialist whose tenor playing can be counted on to elevate a standard organ combo or groove-based session into something memorable. This set, however, demonstrates Person's reach well beyond funk and blues grooves. The CD, combining the 1967 dates Chocomotive and Trust in Me, reveals a multi-faceted player who has grasped the lessons of tenor greats from Coleman Hawkins to Gene Ammons to Sonny Rollins. This explains why when Person sits down with a Johnny Hammond, Eddie Harris, or Charles Earland he has a whole lot more in his bag than blues licks and an assertive tone. Pianist Cedar Walton is a major presence on both sets, providing a powerful, personal approach that falls somewhere between Horace Silver's sublime earthiness and Thelonious Monk's knotty logic.

Veteran hard boppers Bob Cranshaw and Paul Chambers share the bass spot. The drummers are lesser-knowns Lenny McBrowne and Frankie Jones. Drummer's drummer Alan Dawson is on the Chocomotive tracks in a rare but effective turn at the vibes. Space limitations mean that "Girl Talk" and "Up, Up and Away" from the original Chocomotive are not on the compilation. On the other hand, the bonus track, a brief outing on Sonny Rollins' "Airegin," serves as a prime example of Person's abilities in a probing, straight-ahead setting. A couple of tracks veer towards a blowsy lounge style, but even on "More" (a song that has not stood the test of time) Person with effective work from Walton, Dawson, and Cranshaw steers the performance to a swinging place that transcends the tune's inherent cheesiness.~Jim Todd https://www.allmusic.com/album/trust-in-me-mw0000012925

Personnel: Houston Person- tenor saxophone; Cedar Walton- piano; Alan Dawson- vibes; Bob Cranshaw- bass; Frankie Jones- drums; Paul Chambers- bass; Lenny McBrowne- drums; Ralph Dorsey- conga.

Trust In Me

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Barbara Morrison - I Love You, Yes I Do

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:30
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Save Your Love For Me
(4:07)  2. And I Love Him
(5:24)  3. For The Love Of You
(3:47)  4. Blow Top Blues
(6:44)  5. Canadian Sunset
(4:26)  6. I Had a Talk With My Man Last Night
(5:12)  7. Trust In Me
(3:33)  8. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(5:40)  9. Who Can I Turn To?
(4:56) 10. If It's The Last Thing I Do
(5:16) 11. Black Eyed Blues
(4:18) 12. I Love You Yes I Do

Being tense can cause creative blocks be they in music or in life, Barbara Morrison teams up with Houston Person for a celebration of song and life with I Love You, Yes I Do. Singers sing, vocal artists can take you places and this is the wheel house of Barbara Morrison. Houston Person is one of the most versatile tenor players having successfully worked in virtually every genre music imaginable.  What makes this release work so well aside from the obvious chemistry would be that the songs go deep catalog. Morrison avoids some of the more cliché tunes and opts for songs such as the Isley Brothers classic "For The Love Of You" and then simply crushes the Great American Songbook classic from Rogers and Hart, "I Didn't Know What Time It Was."There is a vibrant spirit to Morrison as she does more than sings the words, she makes the music. Houston Person is her perfect counterpoint while the rhythm section understands their roles in this improvisational exploratory of song and they are first rate!  There is something here for everyone. Nothing to grind on and perhaps the best review would be to call I Love You, Yes I Do a big lyrical hug! Fantastic! ~ Brent Black  http://www.criticaljazz.com/2014/08/barbara-morrison-i-love-you-yes-i-do.html                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Personnel: Barbara Morrison: Vocals; Houston Person: Tenor Sax; Stuart Elster: Piano; Richard Simon: Bass; Lee Spath: Drums.

I Love You, Yes I Do

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Dena DeRose - Ode to the Road

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:18
Size: 149,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Ode to the Road
(5:34)  2. Nothing Like You
(6:14)  3. Don't Ask Why
(6:46)  4. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm / Little Willie Leaps
(5:25)  5. That Second Look
(5:28)  6. Small Day Tomorrow
(6:28)  7. The Way We Were
(6:06)  8. Cross Me Off Your List
(5:55)  9. I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before
(5:29) 10. A Tip of the Hat
(6:48) 11. The Days of Wine and Roses

Thin pickings so far this year in terms of top jazz vocals albums and now thankfully this. I haven't heard a Dena DeRose album in years worse luck and the singer-pianist does not disappoint here. And yet this record, shaped round a core trio, is very out of place, it's classic jazz, so American, but does not sit easily in much jazz issued in 2020. Yet some things do not go out of fashion. Hipster, swinging, slightly cynical, worldly wise, a very sophisticated jazz club kind of record and yet all the clubs are shut. The irony suits. https://www.marlbank.net/posts/ode-to-the-road-and-the-jazz-we-are-miss
 

Musician:  Dena DeRose, vocals & piano; Martin Wind, bass; Matt Wilson, drums; with special guests Sheila Jordan; Houston Person; Jeremy Pelt

Ode to the Road

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Houston Person & Joey DeFrancesco - The Party

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 53:09
Size: 97,4 MB
Art: Front

(9:59)  1. Love Me Tender
(6:06)  2. Blue Velvet
(7:17)  3. Blues for H.P.
(5:22)  4. Ceora
(5:59)  5. Impossible
(8:26)  6. Party's Over
(9:58)  7. True Blues

Good soul jazz and blues session, with young lion organist Joey DeFrancesco providing the funky undercurrent to tenor saxophonist Houston Person's thick, authoritative solos and Randy Johnston and Bertell Knox filling the spaces on bass and drums, plus Sammy Figueroa adding some Afro-Latin fiber for additional support.~Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-party-mw0000278195

Personnel: Houston Person (tenor saxophone); Joey DeFrancesco (organ); Randy Johnston (guitar); Bertell Knox (drums); Sammy Figueroa (percussion, congas).

The Party

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Charles Kynard - Legends Of Acid Jazz

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 76:46
Size: 123,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:57) 1. Afro-Disiac
(5:07) 2. Bella Donna
(9:07) 3. Trippin'
(7:14) 4. Odds On
(7:56) 5. Sweetheart
(5:05) 6. Chanson Du Nuit
(7:55) 7. Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui (Beautiful People)
(4:38) 8. Winter's Child
(6:11) 9. Zebra Walk
(9:30) 10. Something
(9:03) 11. Change Up

Charles Kynard (1933-79) had a brief, rather low-key career as an organist. By day, he maintained a full-time career working with kids with special needs and taught piano between gigs and his job. He only recorded infrequently, doing sessions and two albums under his own name for Pacific Jazz in the early 1960s and several sessions and three records under his own name for Mainstream Records during 1971-74. But it is, perhaps, the four records he did for Prestige between 1968 and 1970 that the organist is best known for. Legends of Acid Jazz combines the last two of these, Afro-Disiac and Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui. On both, Kynard showcases his remarkable ability to exploit the heck out of an interesting groove. The best of his originals usually sticks to variations of the blues or out-and-out boogaloos. But it's the machine-gun attack of his left hand and the churning grind he maintains with his feet - despite the ever-presence of a bassist - that separates Kynard's playing from the crowd.The counterpoint he offers with his right hand is what usually puts the fun in his funk.

Afro-Disiac pits the organist in a quintet with tenor staple Houston Person and elevated by the presence of guitarist Grant Green. This was a reunion of sorts for Kynard and Green, the two having appeared together on 1968's The Soul Brotherhood. The originals, mostly by Kynard's school chum Richard Fritz, and Kynard's eloquent cushioning offer an ideal environment for the guitarist - much more favorable than Green's own recordings from the period. Kynard is more of a featured presence on the Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui, adding his electric piano stylings to "Winter's Child" and the dance floor classic, "Zebra Walk." Here, Kynard revels in a sextet that features the much-lamented honker Rusty Bryant, trumpeter Virgil Jones and guitarist Melvin Sparks. The tunes aren't as memorable as the first session and the playing doesn't have the edge or energy that Kynard could generate elsewhere (for evidence, check out the monster Reelin' with the Feelin', which is paired with Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui on the British BGP CD). But this "legend of acid jazz" is worth hearing and exploring and for fans of guitarist Grant Green, the first six songs are required listening. ~Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/legends-of-acid-jazz-charles-kynard-prestige-records-review-by-douglas-payne

Players: Charles Kynard: organ, electric piano; Houston Person, Rusty Bryant: tenor sax; Virgil Jones: trumpet; Grant Green, Melvin Sparks: guitar; Jimmy Lewis: Fender bass; Idris Muhammad, Bernard Purdie: drums.

Legends Of Acid Jazz

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Houston Person - Live in Paris

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:53
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:10) 1. Sweet Sucker
(8:43) 2. Only Trust Your Heart
(7:08) 3. Easy Walker
(8:06) 4. The Way We Were
(5:33) 5. Lester Leaps In
(7:39) 6. Since I Fell For You
(9:01) 7. Sunny
(3:29) 8. Jean-Jaures Shuffle

Houston Person recording live in Paris, but in a setting that has the tenor legend going right back to his 60s material as he's playing here in an organ combo, with Ben Paterson on the Hammond B3, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and the great Willie Jones III on drums! The whole thing crackles with a great sort of energy – maybe more of a small club sort of vibe, as you might have caught Houston doing in Philly or New Jersey back in the day with tunes that open up with an easygoing groove that's perfect for his skills on tenor nice and long on just about every number, with titles that include "Easy Walker", "Sweet Sucker", "Lester Leaps In", "Sunny", "Jean Jaures Shuffle", "Only Trust Your Heart", and "The Way We Were". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/993253

Personnel: Houston Person, tenor saxophone; Ben Paterson, Hammond B-3 organ; Peter Bernstein, guitar; Willie Jones III, drums.

Live in Paris

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Don Patterson - Dem New York Dues

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1968
Time: 78:41
Size: 116,4 MB
Art: Front

( 6:57) 1. Little Shannon
( 6:39) 2. Opus De Don
( 7:28) 3. Dem New York Dues
( 9:22) 4. Sir John
( 9:48) 5. Stairway To The Stars
( 7:21) 6. Oh Happy Day
( 8:51) 7. Perdido
( 3:44) 8. Good Time Theme
(13:42) 9. Hip Trip
( 4:44) 10. Blue 'n Boogie

Despite claims to the contrary, organist Don Patterson was very much of the Jimmy Smith school, a hard-driving player with fine improvising skills but lacking a distinctive sound of his own. This CD (which reissues two complete LPs) features Patterson in prime form in a quintet with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook on tenor, and guitarist Pat Martino, and with a separate group that features trumpeter Virgil Jones and both George Coleman and Houston Person on tenors. Although "Oh Happy Day" is a throwaway, Patterson's spirited renditions of the blues and standards make this a fairly definitive example of his talents.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/dem-new-york-dues-mw0000177249

Personnel: Organ – Don Patterson; Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman, Houston Person, Junior Cook; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell, Virgil Jones; Drums – Billy James; Frankie Jones; Guitar – Pat Martino

Dem New York Dues

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Charles Earland - Unforgettable

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:52
Size: 105,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:26)  1. Unforgettable
(12:48)  2. Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)
( 6:32)  3. Sheila
( 5:46)  4. Commitment to Love
( 4:52)  5. Heart Attack
( 6:52)  6. Yes, I Love Her
( 3:33)  7. The Kicker

Charles Earland is definitely a survivor. The Hammond hero had lost his first wife to cancer when he made a triumphant return to soul-jazz in the late '80s, and he had recovered from a major heart attack when he recorded the appropriately titled Unforgettable. Earland was in the Intensive Care Unit in August 1991, and by December 1991, was back in the studio to record this superb and varied CD. The Philadelphian stressed that he was lucky to be alive, and he celebrates his survival with imaginative interpretations of everything from Joe Henderson's "The Kicker" to Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" (which he takes a medium speed instead of its usual ballad tempo) to Santana's "Europa." Earland has consistently demonstrated that commercial appeal and accessibility can go hand-in-hand with musical integrity, and Unforgettable is one of many fine examples. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/unforgettable-mw0000177413

Personnel: Organ – Charles Earland; Drums – Buddy Williams (tracks: 3, 4, 6, 7), Gregory Williams (6) (tracks: 1, 2, 5); Guitar – Oliver Nevels; Percussion – Lawrence Killian; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Eric Alexander; Tenor Saxophone, Producer – Houston Person (tracks: 1, 5, 7); Trombone – Clifford Adams; Trumpet – Kenny Rampton

Unforgettable

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