Showing posts with label Jay Hoggard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jay Hoggard. Show all posts

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Giacomo Gates - G8S EP

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 16:46
Size: 38,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. A Different Thing
(5:12)  2. Why Try to Change Me Now
(3:36)  3. Come Along with Me
(4:02)  4. Hungry Man

2018 worldwide news reports have detailed all sorts of technologically-assisted archaeological finds. In the US, a previously unreleased John Coltrane album and other musical discoveries have popped up. And whaddya know? here is an unreleased and enhanced set of tracks from the Hipster to the Hip, Giacomo Gates. And it is a helluva find, you dig? G8S, originally laid down in 2005, is a short-form release of four tunes performed by Gates and a hip vibes and rhythm quartet. It is yet another in a series of fine recordings which affirms why Gates retains the vocalese Heavyweight Crown.  Jay Hoggard's vibes sets the hard bop ambiance on Gates' original, "A Different Thing," before His Hipness bops into things swing. The tune is a stone cooker. Tony Lombardozzi, long a Gates sidekick, and Hoggard offer neat solos over Rick Petrone's bass and Joe Corsello's drums. If you hear "Paper Moon" on Hoggard's intro on the swinging "Come Along with Me" (itself a take on 50s "space race" mania) you've got ears. Gates covers Eddie Jefferson's vocalese which itself parrots Lester Young's "Paper Moon" solo. On this session and on all of his performances, Gates demos a marvelous sense of rhythm and hard swing. Notes are placed precisely into swing-syllables with ultimate flair. The guy just never misses. His baritone is robust, but never a bust. He's a jazz Everyman and as genuine as it gets. Gates covers Bobby Troup's gastronomically tinged "Hungry Man" in a tasty, swing groove. (He later re-recorded the tune on his 2008 recording Luminosity on Double Dave Records). The dining here is cool and swinging. This type of tune is a Gates speciality he can make lyrics pop and swing his plates off the table. His sassy scat leads into Hoggard's fine vibe solo. Lend an ear to Petrone's drive here. "Why Try to Change Me Now" is the gorgeous ballad feature. It is another of those great tunes that seem to get unfairly neglected. Balladic and soulful, Giacomo's baritone adds such genuineness to the story. Catch Gates' rhythm interpretation here. His triplets are hiplets, for sure. Kudos to all Gates' rhythm mates here. They lay things out perfectly throughout. Also to Christian O'Dowd for the discovery of the tape and to engineer/producer Rob Fraboni, who used his technical wizardry to give us a nice vinylized feel here. One has to wonder what other gems are hidden in recording studio racks or folks' garages. Surely, there are going to be other finds down the line. G8S sets the quality bar high. ~ Nicholas F.Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/g8s-giacomo-gates-9th-note-records-review-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Giacomo Gates: vocals; Jay Hoggard: vibraphone; Tony Lombardozzi: guitar; Rick Petrone: bass; Joe Corsello: drums.

G8S

Monday, November 12, 2018

Chico Freeman - Tangents

Styles: Post-Bop, Progressive Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 109,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:52)  1. Tangents
(5:40)  2. Sir Tashi And The Yetti
(3:23)  3. Ballad For Hakima
(5:12)  4. Fifty Tenth Street
(5:42)  5. Computerized Indifference
(4:59)  6. Sangoma And Nelly
(7:22)  7. You Are The One
(6:53)  8. Spook And Fade

An interesting if quite diverse set, this album is best remembered for featuring up-and-coming singer Bobby McFerrin on a few selections. McFerrin has his moments, as does tenor saxophonist Chico Freeman and such notable sidemen as altoist Steve Coleman, John Purcell on reeds, either Kenny Werner or Mark Thompson on piano, Freeman's longtime bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart, among others. 

The material (by Freeman, Thompson and Werner) is actually not that significant, and the date on a whole is less memorable than many of Chico Freeman's earlier sets, but it has its enjoyable spots. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/tangents-mw0000800513

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Steve Coleman;  Bass – Cecil McBee, John Koenig;  Drums – Billy Hart, James Bradley, Jr.;  Drums, Percussion – Frederick Waits;  Piano – Mark Thompson ;  Piano, Synthesizer – Kenny Werner;  Vibraphone – Jay Hoggard;  Vocals – Bobby McFerrin;  Woodwind – John Purcell;  Woodwind, Percussion – Chico Freeman

Tangents

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Jay Hoggard - Swing 'Em Gates: A Tribute To Lionel Hampton

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:20
Size: 122.1 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:54] 1. Take The A Train
[6:16] 2. Flying Home
[5:24] 3. Swing Em Gates
[4:27] 4. How High The Moon
[6:09] 5. Memories Of You
[4:44] 6. Uptown Vibes
[3:56] 7. Air Mail Special
[6:06] 8. In A Mellow Tone
[5:02] 9. Stardust
[6:17] 10. Shiny Stockings

SWING 'EM GATES, is a tribute to the late vibraphone grand master Lionel Hampton. “Eight of the compositions on this recording are tunes that I played when Lionel Hampton sent me to sub for him with his band in the 1990’s…Once, when Hamp called me to play for him, I asked what tunes he wanted. He replied, ’Just swing ‘em,gates.’ ” That conversation was the inspiration for Jays’ composition of the same name as well as the direction of this musical tribute to Hampton in Hoggard’s musical voice The recording features stellar performances by top New York collaborators with a guest appearance by piano master, Dr. Billy Taylor on three tunes.

Swing 'Em Gates: A Tribute To Lionel Hampton