Joe Lovano - Flights of Fancy: Trio Fascination Edition Two

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
Time: 67:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 155,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Flights of Fancy
(3:31) 2. On April (I'll Remember April)
(4:36) 3. Amsterdam
(4:26) 4. Blue Mist
(4:01) 5. Off and Runnin'
(6:26) 6. Infant Eyes
(6:35) 7. 206
(8:00) 8. Bougainvillea
(4:52) 9. Windom Street
(4:42) 10. Hot Shot
(3:56) 11. Aisha
(3:09) 12. Amber
(5:46) 13. On Giant Steps
(1:26) 14. Flights of Fancy (Reprise)

The first edition of Joe Lovano's Trio Fascination featured Dave Holland on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. Following the album's release in 1998, however, Lovano's live shows featured the less famous but equally muscular bass/drum team of Cameron Brown and Idris Muhammad. On Trio Fascination, Vol. 2, the Lovano/Brown/Muhammad unit is only one of four trio configurations that the saxophonist employs. Taking the trio concept beyond the traditional confines of horn, bass, and drums, Lovano takes a left turn and colors this album with continually changing instrumentation.

Trio one is Lovano, Brown, and Muhammad. Trio two features the leader with Billy Drewes on soprano saxophone and alto flute and Joey Baron on drums; trio three with Toots Thielemans on harmonica and Kenny Werner on piano; and trio four with Dave Douglas on trumpet and Mark Dresser on bass. (The trios change unpredictably from track to track, sort of like a CD player in shuffle mode.) Varying the instrumentation even further, Lovano, like on volume one, switches from among his arsenal of horns: tenor, straight alto, soprano, and C-melody saxes, as well alto and bass clarinets.

On "206," he modifies trio four by playing drums behind Douglas and Dresser, and on "Blue Mist" he begins with gongs to supplement Muhammad's percussion textures. In two instances, the trios change during the very course of the tune. "Bougainvillea" (by Lovano's wife, vocalist Judi Silvano) starts with trio one and in the last two or so minutes segues to an impressionistic ending featuring trio three. "On Giant Steps," based on the groundbreaking Coltrane chord changes, proceeds in the opposite direction: Trio three solos freely and simultaneously, then passes the baton to trio one, which launches into a swing tempo far slower than is usual for the tune, but no less burning.

One of Lovano's first high-profile projects was an unorthodox trio with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Paul Motian. The saxophonist's association with Drewes and Baron dates back to the early '70s. So Lovano's "trio fascination" has deep roots, and the music on this record is a cumulative and probably near-exhaustive survey of his abilities within the form. One only need contrast "Hot Shot" or "Flights of Fancy" or the obscure McCoy Tyner ballad "Aisha" (all trio one) with modernist, offbeat abstractions like "Amber" and "Amsterdam" by trio four, or "Off and Runnin'" by trio two, to get an idea of Lovano's artistic range. Fans looking for more of the hard-driving, free-spirited swing of the first Trio Fascination record will find it here in smaller doses. And those who got their first taste of Lovano with 2000's neo-bop nonet record 52nd Street Themes ought to be prepared for something very different. By David R.Adler
https://www.allmusic.com/album/flights-of-fancy-trio-fascination-edition-2-mw0000105325

Personnel: Joe Lovano- tenor saxophone, straight alto saxophone, alto clarinet, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, C-melody saxophone, gongs, drums, percussion; Billy Drewes- soprano saxophone, alto flute, percussion; Dave Douglas- trumpet; Toots Thielemans- harmonica; Kenny Werner- piano; Mark Dresser, Cameron Brown- bass; Idris Muhammad, Joey Baron- drums.

Flights of Fancy: Trio Fascination Edition Two

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Pharoah Sanders - Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1980

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:20
Size: 161,4 MB
Art: Front

(18:04) 1. You Gotta Have Freedom
(12:57) 2. It's Easy To Remember
(20:20) 3. Dr Pitt
( 8:35) 4. The Creator Has A Masterplan
(10:22) 5. Greetings To Idris

Stunning live work from the great Pharoah Sanders a set that's right up there with his best for the Teresa label in the 80s, but which also has some of the bite of his later Impulse material too!

Tracks are long and modal that groove that always seems to unlock the most soulful, mystical currents in Sanders' tenor and the group is superb, with this beautiful work on bass from the young Curtis Lundy, plus John Hicks on piano and Idris Muhammad on drums the latter of whom is in that looser mode he reopened in the 80s, and very different than his 70s funk years.

Tracks are all nice and long and titles include "Dr Pitt", "Greetings To Idris", "You Gotta Have Freedom", "It's Easy To Remember", and "The Creator Has A Masterplan". © 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/134602/Pharoah-Sanders:Pharoah-Sanders-Live-At-Fabrik-Hamburg-1980

Personnel: Pharoah Sanders (ts), John Hicks (p), Curtis Lundy (b), and Idris Muhammad (d)

Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1980

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Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah Sanders' Finest

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:23
Size: 163.4 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, Bop
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[ 3:22] 1. Moniebah
[10:06] 2. You've Got To Have Freedom
[ 5:29] 3. Naima
[ 8:06] 4. Moon Child
[ 6:10] 5. Moon Rays
[ 6:51] 6. Origin
[ 8:23] 7. Africa
[ 4:34] 8. Duo
[ 6:18] 9. Lament
[ 4:57] 10. You Don't Know What Love Is
[ 7:00] 11. The Bird Song

Bass – Curtis Lundy, Stafford James; Drums – Eccleston W. Wainwright, Eddie Moore, Idris Muhammed; Percussion – Cheikh Tidiane Fale; Piano – John Hicks, William Henderson; Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders.

After Pharoah Sanders recorded as a leader for Impulse in 1973 (Love in Us All) he recorded a number of records for different labels; his self-titled album for India Navigation stands as a high point in his development as not only a saxophonist, but as a player who sought ways of moving to a more reflective approach. These included recordings for Arista/Novus, Theresa, Dr. Jazz, and the Netherlands-based Timeless imprints, as well as co-led and other sessions as a prominent sideman. Sanders spent increasing amounts of time in Europe and Japan because he could work regularly. The period he spent on Timeless is the subject of this wonderful compilation assembled by the excellent Dopeness Galore label in Amsterdam. For starters, Dopeness Galore is not strictly a jazz label; they are just as closely allied with hip-hop and dance music culture, and issue fine 12" singles as well as compilations, in addition to supporting a number of visual artists. Definitely a label to watch in the 21st century.

Sanders recorded three albums for Timeless, a label associated with fine jazz from the U.S., the European continent, and Asia: Africa, released in 1987, Moonchild issued in 1989, and Welcome to Love, a ballads collection. The tracks compiled on Finest are not arranged chronologically (thankfully); maximum attention was given to aesthetics and dynamics as well as showing the wide range of Sanders musicality and interests in world music as well as the jazz tradition, his own forward thinking, and his relentless pursuit of a spiritual muse in his music. ~Thom Jurek

Pharoah Sanders'Finest 

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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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Gene Ammons - Fine And Mellow

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:00
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Lady Sings the Blues
(5:59)  2. Play Me
(5:29)  3. Ben
(3:07)  4. Fly Me
(4:25)  5. Fuzz
(5:03)  6. Fine And Mellow
(3:34)  7. Strange Fruit
(7:47)  8. Big Bad Jug
(4:04)  9. God Bless The Child
(7:43) 10. Tin Shack Out Back
(6:47) 11. Lady Mama
(4:09) 12. I Can't Help Myself
(4:52) 13. Lucille
(4:30) 14. Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Gene “Jug” Ammons was a sucker for finely wrought pop songs. He was also unapologetic slave to melody, putting his sturdy saxophone into the service of countless hummable themes. But his improvisations were never slavish and even with material of papish pedigree he always seemed to find something worthwhile to say. Perfect case in point is this new Prestige two-fer, which combines material from a pair of early '70s platters, Got My Own and Big Bad Jug. The first set has a lounge vibe so viscous you can virtually smell the Aqua Velva aftershave, Pall Mall smoke and Mohair fibers in the air. How a string section crammed into Rudy Van Gelder’s studio alongside Jug’s core sextet is a mystery, and it’s more than likely that the label overdubbed the orchestrations after the fact. Largely superfluous to the action, they also thankfully don’t get in the way.

The ensemble line-up includes some impressive talent in the personages of Jones, Beck, Carter and Muhammad, but the ringers are the presence of heavy production and predilection for plugging in. The songbook is just as capricious; balancing a trio of Billie Holiday numbers (the film eponymous with the first track was a big hit contemporaneous to the session) with pop and funk fare. If the idea of Jug tackling Neil Diamond’s “Play Me” and the Michael Jackson signature “Ben” signals skeptical impulses, don’t be alarmed. Ammons treats each tune with sober respect and the gravity in his playing accentuates the sometimes hidden strengths in the song craft. And while he rarely strays far from the melody, the muscle and surety in his phrasings further dispel any traces of triteness from the tracks. The oddest of the clutch is the reading of “Strange Fruit,” a duet with Jones’ electric piano that finds Jug in an uncustomary somber mood, sketching breathy lines across a watercolor wash of keyboard hues and trailing a luminous studio echo.

The second session enlists a different, more streamlined studio band with only Carter returning for the party. Phillips’ organ and, on “Tin Shack Out Back,” electric piano plant the mood firmly in funk and soul territory. Parker’s wah-wah slathered guitar adds fleshy chordal support to Jug’s wailing lead, and the band sounds off here as purely and proudly a product of their era. The leader’s closing unaccompanied cadenza is a killer. Even the rendering of “God Bless the Child” is laced with a palpable backbeat. Carter revels in the weighty sponginess of his amplified strings while Cobham carves out propulsive, if at times simplistic, rhythms. A laidback attitude seems to be the primary sentiment of the moment. Closing with a trance-inducing version of the Temps’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” Jug soars over a stuttering bass-heavy groove that steamrolls everything in its path. Check your prejudices at the coat rack and this set will likely fulfill the same purpose it did back in the day. An enjoyable diversion devoid of pretense by a man who earned the right to play and do things the way he wanted to. (An added extra: the new liner notes scribed by Ted Panken, which contain some insightful anecdotes voiced by none other than fellow Chicagoan Von Freeman.) ~ Derek Taylor  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/fine-and-mellow-gene-ammons-prestige-records-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Gene Ammons- tenor saxophone; Ernie Hayes- organ; Hank Jones- electric piano; Joe Beck- guitar; Ron Carter- acoustic & electric bass; Idris Muhammad- drums; Mickey Roker- drums; Sonny Phillips- electric piano, organ; Maynard Parker- guitar; Billy Cobham- drums.

Fine And Mellow

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Grant Green - Carryin' On

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:30
Size: 86,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:47)  1. Ease Back
( 6:34)  2. Hurt So Bad
( 6:12) 3. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door I'll Get It Myself)

(10:04)  4. Upshot
( 8:51)  5. Cease The Bombing

Having firmly established himself as the '60s jazz guitarist second only to the great Wes Montgomery, Grant Green was willing and able to move into something new and give himself up to the emerging funk wave that would seep across the '70s. Attacked by purists as Grant's grand selling-out, these recordings have been rediscovered and widely sampled by legions of acid-jazz aficionados. Hypnotically rhythmic and quintessentially grooving, the five tracks on this straight reissue are all exceptionally tasty bursts of authentic funk. Carryin' On contains two solid covers, the Meters' "Ease Back" and James Brown's "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door I'll Get It Myself," which alone make it well worth the money. These are about the funkiest tracks ever laid down by any jazz artist, completely danceable and sample ready. In fact, they are so infectious that they have the tendency to evoke uncontrollable movement in ass and limb. Neal Creaque's "Cease the Bombing," (later covered by Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers) floats like a smooth sailing trip across the ether with Green majestically at the helm. A consistent pleasure to listen to, this should be one of the first jazz purchases for those who need a beat in the soundtrack of their lives. ~John Ballon https://www.allaboutjazz.com/grant-green-carryin-on-grant-green-by-john-ballon.php

Personnel: Grant Green: Guitar; Claude Bartee: Tenor Sax; Willie Bivens: Vibes; Clarence Palmer: Electric Piano; Earl Neal Creaque: Electric Piano (on "Cease the Bombing" only); Jimmy Lewis: Fender Bass; Idris Muhammad: Drums

Carryin' On

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Chico Freeman - The Unspoken Word

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:06
Size: 179,4 MB
Art: Front

( 2:35)  1. The Unspoken Word
(14:29)  2. Gano Club
(11:13)  3. Playpen
( 9:19)  4. Infant Eyes
(10:01)  5. Peace Maker
(14:25)  6. Misty
(16:01)  7. Rythmn A Ning

An excellent tenor saxophonist and the son of Von Freeman, Chico Freeman has had a busy and diverse career, with many recordings ranging from advanced hard bop to nearly free avant-garde jazz. He originally played trumpet, not taking up the tenor until he was a junior in college. Freeman graduated from Northwestern University in 1972, played with R&B groups, and joined the AACM. In 1977, he moved to New York, where he worked with Elvin Jones, Sun Ra, Sam Rivers' big band, Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, and Don Pullen, in addition to leading his own groups. He recorded a dozen albums as a leader during 1975-1982. Starting in 1984, Freeman has played on a part-time basis with the Leaders, he has recorded on a few occasions with his father and in 1989, he put together an electric band called Brainstorm. Chico Freeman has recorded through the years as a leader for Dharma, India Navigation, Contemporary, Black Saint, Elektra/Musician, Black Hawk, Palo Alto, Jazz House, and In & Out. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chico-freeman-mn0000110829/biography

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Chico Freeman;  Alto Saxophone – Arthur Blythe; Bass – Curtis Lundy; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Piano – Julian Joseph; Sleeve – Richard Orr Design

The Unspoken Word

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Idris Muhammad - Turn This Mutha Out

Styles: Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:52
Size: 87,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:38)  1. Could Heaven Ever Be Like This
(4:33)  2. Camby Bolongo
(6:49)  3. Turn This Mutha Out
(4:23)  4. Tasty Cakes
(5:10)  5. Crap Apple
(4:17)  6. Moon Hymn
(3:59)  7. Say What

Accompanied by Hiram Bullock (guitar), Cliff Carter (keyboards), Wilber Bascomb (bass), Jeremy Steig (flute), and others, Idris Muhammad ventures into the world of pop and R&B, annoying die-hard jazz fans. Limp and uninspired vocals hurt "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This," but the track is good and could have stood alone with instrument(s) replacing the vocal parts. If you like African rhythms underneath a haunting flute, then you'll love "Camby Bolongo" Sue Evans supplies percussions and Randy Brecker provides a searing trumpet solo. "Turn this Mutha Out" offers some dynamic interplay between Bascomb's funky bass vamp and Bullock's compelling guitar work. The tune landed on the R&B chart in the States and got considerable airplay in Britain. "Tasty Cakes" uses the same lineup including complementary musicians as "Mutha." "Crab Apple," aided by Michael Brecker's tenor sax, jams; the midtempo strut is nasty, particularly when Carter works his synthesizer. "Moon Hymn" is a duo tempo head tune that nods at War's "Slipping Into Darkness." Eric Gale is the guitarist on "Say What," a fusion of jazz and funk. Muhammad never solos, he didn't write any of the songs, he didn't arrange any, and he didn't produce, but that eternally funky, break-heavy drumming makes this an album only he could have recorded. ~ Andrew Hamilton https://www.allmusic.com/album/turn-this-mutha-out-mw0000873353

Personnel: Idris Muhammad - drums

Turn This Mutha Out

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Freddie Hubbard - Life Flight

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:47
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

( 8:10)  1. Battlescar Galorica
(11:17)  2. A Saint's Homecoming Song
( 9:11)  3. The Melting Pot
(13:08)  4. Life Flight

This CD captures the great trumpeter Freddie Hubbard at the age of 48 just before he began to decline. Hubbard is heard in excellent shape on two selections apiece with two separate bands. One group, a sextet with tenor-saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and guitarist George Benson, recalls the trumpeter's glory days on CTI although the material ("Battlescar Galorica" and "A Saint's Homecoming Song") was of recent vintage. The other band, a quintet with tenor-saxophonist Ralph Moore, looks back toward his earlier Blue Note and Atlantic days; they perform two Hubbard originals ("The Melting Pot" and "Life Flight"). Overall this set (from an era when the veteran trumpeter was being overshadowed by Wynton Marsalis) gives listeners one of the last opportunities to hear Freddie Hubbard in peak form. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/life-flight-mw0000649572

Personnel:  Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard;  Bass – Rufus Reid;  Drums – Carl Allen;  Drums, Tambourine – Idris Muhammad;  Electric Bass – Wayne Braithwaite;  Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Larry Willis;  Guitar – George Benson;  Piano – Larry Willis;  Tenor Saxophone – Ralph Moore, Stanley Turrentine 

Life Flight    

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Randy Weston - The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:21
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

( 3:21)  1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 1
(10:48)  2. The Healers
(17:16)  3. African Cookbook
( 6:43)  4. La Elaha-Ella Allah/Morad Allah
( 6:12)  5. The Call

Pianist Randy Weston and arranger Melba Liston had a musical reunion on this special double-CD, their first joint project since 1973's Tanjah. Liston's charts for the pianist's ten originals perfectly fit Weston's adventurous style and the twelve-piece group (which includes three percussionists) is filled with highly individual voices including the tenors of Billy Harper and Dewey Redman. With trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders making guest appearances and Randy Weston heard at the peak of his powers, this is a highly recommended set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-spirits-of-our-ancestors-mw0000276414

Personnel:  Randy Weston - piano (not on 4);  Idrees Sulieman - trumpet (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet (on 9);  Benny Powell - trombone (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Talib Kibwe - flute, alt sax (on 2,5,6,7,9);  Billy Harper - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Dewey Redman - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax, gaita (on 3 >8);  Alex Blake - bass (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9);  Jamil Nasser - bass (on 2,3,4,5,6,8,9);  Idris Muhammad - drums (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9);  Azzedin Weston - percussion (on 2,3,4,6,9);  Big Black - percussion (on 3,5,6,7,8,9);  Yassir Chadly - percussion, karkaba, vocal (on 4 >8)

The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 1

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Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 2

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 62:11

Size: 142,6 MB

( 8:30)  1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 2

(16:28)  2. The Seventh Queen

(12:01)  3. Blue Moses

(19:54)  4. African Sunrise

( 5:16)  5. A Prayer for Us All

R.I.P.

Born:  April 6, 1926

Died:  September 1, 2018

The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 2

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Andrew Hill - Grass Roots

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:07
Size: 160,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Grass Roots
(4:45)  2. Venture Inward
(6:19)  3. Mira
(8:22)  4. Soul Special
(7:45)  5. Bayou Red
(9:12)  6. MC (bonus track)
(4:36)  7. Venture Inward (first version) (bonus track)
(8:52)  8. Soul Special (first version) (bonus track)
(5:58)  9. Bayou Red (first version) (bonus track)
(7:33) 10. Love Nocturne (bonus track)

This reissue contains not only Hill’s original LP, but also a previously unreleased session from four months prior. On this earlier session, an entirely different lineup plays three of the tunes from Grass Roots, along with two numbers from deep within the vault  "MC," a tribal 12/8 blues, and "Love Nocturne," an angular quasi-ballad. Thanks to the juxtaposition of the two sessions, we are afforded a rare treat: a chance to listen closely to the stylistic contrasts between Lee Morgan and Woody Shaw, Booker Ervin and Frank Mitchell, Ron Carter and Reggie Workman, and Freddie Waits and Idris Muhammad. (Guitarist Jimmy Ponder also appears on three of the five new tracks.) We also get to hear what these different lineups bring out in Hill, both as a pianist and a composer. On the whole, Grass Roots is "inside" compared to Hill’s more representative Blue Note masterpiece, Point of Departure. "Venture Inward" and "Bayou Red" are the most advanced pieces, while the calypso "Mira" and the boogaloo "Soul Special" traverse more familiar Blue Note terrain. The title track, with its deliberately square melody, is an excellent sample of Hill’s fractured, fragmented style. The alternate takes and new tracks are less energetic, although Woody Shaw sounds more in his element than does Lee Morgan. And whereas Booker Ervin cooks a variegated stew containing traces of Trane, Dexter, and Johnny Griffin, Frank Mitchell sounds almost like a carbon copy of Wayne Shorter. Ponder’s tasty licks are in the style of early Pat Martino. ~ David Adler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/grass-roots-andrew-hill-blue-note-records-review-by-david-adler.php?width=1920

Personnel, 1-5: Lee Morgan, trumpet; Booker Ervin, tenor saxophone; Andrew Hill, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Freddie Waits, drums

Personnel, 6-10: Woody Shaw, trumpet; Frank Mitchell, tenor saxophone; Andrew Hill, piano; Jimmy Ponder, guitar; Reggie Workman, bass; Idris Muhammad, drums

Grass Roots

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Grant Green - The Original Jam Master Vol. 2: For The Funk Of It

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:26
Size: 106.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[10:02] 1. Upshot
[ 3:25] 2. The Final Comedown
[ 5:31] 3. Cantaloupe Woman
[ 6:04] 4. Dracula
[ 6:20] 5. California Green
[15:00] 6. Flood In Franklin Park

For the Funk of It is the second thematically focused volume in Blue Note's Original Jam Master Series that draws from guitarist Grant Green's late-period recordings for the label, from 1969 to 1972. Some of the players involved in these sessions include drummer Idris Muhammad, saxophonist Claude Bartee, Jr., Cornell Dupree (rhythm guitar), percussionists Hall Bobby Porter and Ray Armando, bassist Chuck Rainey, organist Emanuel Riggins, and many others. The material here is less bombastic than the soul and funk covers on Green's Ain't It Funky Now!, but they are still deep in the jukebox soul-jazz groove that was rapidly disappearing during the era. The set kicks off with a rare Green boogaloo original in "Upshot," from the Carryin' On album, with great solo work from Green, Clarence Palmer on electric piano, and vibist Willie Bivins. Another Green tune, "California Green," with a big band that includes Stix Hooper and Wilton Felder, appears near the end of the set. Of the covers, the read of Ben Dixon's "Cantaloupe Woman" is a stunner, with great interplay between Muhammad and Armando. Not as in-your-face as volume three in the series, but more in-the-pocket and groove-drenched. This is a fine comp for the cash. ~Thom Jurek

The Original Jam Master Vol. 2: For The Funk Of It mc
The Original Jam Master Vol. 2: For The Funk Of It zippy

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Grover Washington Jr - Soul Box

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 156.3 MB
Styles: Fusion, Funk, Soul Jazz
Year: 1973/2008
Art: Front

[ 3:42] 1. Aubrey
[13:17] 2. Masterpiece
[15:57] 3. Trouble Man
[ 6:04] 4. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
[11:12] 5. Don't Explain
[ 9:54] 6. Easy Living Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
[ 8:08] 7. Taurian Matador

Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Grover Washington, Jr.; Arco Bass – Richard Davis, Ron Carter; Bass – Ron Carter; Bass Trombone – Alan Raph, Paul Faulise, Tony Studd; Bassoon – Donald McCourt; Cello – Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Seymour Barab; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Flute, Clarinet, Clarinet [Contra Bass], Bass Saxophone – Wally Kane; Flute, Piccolo Flute – Hubert Laws; Flute, Piccolo Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Oboe, English Horn – Romeo Penque; Flute, Piccolo Flute, Oboe – George Marge; Flute, Piccolo Flute, Recorder – Harvey Estrin; French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, Jim Buffington, Peter Gordon; Guitar – Eric Gale; Organ – Richard Tee; Percussion – Airto, Dave Friedman, Phil Kraus, Ralph MacDonald; Piano, Electric Piano – Bob James; Trombone – Santo Russo, Wayne Andre; Trumpet – Bernie Glow, John Frosk, Jon Faddis, Randall Brecker; Viola – Alfred Brown, Emanuel Vardi, Theodore Israel; Violin – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Elliot Rosoff, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman; Vocals – Barbara Massey, Bernard Thacker, Eileen Gilbert, Maeretha Stewart, Randolph Peyton, Bill Eaton.

The early work of alto saxophonist and composer Grover Washington, Jr. is a rare and beautiful thing to behold. His entire Kudu period, marked by the albums Inner City Blues, All the King's Horses, Soul Box, Mister Magic, and Feels So Good, is brilliant, solid urban groove jazz played with grace, mean chops, and slippery funkiness. Soul Box, a double LP recorded in 1973, has Creed Taylor's production enhanced by a symphony orchestra and full-blown jazz band arranged and conducted by Bob James. Some of the session men include Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Eric Gale, Idris Muhammad, Airto, and Richard Tee. Soul Box only contains seven cuts. Among them are truly innovative reads of Billy Cobham's "Taurian Matador," Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," a side-long jam on Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man" (the album's centerpiece and masterpiece), and the deep funk of Norman Whitfield's "Masterpiece." "Trouble Man," however, is the cut on which all the contradictions of the session come to bear and are resolved due in large part to Washington's deeply lyrical improvising and James' ability to layer an orchestra into a groove. There are cadenzas written in after choruses that bring the orchestra in to accent the sketchy funk in the tune and bring out its deep blue hues. When Washington gets to the front of it all, he lets go like he's crying from the heart. On other tracks, the orchestra adds the right drama or sweetness -- as it does on Wonder's cut -- but Washington makes them grittier, with soloing that sidles up to the melody before reinventing it. For its length, Soul Box is a modern classic for its instrumental and arrangement invention and for its deeply emotional bounty. ~Thom Jurek

Soul Box mc
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Lou Donaldson - Everything I Play Is Funky

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:43
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1970/1995
Art: Front

[5:26] 1. Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)
[6:37] 2. Hamp's Hump
[7:12] 3. Over The Rainbow
[6:44] 4. Donkey Walk
[6:27] 5. West Indian Daddy
[6:15] 6. Minor Bash

Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson; Bass Guitar [Fender Bass] – Jimmy Lewis; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Guitar – Melvin Sparks; Organ – Charles Earland, Lonnie Smith; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell, Eddie Williams. Recorded on August 22, 1969 & January 9, 1970.

Although purists might not find it as much to their taste as Midnight Creeper, Everything I Play Is Funky is easily one of the best examples of Lou Donaldson's commercially accessible period of the late '60s and early '70s. Donaldson's forays into funk and R&B-driven soul-jazz could sometimes sound stiff, but the grooves here -- which feature many of the same players -- are consistently limber and unforced. And, typical of the style, the grooves (not adventurous improvisation) are what make the album tick. For once, Donaldson's attempt at an R&B cover -- in this case, the Lee Dorsey-sung, Allen Toussaint-penned "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)" -- is pulled off well enough to make for an entirely convincing statement of purpose. That number kicks off an entertaining program also highlighted by three Donaldson originals -- the cooking funk number "Donkey Walk," which seems to inspire the fieriest solos on the record, the cheery calypso "West Indian Daddy," and the hard bop-flavored "Minor Bash." There's also a version of "Over the Rainbow" done in Donaldson's caressing, melodic ballad style, and the simple funk vamp "Hamp's Hump." It's a nicely varied assortment, all anchored by the percolating rhythm section of guitarist Melvin Sparks, bassist Jimmy Lewis, and drummer Idris Muhammad (Charles Earland and Dr. Lonnie Smith switch off on organ, and Blue Mitchell and Eddie Williams do the same on trumpet). This is the sort of record that modern-day Donaldson disciples like the Sugarman Three cherish, and one of his few truly consistent efforts in this style. Recommended wholeheartedly to funk and rare-groove fans. ~Steve Huey

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Everything I Play Is Funky zippy

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Grover Washington, Jr. - Inner City Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:19
Size: 82,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:12)  1. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
(4:40)  2. Georgia On My Mind
(5:09)  3. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
(8:34)  4. Ain't No Sunshine-Better Days (Theme From Man And Boy)
(4:36)  5. Until It's Time Fot You To Go
(5:05)  6. I Loves You Porgy

The story behind Grover Washington, Jr.'s first session date as a leader revolves around a sheer coincidence of being in the right place at the right time. The truth is, the date for Creed Taylor's Kudu imprint was supposed to feature Hank Crawford in the soloist's chair. Crawford couldn't make the date and longtime sideman Washington got the nod. His being closely affiliated with organists Charles Earland and Johnny Hammond didn't hurt, and his alto and tenor saxophones' tone was instantly noticeable for both its song-like quality and Washington's unique ability to dig deep into R&B territory for his expression of feeling. Released in 1971, produced by Taylor, and arranged and orchestrated by Bob James, the list of players in this band is equally impressive: James played Fender Rhodes, there's Richard Tee on organ, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Idris Muhammad, then-new guitarist Eric Gale, percussionist Airto Moreira, Thad Jones and Eugene Young on trumpets, trombonist Wayne Andre, and baritone saxophonist Don Ashworth. James also added a violin section and a small vocal chorus on certain tracks.

Inner City Blues kicks off with its title track, a burning version of the Marvin Gaye tune with Washington lending a heft and depth to it that reveals the sophistication of Gaye's original. From Airto's hand drums and Muhammad's hi-hat whispers to the chunky wah-wah guitar vamp and a funky bassline by Carter, it becomes clear that Washington's methods of deep soul articulation on his horn extend into the heart of this mix. James decorated his charts with subtle organ flourishes and his piano, but this is early jazz-funk at best. While Miles Davis was abstracting jazz on the margins, Washington and his cohorts were keeping the music in the street, in the barroom, on the radio, and in the nightclubs and bowling alleys.

The tune was a hit at a time when fusion was becoming widespread; free jazz from both sides of the Atlantic was considering itself the new standard bearer for the music, and the many legends of the '60s Blue Note and Prestige eras were beginning to feel the music get away from them. With this entry, Washington's screaming, edgy solo stayed in the killer grooves with breaks laid down by Muhammad and Moreira, Gale and Carter. Washington was just getting started and it was evident here that this cat was deep. He walked the standards side of the fence on this date as well, bringing them into the jazz-funk era: his readings of "Georgia on My Mind" and "I Loves You Porgy" are sensitive, deeply lyrical, and sophisticated, but come from the soul side of the fence. Carter's warm, bubbly bassline and the brief guitar break introduce the strings in the former tune while at the same time Washington plays the melody on his alto. Muhammad lays down some beautiful and pronounced rhythmic statements without getting in the way, and before long the groove develops, taking the tune right into the club with Gale's solo and some hot comping by James that fades as the strings and Grover return deeper in the cut to take it out. The other cuts are modern standards and pop songs creatively voiced by this soloist and band. They include a stellar, lightly funky version of Gaye's "Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)," and a knock-out take on Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," rivaled only by the original and Rahsaan Roland Kirk's flute version on Blacknuss. 

On the former tune, it's the popping rhythm groove dressed in some smoking hand percussion and fat chunky Rhodes chords that set up Washington's solo, which just burns and wails with all the pleading and pain in Gaye's voice. The latter cut begins subtly, nocturnally in the blues, with Gale, James, Carter, and Muhammad. Washington enters playing the melody on the alto, and the strings sound draped around him just as the horn section comes in to play counterpoint a beat behind. This is some deep soul. A vocal chorus begins almost subliminally with the "I know, I know, I know, I know" intonation and introduces the popping solos by Gale with the rhythm section in the bridge underscored by the horns. The strings well up with all the drama and emotion emanating from Withers' words, and then just drop behind to allow the saxophonist back in to work it all out with some very sophisticated grooves. The other "modern" standard here is also one that's endured after all these years, the sensitive reading Washington and company put in on Buffy Sainte-Marie's beautiful "Until It's Time for You to Go." Its melancholy sweetness after the eight-and-a-half-minute Withers' jam is breathy, clear, and quiet; James and Washington set it in a light bossa groove. Its shimmering strings and the saxophonists' restraint on the tenor is so elegant and graceful that the tune carries emotion, gentleness, and the bittersweet commitment of its lyric all the way through to its end. This is an amazing debut in so many ways, and it was followed by a run of albums for the label through the end of the '70s when Washington left for Elektra. Inner City Blues remains standing today as a landmark and a turning point in jazz. ..More.. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/inner-city-blues-mw0000192866

Personnel:  Grover Washington Jr. – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone;  Eugene Young, Thad Jones – trumpet, flugelhorn;  Wayne Andre – trombone;  Don Ashworth – bass;  Bob James – electric piano, arranger, conductor;  Richard Tee – organ;  Eric Gale – guitar;  Ron Carter – bass, electric bass;  Idris Muhammad – drums;  Airto Moreira – percussion;  Hilda Harris, Marilyn Jackson, Maretha Stewart, Tasha Thomas – vocals

Inner City Blues

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Ahmad Jamal - The Essence, Part 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:22
Size: 127,4 MB
Art: Front

( 6:33)  1. Flight
( 6:56)  2. Toulouse
(10:14)  3. The Essence
( 5:49)  4. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
( 6:44)  5. Catalina
( 6:58)  6. Autumn Leaves
( 5:33)  7. Street Of Dreams
( 6:34)  8. Bahia

Mostly recorded in Paris, with two additional tracks from New York, this absorbing collection is a testament to the continuing ability of Ahmad Jamal to startle and engage jazz listeners who are tired of Tyner/Evans clones and want to hear something different. An equal mixture of standards and Jamal compositions, some of which move through several contrasting sections, this CD reaches its peaks when Jamal and company dive in and work around a single bass ostinato and a propulsive rhythm groove. Bassists James Cammack (Paris) and Jamil Nasser (New York) provide the former, drummer Idris Muhammad and percussionist Manolo Badrena are in charge of the latter, and a tough-sounding George Coleman turns up on tenor on the New York tracks. One fascinating quirk  Jamal seemed fixated upon Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments" at these sessions, for he quotes the tune several times on the album. These sessions were so fruitful that Verve was able to serve up a tasty second helping a year later. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-essence-pt-1-mw0000732792

Personnel: Ahmad Jamal (piano); George Coleman (tenor saxophone); Jamil Nasser, James Cammack (bass); Idris Muhammad (drums); Manolo Badrena (percussion).

The Essence, Part 1

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Grant Green - Green Is Beautiful

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:35
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(9:58)  1. Ain't It Funky Now
(9:02)  2. A Day In The Life
(5:42)  3. The Windjammer
(6:46)  4. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
(6:05)  5. Dracula

The second album of Grant Green's thorough jazz-funk makeover, Green Is Beautiful finds the guitarist growing more comfortable with harder, funkier R&B than he seemed on the softer-hued Carryin' On. The switch from Fender Rhodes electric piano back to the more traditional Hammond organ certainly helps give the session a little extra grit, but it doesn't return Green to the land of soul-jazz by any means. Green Is Beautiful is still explicitly commercial and accessible to non-jazz audiences, and (purist objections notwithstanding) that's not necessarily a bad thing. Green's take on James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now" is one of the funkiest items in his rare-groove period; it may be chordally very simple, but the groove is tight and percolating, and Green, tenor saxophonist Claude Bartee, and trumpeter Blue Mitchell all come up with hot, exciting solos. The album also benefits from Green's discovery of composer and occasional organist Earl Neal Creque, who contributes two bright, slinky, horn-driven originals: "The Windjammer," which became one of the signature tunes of Green's late period, and "Dracula." They help give the album a more original voice, and indicate that Green was actively making himself at home in his new musical environment, not just mixing dull originals with phoned-in covers of pop and R&B hits (as he and many other '70s Blue Note artists were accused of doing). Of course, there are still pop covers present the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" is a mellow, mid-tempo groove, and Bacharach's "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" doesn't stray far from the melody. Even if those aren't particularly distinctive, the remainder of Green Is Beautiful proves that Green's reinvention as a jazz-funk artist wasn't the misguided disaster it was initially made out to be. ~ Steve Huey http://www.allmusic.com/album/green-is-beautiful-mw0000623413

Personnel:  Guitar – Grant Green;  Bass – Jimmy Lewis;  Bongos – Richard Lendrum;  Congas – Candido Camero;  Drums – Idris Muhammad; Organ – Emanuel Riggins, Earl Neal Creque;  Tenor Saxophone – Claude Bartee;  Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

Green Is Beautiful

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Steve Turre - Viewpoint

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 42:23
Size: 68,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Lament
(7:16)  2. In a Sentimental Mood
(6:18)  3. All Blues
(5:13)  4. Viewpoint
(6:53)  5. Mercury
(6:19)  6. Midnight Montuno
(4:04)  7. Who's kiddin'?

Steve Turre covers a lot of styles on his debut as a leader; from tributes to Kid Ory and Duke Ellington to bop, a bit of free form and Latin jazz. The trombonist proves that he is comfortable in all of those idioms, making this a rather impressive set. His supporting cast consists of pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington, drummer Idris Muhammad, occasionally cellist Akua Dixon, extra percussion and (on the dixielandish piece) clarinetist Haywood Henry, trumpeter Jon Faddis and the tuba of Bob Stewart. Everything works. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/viewpoint-mw0000914903

Personnel:  Steve Turre (Trombone);  Mulgrew Miller (Piano); Peter Washington (Bass);  Idris Muhammad (Drums);  Haywood Henry (Claninet);  Jon Faddis  (Trumpet);  Bob Stewart (Tuba).

Viewpoint

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Gene Ammons - Got My Own

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1973

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 37:06

Size: 85,9 MB

Art: Front

(5:23)  1. Lady Sings The Blues

(4:02)  2. God Bless The Child

(3:34)  3. Strange Fruit

(4:56)  4. Fine And Mellow

(5:59)  5. Play Me

(5:29)  6. Ben

(7:40)  7. Tin Shack Out Back

A more laidback set than usual from Ammons' early 70s stretch on Prestige but a record that nicely gets back to that big-toned tenor sound he used often on ballads from earlier years! The combo mixes both electric piano and organ the former from Hank Jones, the latter from Ernie Hayes and drums are mostly by Idris Muhammad, but in a style that's a bit more roundly open and soul-based than some of his funkier jams. But there's still a nice groove to many numbers a gentler one, with a sly undercurrent of soul  even on a few that feature fuller strings arranged by Ed Bogas. Titles include "God Bless The Child", "Strange Fruit", "Fine & Mellow", "Lady Sings The Blues", "Play Me", "Tin Shack Out Back", and "Ben". (Cover & labels have initials in marker. Cover has a cut corner.) © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/29632

Personnel:  Saxophone – Gene Ammons;  Bass – Ron Carter;  Drums – Billy Cobham , Idris Muhammad , Mickey Roker; Electric Piano – Hank Jones , Sonny Philips;  Guitar – Joe Beck , Maynard Parker.

Got My Own

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Gene Ammons - My Way

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:18
Size: 65,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. Chicago Breakdown
(4:18)  2. What's Going On
(3:45)  3. A House Is Not A Home
(6:21)  4. Sack Full of Dreams
(4:18)  5. Back in Mérida
(6:01)  6. My Way

Although late in the Prestige jazz funk years, and not in the small combo mode of some of Ammons' best early 70s sides, this is still an excellent batch of tracks thanks to hip arrangements from Bill (William S?) Fisher! The format's almost in a Kudu/CTI mode, as larger arrangements envelope Jug's soulful tenor funking away with a blacksploitation on tracks like "Chicago Breakdown", "Back In Merida", and a great cover of "What's Going On", all done with tight horns, compressed guitar, and even a bit of strings. There's a few mellower numbers that aren't as great but these tracks more than make the album worth having! © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/40417?s=Gene+Ammons&incl_oos=1&incl_cs=1&kwfilter=Gene+Ammons&sort_order=artist
 

Personnel:  Gene Ammons - tenor saxophone;  Robert Prado, Ernie Royal - trumpet (tracks 1, 2 & 4-6);  Garnett Brown - trombone (tracks 1, 2 & 4-6);  Richard Landry - tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 2 & 4-6);  Babe Clark - baritone saxophone (tracks 1, 2 & 4-6);  Roland Hanna - electric piano (tracks 1-3); Billy Butler (tracks 4-6), Ted Dunbar (tracks 1 & 2) – guitar;  Ron Carter - bass (tracks 4-6);  Chuck Rainey - electric bass (tracks 1 & 2);  Idris Muhammad - drums (tracks 1, 2 & 4-6);  Omar Clay - percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5);  Yvonne Fletcher, Patricia Hall, Loretta Ritter, Linda Wolfe - vocals (tracks 2 & 4)

My Way

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