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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Joe Beck & Ali Ryerson - Alto

Styles: Guitar and Flute Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:21
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Ode To Billy Joe
(3:13)  2. 'Round Midnight
(3:09)  3. Joy Spring
(4:11)  4. Mother's Day
(2:51)  5. Willow Weep For Me
(4:32)  6. Waiting Is The Hardest Part
(3:44)  7. Summertime
(4:51)  8. Scarborough Fair / Norwegian Wood
(3:32)  9. Autumn Leaves
(3:52) 10. Cuidado
(4:13) 11. Song For My Father
(2:59) 12. What Would I Do Without You?
(3:30) 13. Billie's Bounce
(2:55) 14. We Will Meet Again

After an initial listen to this CD I knew full well that I would thoroughly enjoy it, mainly because I am somewhat partial to great jazz guitar work, and this CD certainly has plenty of it. Coincidentally, I have the same last name as one of the featured artists, Joe Beck (no family ties). My first reaction is that Joe's approach to guitar playing reminds me a lot of Tuck (from Tuck and Patty). The music has a similar feel for me, except that Ali Ryerson plays an alto flute for the majority of the leads, whereas Patty provides leads with her exceptional vocals. Joe and Ali have demonstrated a remarkable ability to seamlessly integrate the sounds of an electric guitar with those of an alto flute. Steve Davis rounds out most all of the selections with judicious applications of a variety of percussion that fit so well as to go un-noticed unless you're really listening for them. Joe is able to tune his guitar so that he supplies not only the rhythms and some leads, but the base lines at the same time! This is one CD that I seem to be able to listen to and enjoy, no matter what mood I am in. Definitely a keeper! http://www.jazzreview.com/cd-reviews/contemporary-jazz-cd-reviews/alto-by-joe-beck-ali-ryerson.html

Personnel:  Joe Beck (Guitar); Ali Ryerson (Alto flute); Steve Davis (Percussion).

Alto

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Joe Beck & Ali Ryerson - Django

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:27
Size: 128,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. People Make The World Go 'Round
(4:35)  2. Laura
(4:45)  3. Django
(4:12)  4. Carioca Blue
(4:55)  5. When I Fall In Love
(4:34)  6. Spain
(4:20)  7. Come Together / Alone Together
(3:50)  8. Tenderly
(4:01)  9. Hobo
(3:03) 10. It Takes Two
(4:51) 11. O Barquinho
(3:47) 12. Nardis
(3:26) 13. Danny Boy

Joe Beck and Ali Ryerson have been working as a team for more than four years, playing concerts and other gigs under the name Duo. This is their second album, and, with the name Django, one would assume it is in honor of guitarist Django Reinhardt. Instead, the set is dedicated to the members of the Modern Jazz Quartet, who pioneered chamber jazz, the style that dominates this session with flautist Ryerson. John Lewis' "Django" is one of the tunes on the agenda that they play within the chamber style. Ryerson's passion for Brazilian music is documented on her six albums for Concord Jazz. She gets to show her mastery of this tempo on "Carioca Blue" and "O Barquinho." Jazz veteran Joe Beck, one of the first to mix jazz and rock guitar, uses an alto guitar which he invented. It provides a strong harmonically mellow and rhythmic cushion upon which Ryerson carries the melody line with her expressive, buoyant flute. Their mutual comfort is evident on such tunes as the medley "Come Together"/"Alone Together" and expresses itself on a haunting rendition of "Tenderly." If anything, this album is epitomized by some striking improvising. The two generally take one chorus, stating the melody, and then let their collective imagination take over. That they play together rather than separately when they extemporize makes this album distinctive. And they do it successfully whether the tune be one by Miles Davis or Johnny Mercer. With just the two instruments, their inventive way of collaborating makes sure that the listener's attention will not drift away. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/django-mw0000321312

Personnel: Joe Beck (alto guitar); Ali Ryerson (alto flute).

Django

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Jimmy Smith - The Other Side Of Jimmy Smith

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:31
Size: 86,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. My Romance
(4:07) 2. Why Don't You Try?
(3:37) 3. Bewitched
(4:10) 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
(2:54) 5. Yesterday
(3:41) 6. Nobody Knows
(4:42) 7. Bridge Over Troubled Water
(2:32) 8. Close To You
(4:20) 9. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
(3:53) 10. My Way

Jimmy Smith wasn't the first organ player in jazz, but no one had a greater influence with the instrument than he did; Smith coaxed a rich, grooving tone from the Hammond B-3, and his sound and style made him a top instrumentalist in the 1950s and '60s, while a number of rock and R&B keyboardists would learn valuable lessons from Smith's example.

James Oscar Smith was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on December 8, 1925 (some sources cite his birth year as 1928). Smith's father was a musician and entertainer, and young Jimmy joined his song-and-dance act when he was six years old. By the time he was 12, Smith was an accomplished stride piano player who won local talent contests, but when his father began having problems with his knee and gave up performing to work as a plasterer, Jimmy quit school after eighth grade and began working odd jobs to help support the family. At 15, Smith joined the Navy, and when he returned home, he attended music school on the GI Bill, studying at the Hamilton School of Music and the Ornstein School, both based in Philadelphia.

In 1951, Smith began playing with several R&B acts in Philadelphia while working with his father during the day, but after hearing pioneering organ player Wild Bill Davis, Smith was inspired to switch instruments. Smith bought a Hammond B-3 organ and set up a practice space in a warehouse where he and his father were working; Smith refined the rudiments of his style over the next year (informed more closely by horn players than other keyboard artists, and employing innovative use of the bass pedals and drawbars), and he began playing Philadelphia clubs in 1955. In early 1956, Smith made his New York debut at the legendary Harlem nightspot Small's Paradise, and Smith was soon spotted by Alfred Lion, who ran the well-respected jazz label Blue Note Records. Lion signed Smith to a record deal, and between popular early albums such as The Incredible Jimmy Smith at Club Baby Grand and The Champ and legendary appearances at New York's Birdland and the Newport Jazz Festival, Smith became the hottest new name in jazz.

A prolific recording artist, Smith recorded more than 30 albums for Blue Note between 1956 and 1963, collaborating with the likes of Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine, and Jackie McLean, and in 1963, Smith signed a new record deal with Verve. Smith's first album for Verve, Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith, was a critical and commercial success, and the track "Walk on the Wild Side" became a minor hit. Smith maintained his busy performing and recording schedule throughout the 1960s, and in 1966 he cut a pair of celebrated album with guitarist Wes Montgomery. In 1972, Smith's contract with Verve expired, and tired of his demanding tour schedule, he and his wife opened a supper club in California's San Fernando Valley. Smith performed regularly at the club, but it went out of business after only a few years. While Smith continued to record regularly for a variety of labels, his days as a star appeared to be over.

However, in the late '80s, Smith began recording for the Milestone label, cutting several well-reviewed albums that reminded jazz fans Smith was still a master at his instrument, as did a number of live performances with fellow organ virtuoso Joey DeFrancesco. In 1987, producer Quincy Jones invited Smith to play on the sessions for Michael Jackson's album Bad. And Smith found a new generation of fans when hip-hop DJs began sampling Smith's funky organ grooves; the Beastie Boys famously used Smith's "Root Down (And Get It)" for their song "Root Down," and other Smith performances became the basis for tracks by Nas, Gang Starr, Kool G Rap, and DJ Shadow.

In 1995, Smith returned to Verve Records for the album Damn!, and on 2001's Dot Com Blues, Smith teamed up with a variety of blues and R&B stars, including Etta James, B.B. King, Keb' Mo', and Dr. John. In 2004, Smith was honored as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts; that same year, Smith relocated from Los Angeles to Scottsdale, Arizona. Several months after settling in Scottsdale, Smith's wife succumbed to cancer, and while he continued to perform and record, Jimmy Smith was found dead in his home less than a year later, on February 8, 2005. His final album, Legacy, was released several months after his passing.By Mark Deming https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jimmy-smith-mn0000781172/biography.

Personnel: Jimmy Smith – organ; Ron Carter – bass; Joe Beck – guitar; Jerome Richardson – flute; Gene Orloff – violin

The Other Side Of Jimmy Smith

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Bobby Timmons - Do You Know The Way?

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:55
Size: 95,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:54) 1. The Spanish Count
(5:38) 2. I Won't Be Back
(4:25) 3. Last Night When We Were Young
(4:08) 4. Do You Know The Way To San Jose?
(7:44) 5. Come Together
(5:01) 6. Something To Live For
(4:26) 7. Soul Time
(3:35) 8. This Guy's In Love With You

Bobby Timmons came out of Philadelphia at age 19, with a funky gospel tinged piano style, flavored with blues and hard bop. He would, in a recording career that would only span a short time frame, contribute to some of the best recordings on the legendary Blue Note sessions of the ’50’s , and be a member of two of the premier bands of that time, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, and the Cannonball Adderley Quintet.

Robert Henry Timmons was born in Philadelphia in 1935, raised by his grandfather who was a minister in a church. The young Timmons began formal piano lessons at age six, and was the organist at his grandfathers’ church. This early formative period would certainly be a factor in his piano approach. He was be able to innovate and improvise on his gospel foundations and brought them into jazz. He had the lyricism of a Bud Powell in his solos, (who didn’t in the 50’s) combined with a very dominant left hand which was reminiscent of the stride and boogie players, but it was his sense of that down home chording and timing that really identified him.

His musical resume for the period between 1956 and 1969 is very impressive. He was with Kenny Dorham and the Jazz Prophets in 1956, which also included Kenny Burrell on guitar. In the years ’56 through ’57 he was with Chet Baker. The year 1957 would be a very productive and busy one as he worked and recorded with Hank Mobely, Sonny Stitt, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller. In the same year and into ’58 was in Maynard Fergusons’ band, and also did session dates with Art Pepper and Kenny Burrell. He took over the piano chair in Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1958 at the age of 23. It was in period, that he wrote the classic “Moanin”, that would be a defining tune for that band, and one of his signature tunes throughout his career. He jumped over to the Cannonball Adderley Quintet in ’59 where he then wrote two big hits for them in “Dis Here” and “Dat Dere”. He stayed with Addelry into ’60 then rejoined the Messengers.

He stayed with the Messengers into ’61 then he began a solo career and worked with a trio format for a lot of his own recordings which continued up to 1969. Also in ’60 he did a lot of work with Nat Adderly, Arnet Cobb, The Young Lions, Lee Morgan, and Johnny Griffin. His output was amazing for the time, as it seems in looking at the chronological order of dates, he must have been constantly in the studio, this not counting the live dates on the road. His work is available on the Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside labels, and many others as reissues and compilations. Quite an achievement by any standard! During the mid 60’s he would continue as leader of his own band and recording trios, and produced an extensive body of work in that period alone. He was able to find work in the smaller venues and clubs into the early ‘70’s where he was still in demand. His piano style would go on to influence Les McCann and Ramsey Lewis, and certainly a lot of the players in the ‘70’s with what would later be called funky or soul fused variations.

Bobby Timmons died of liver ailments in New York in 1974, at the age of 38. Though many would be led to believe that he was just another tragic figure in the annals of jazz, I don’t adhere to that line of thought, and measure and admire the man for his sheer volume of work, his participation and contribution with two of the best ensembles, and his influence, to whatever degree in jazz piano. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/bobby-timmons

Personnel: Bobby Timmons - piano; Joe Beck - guitar; Bob Cranshaw - electric bass; Jack DeJohnette - drums

Do You Know The Way?

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Joe Beck - The Journey

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:19
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:43) 1. Killer Joe
(5:23) 2. Zanzibar
(5:51) 3. Quidado
(7:19) 4. Unspoken Words
(5:35) 5. So Long
(5:56) 6. I Don't Know
(4:18) 7. Prime Meridian
(4:52) 8. Body & Soul
(6:12) 9. The Journey
(4:19) 10. A Taste Of Honey
(5:47) 11. Invitation

At 45, Joe Beck bragged that The Journey contained "the best playing I've ever recorded." One tends to greet such lofty statements with a healthy amount of skepticism, but in this case, the artist had something to back it up. Even if The Journey isn't necessarily the best album Beck has ever recorded as a leader, it's certainly among his best. The guitarist's playing is confident and inspired throughout the post-bop/fusion album, and he definitely goes that extra mile on well-known standards like Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation" and Benny Golson's "Killer Joe" as well as such Beck originals as the emotional "Quidado," the haunting "I Don't Know," and the intriguing title track. The fact that the Philadelphia native has enthusiastic support certainly doesn't hurt vibist Dave Samuels (of Spyro Gyra fame), bassist Chip Jackson, and drummer Terry Clarke all do their part to bring out the best in Beck. If you only own a few Beck CDs, The Journey should be among them.~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-journey-mw0000263612

Personnel: Joe Beck - guitars; Dave Samuels - vibraphone; Chip Jackson - bass; Terry Clarke - drums

The Journey

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Mike Mainieri Quartet - Insight

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:15
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:49)  1. Autumn Leaves
(7:53)  2. Skating In Central Park
(6:01)  3. Rain Child
(6:51)  4. On The Trail
(6:39)  5. Instant Garlic
(2:51)  6. Minnesota Thins
(5:08)  7. La Plus Que Lente

Mike Mainieri, a talented and distinctive vibraphonist, has had a productive and diverse career. He first played vibes professionally when he was 14, touring with Paul Whiteman in a jazz trio called Two Kings & a Queen. He played with Buddy Rich's bands for a long period (1956-1963) and then became a busy studio musician, appearing on many pop records. Mainieri had opportunities to work with Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, and Wes Montgomery (1967-1968), among many others, and played in the early fusion band Jeremy & the Satyrs. During 1969-1972, he led a 20-piece rehearsal group called White Elephant that included the Brecker Brothers and other studio players. In 1979, he formed Steps (which later became Steps Ahead), an all-star jazz-oriented R&B/fusion band that included such players as Mike Brecker, Don Grolnick, Eddie Gomez, and Steve Gadd in its original lineup. Mainieri has revived the group several times since, with such musicians as saxophonist Bendik, Warren Bernhardt, Eliane Elias, Rachel Z, Mike Stern, Tony Levin, Victor Bailey, Peter Erskine, and Steve Smith making strong contributions. In 1992, Mainieri founded the NYC label and recorded the adventurous An American Diary. Prior to NYC, Mike Mainieri had recorded as a leader for such labels as Argo (1962), Solid State, Arista, Artists House, Warner Bros., and Elektra. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mike-mainieri-mn0000490562/biography                

Personnel:  Mike Mainieri - vibraphone, arranger;  Joe Beck - guitar;  Lyn Christie - bass;  Donald McDonald - drums;  Sonny Lester - producer.

Insight

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Joe Beck - Nature Boy

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:47
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. Nature Boy
(3:16)  2. Spoon's Caress
(3:43)  3. Let Me Go
(6:04)  4. Come Back: Visions Without You
(3:20)  5. Maybe
(6:26)  6. No More Blues
(6:22)  7. Goodbye L.A.
(5:27)  8. Please Believe Me
(5:33)  9. Ain't No Use In Talking

"Originally released in 1969 on Verve, this is a truly lost jewel, released for the first time on CD. Joe Beck, one of the most famous jazz guitar players, recorded this album with fellow Donald MacDonald on drums and among guest musicians is Danny Whitten, guitar player of Crazy Horse before they worked together with Neil Young. On this album Beck, influenced by Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, created a song-oriented psychedelic rock style with slight jazz influences showing his remarkable guitar skills, including some fine wah-wah treatments." https://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/beck-joe-nature-boy-cd/LHC.047CD.html

Personnel:  Bass, Guitar, Organ, Vocals, Liner Notes – Joe Beck;  Guitar, Vocals – Danny Whitten;  Trumpet – Randy Brecker ;   Bass – Don Payne

Nature Boy

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Lew Soloff - Rainbow Mountain

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:50
Size: 167,2 MB
Art: Front

( 9:30)  1. Frog Legs
( 9:36)  2. Rainbow Mountain
( 7:53)  3. Don't Speak
( 8:58)  4. Up from the Skies
( 7:04)  5. Quiero No Puedo
( 4:56)  6. Suzie Q
(10:23)  7. Starmaker
( 4:47)  8. Born on the Bayou
( 3:40)  9. Stairway to Heaven
( 5:56) 10. Tout Va Lews

Rainbow Mountain is a current example of a blowing session, featuring groove-oriented material, including a number of songs borrowed from the rock arena (Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” John Fogerty’s “Born on the Bayou,” Jimi Hendrix’s “Up From the Skies”). The album rewards casual listening, mainly due to the high skill level and musicality of the participants. Soloff has been one of the best and most complete jazz trumpeters on the scene for a very long time, while Lou Marini, best known for his appearance in the first Blues Brothers movie, comes across well on saxes and flute, and contributes a lovely ballad, “Starmaker.” Joe Beck’s tastefully chorused guitar is the glue that holds the ensemble together, while electric bassist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb (the Sly & Robbie of groove jazz) keep the beat lively while avoiding monotony. This CD would make a good gift for someone who harbors the typical prejudices against jazz: that it’s boring, old-fashioned or lacking in connections to post-rock musical culture. In New York, you occasionally hear young groups playing in a style similar to this, but seldom at such length, or as masterfully. As for whether this is jazz or pop, I can’t put it any more eloquently than Chip Stern did in his excellent liner notes. ~ Greg Robinson https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/lew-soloff-and-company-rainbow-mountain/

Personnel:  Trumpet – Lew Soloff, Miles Evans;  Bass – Mark Egan, Will Lee;  Drums – Danny Gottlieb, Jeff "Tain" Watts ;  Guitar – Hiram Bullock, Joe Beck;  Organ – Paul Shaffer;  Saxophone, Flute – Lou Marini;  Synthesizer – Delmar Brown

Rainbow Mountain

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Joe Farrell - Canned Funk

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:04
Size: 78,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:21)  1. Canned Funk
(9:53)  2. Animal
(9:05)  3. Suite Martinique
(7:45)  4. Spoken Silence

Joe Farrell's final of six CTI dates has fairly lengthy versions of four of his originals. Farrell, who adds baritone to his usual trio of instruments (tenor, soprano and flute), once again welcomes guitarist Joe Beck as his co-star, along with bassist Herb Bushler, drummer Jim Madison and percussionist Ray Mantilla. The music is melodic, sometimes funky, and enjoyable if not essential, but all of Joe Farrell's CTI sets are worth acquiring. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/canned-funk-mw0000904447

Personnel:  Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute;  Herb Bushler – bass;  Joe Beck – guitar;  Jim Madison – drums;  Ray Mantilla – conga, percussion.

Canned Funk

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David Sanborn - Taking Off

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:00
Size: 85,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Butterfat
(4:29)  2. 'Way 'Cross Georgia
(3:22)  3. Duck Ankles
(3:20)  4. Funky Banana
(4:53)  5. The Whisperer
(3:33)  6. It Took A Long Time
(6:25)  7. Black Light
(3:46)  8. Blue Night
(4:03)  9. Flight

Altoist David Sanborn has long been one of the leaders of what could be called rhythm & jazz (R&B-oriented jazz). His debut for Warner Brothers was a major commercial success and helped make him into a major name. The music is fairly commercial but certainly danceable and melodic. 

Even at that point in time, Sanborn's alto cries were immediately recognizable; the Brecker Brothers, guitarist Steve Khan and Howard Johnson on baritone and tuba are prominent in support. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/taking-off-mw0000194893

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn;  Baritone Saxophone, Tuba – Howard Johnson;  Bass – Will Lee;  Cello – Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Lucien Schmit;  Congas, Bongos, Percussion – Ralph MacDonald;  Double Bass – Bob Daugherty, John Beal;  Drums – Chris Parker, Rick Marotta, Steve Gadd;  Electric Guitar – Buzzy Feiten, Joe Beck;  Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Steve Khan;  French Horn – John Clark , Peter Gordon;  Keyboards [Fender Rhodes], Piano [Acoustic], Organ, Clavinet – Don Grolnick;  Percussion – José Madera, Warren Smith;  Tenor Saxophone – Mike Brecker;  Trombone – Tom Malone;  Trumpet – Randy Brecker;  Violin – Alfred Brown, Charles Libove, Emanuel Vardi, Gene Orloff, Guy Lumia, Harold Coletta, Harold Kohon, Harry Glickman, Leo Kahn, Lewis Eley, Matthew Raimondi, Max Pollikoff, Paul Gershman

Taking Off

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Joe Beck Trio - Strangers In The Night

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:35
Size: 154.7 MB
Styles: Post bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:57] 1. Strangers In The Night
[6:11] 2. All Of Me
[5:31] 3. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
[4:48] 4. I'm A Fool To Want You
[8:46] 5. Once I Loved
[7:53] 6. Angel Eyes
[8:30] 7. The Girl Next Door
[5:38] 8. Last Night When We Were Young
[9:28] 9. Black Orpheus
[5:50] 10. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)

Joe Beck (guitar); George Mraz (bass); Billy Hart (drums). Recorded at the Clinton Recording Studio in NYC, on April 14, 1999.

Brilliant guitarist who passed away in July 2008, the late Joe Beck left a wonderful trio album dedicated to Frank Sinatra with Venus Records.

Strangers In The Night

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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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Nnenna Freelon - Maiden Voyage

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:31
Size: 152,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Come Into My Life
(4:55)  2. Four Women
(8:28)  3. Maiden Voyage
(5:32)  4. Buy And Sell
(4:46)  5. Future News Blues
(6:00)  6. Until It's Time For You To Go
(8:06)  7. Women Be Wise
(5:43)  8. Sepia Wing
(4:07)  9. Pick Yourself Up
(4:34) 10. I Won't Dance
(4:31) 11. Inside A Silent Tear
(4:21) 12. Sing Me Down

No matter how impressive the voice, no matter how well oiled the pipes and Lord knows Nnenna Freelon is abundantly blessed in both respects he or she simply cannot rise far above the material. Although Freelon makes a gallant effort on Maiden Voyage, the ship barely gets out of drydock, overladen with forgettable lyrics and lashed to its moorings by mundane melodies. Too harsh? Perhaps. But if I were going to open a set with eight sleep inducing originals, as Freelon has done, I wouldn’t remind the listener of their relative lack of substance by following them with “Pick Yourself Up” and “I Won’t Dance,” enduring classics from the golden age of Tin Pan Alley (with memorable words by the clever tunesmith Dorothy Field). In fact, the session doesn’t take wing until Freelon introduces those treasures and closes with Blossom Dearie’s pensive ballad, “Inside a Silent Tear” (lyrics by Linda Albert), and her own “Sing Me Down“ (actually her lyrics set to a folk song whose name, I believe, is “Turn Around”). The melodies and lyrics that precede them really are lightweight; while Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” and Marian McPartland’s “Threnody” (here renamed “Sepia Wing” to mirror Freelon’s lyrics) are splendid as instrumentals, appending lyrics does nothing to enhance their appeal. Among the others, only Freelon’s “Future News Blues” held this listener’s ear for more than a moment. While I am hardly conversant with the works of Nina Simone, Laura Nyro and Buffy Sainte Marie, surely their reputations weren’t built on the sort of uninspired material that is presented here. On a brighter note, if one would like to sing along, lyrics to each song (not always unerring) are provided in the accompanying booklet. As for Freelon, she sings beautifully which, for the most part, is rather like adding a delectable frosting to cow chips. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/maiden-voyage-nnenna-freelon-concord-music-group-review-by-jack-bowers.php
 

Personnel:  Nnenna Freelon, vocals; Michael Abene, piano, arranger; Joe Beck, guitar; Avishai Cohen, bass; Sammy Figueroa, percussion; Danny Gottlieb, drums; Herbie Hancock, piano

Maiden Voyage

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Joe Beck Trio - Brazilian Dreamin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:03
Size: 148.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Fusion
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. Vivo Sonhando
[4:53] 2. Manha De Carnaval
[6:46] 3. Aquarius
[4:49] 4. O Grande Amor
[5:26] 5. Felicidade
[5:49] 6. And Here's To You
[5:47] 7. Brazil
[4:50] 8. Ela E Carioca
[6:21] 9. Falando De Amor
[5:14] 10. Zanzibar
[5:11] 11. Giant Steps
[4:37] 12. What Would I Do Without You

Joe Beck has had a long career, though he remains an artist deserving of wider recognition. These 2005 sessions are a relaxing affair that will delight fans of Brazilian jazz. Joined by bassist Ira Coleman and drummer Thierry Arpino (who is known for his work with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty), Beck's fluid electric guitar (while sometimes overdubbing an acoustic rhythm line) makes the most of each selection, playing a heavy dose of popular tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim and his own tasty originals. Highlights among the Jobim compositions include the bittersweet "O Grande Amor" and the easygoing "Felicidade." Harmonica player Gregoire Maret is added for the leader's gentle bossa nova "And Here's to You" and Jobim's bittersweet "Falando De Amor." Beck also offers an inventive samba arrangement of John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" that adds a few twists while played at a slower-than-typical tempo, so it sneaks up on the listener. Highly recommended! ~Ken Dryden

Brazilian Dreamin'

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Joe Beck Trio - Girl Talk

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:37
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:01)  1. Gingi
(7:06)  2. Emily
(7:17)  3. Girl Talk
(6:52)  4. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(4:08)  5. Laura
(5:17)  6. Little Girl Blue
(5:41)  7. Nica's Dream
(5:21)  8. Ruby
(4:50)  9. Sophisticated Lady
(3:59) 10. Stella By Starlight

Studio and session guitarist Joe Beck was well known for hits when backing vocalist Esther Phillips on Kudu in the '70s, although his session credentials over the years also included the likes of Miles Davis, James Brown, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, and Gil Evans. During the '80s he made a series of competent fusion and pop-jazz recordings for DMP and had a big hit recording with Dave Sanborn on CTI in 1975. His career continued into the '90s and beyond with albums like 1991's Relaxin', 1997's Alto, and his 2000 collaboration with Jimmy Bruno, Polarity. Beck was active throughout most of the new millennium’s first decade with recordings on a variety of labels, including a number of CDs on Whaling City Sound, such as 2002's Just Friends, 2007's Tri07, 2008's Coincidence (a duo recording with John Abercrombie), and 2009's Golden Earrings. 

The latter album, featuring Beck and singer Laura Theodore performing music made famous by singer Peggy Lee, proved to be Beck’s final recording the guitarist was diagnosed with lung cancer soon after work on Golden Earrings had been completed and died from complications of the disease in July 2008 at age 62. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-beck-mn0000140752/biography

Personnel: Joe Beck (guitar); Joey DeFrancesco (organ); Idris Muhammad (drums).

Girl Talk

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Jimmy Bruno, Joe Beck - Polarity

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:33
Size: 134.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. How Long Has This Been Going On
[4:29] 2. Lazy Afternoon
[4:05] 3. Polarity
[4:08] 4. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[5:09] 5. Eleanor Rigby
[5:55] 6. Estate
[3:43] 7. Summertime
[4:16] 8. Tenderly
[4:45] 9. Carioca Blue
[4:03] 10. Emily
[4:12] 11. I Don't Stand A Gost Of A Chance With You
[4:10] 12. Cherokee
[5:00] 13. Poem For #15

Veteran guitarists Joe Beck and Jimmy Bruno work well together and share an appreciation of beautiful sound as applied to jazz's mainstream. Most of the feature work is from Bruno, 46, who plays a seven-string guitar. Beck, 54, plays an instrument of his own creation. His alto guitar is tuned down a fifth and offers the artist a means for providing both bass line and accompaniment. Tone quality remains of paramount importance throughout the duo session.

"Summertime" moves at a lively tempo and becomes a fast-fingered clinic for Bruno's dexterous hands. Unfortunately, the flying fingers and urgent mood have eroded the piece's sentimental spirit. While his interpretation is unique, the standard "Summertime" carries its own set of familiar elements. The duo's arrangement takes some getting used to. Similarly, "Emily" loses much of its familiar lingering lyricism as the duo takes it up-tempo with a bouncing rhythm.

Beck has created harmonic bossa arrangements for most of the album's selections. They're lively and serve to demonstrate Bruno's superb technique. "Cherokee," accustomed to this kind of blazing-fast tempo, appears here as an up-tempo waltz. It's quite appropriate, and both guitarists seem quite comfortable with the situation. Joe Beck has one solo feature, "Tenderly." On it, he caresses the lyrical melody with slow, well-thought-out chords that preserve the ballad's original meaning. His one solo interlude, also chorded, appears during the romantic "Estate'" with a fresh improvised twist on a lovely tune.

Limiting the selections to under five minutes in the context of blazing-fast Jimmy Bruno guitar epithets, Polarity brings the listener variety and good, clean guitar adventures. ~Jim Santella

Polarity

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Joe Beck & John Abercrombie - Coincidence

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:04
Size: 157,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Beautiful Love
(4:57)  2. Vingt-six
(5:43)  3. I Should Care
(4:40)  4. Israel
(4:48)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(5:49)  6. Mikey Likes It
(5:09)  7. Ma Funny Valentine
(4:47)  8. All Blues
(7:23)  9. My Romance
(5:58) 10. The Turnaround
(5:59) 11. Just A Waltz
(8:01) 12. Things Ain't What They Used To Be

His ECM albums may be more overtly modern and left-of-center but, based on a 2004 AAJ interview, when John Abercrombie is at home practicing, it's usually in the context of jazz standards. For those who feel such well-trodden material has little left to offer in the way of either challenge or modern interpretation, the guitarist's duet with Joe Beck, Coincidence, will go a long way to encouraging naysayers to reconsider. Like Abercrombie, Beck is a guitarist with a sizable discography as a sideman. His discography as a leader is smaller, however, and hasn't received the same attention as Abercrombie's 35-year association with ECM. But what the public doesn't know is the public's loss, as this program of standards and originals makes clear that these two guitarists are ideally matched. This pairing doesn't have the same eclecticism as Abercrombie's duet albums with Ralph Towner, but there's the same deep level of communication, with both players' ears wide open. There's also no mistaking Abercrombie's generally softer attack and Beck's slightly sharper, more often effected sound, but Abercrombie can be heard in the left channel, while Beck is in the right.

Traditionalists will be happy to hear an ambling version of "Beautiful Love" open the set, but it's a signal of things to come that the theme doesn't appear until both guitarists have taken solos and the tune is winding down. Nine of the twelve tunes may be standards, but the duo's approach is not always what one might expect. There may be no rhythm section, but with a 4/4 reinvention of Miles Davis' classic "All Blues" featuring Beck's funky rhythm playing behind Abercrombie's overdriven solo, one can almost feel the backbeat. Beck's bluesy "Mikey Likes It" might be screaming out for a shuffle, but it's to both guitarists' credit that, while their arrangements could be done with full group, they don't need to be; between them, Beck and Abercrombie provide all the rhythm, harmony, color and melody required. Abercrombie's impressionistic, rubato ballad "Vingt-six," first heard on The Third Quartet (ECM, 2007) takes more liberties with time. That the two guitarists feel so in touch with its inherent elasticity speaks volumes on a tune that's closer in aesthetic to the Abercrombie/Towner discs, though Beck's more percussive and cascading solo approach is a clear differentiator. Abercrombie's "Just a Waltz," from his duet DVD with pianist Andy LaVerne, The Art of the Duo (Mel Bay, 2006), is more straightforward at least, at first. Where it ultimately leads is further proof that it's possible to combine the traditional with the modern, as both guitarists apply a more sophisticated harmonic approach and a lyricism that's undeniable but far from predictable.While guitar duos aren't uncommon, the empathic interplay and nothing-to-prove selflessness of Coincidence is a strong addition to that tradition. Reverential of things past, it makes no bones about being firmly rooted in the present, with an unmistakable eye on the future. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coincidence-joe-beck-whaling-city-sound-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Joe Beck: guitar; John Abercrombie: guitar.

Coincidence

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Lonnie Liston Smith - Astral Traveling

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:28
Size: 138,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Astral Traveling
(6:21)  2. Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord
(5:33)  3. Rejuvenation
(6:11)  4. I Mani (Faith)
(7:18)  5. In Search Of Truth
(4:35)  6. Aspirations
(5:41)  7. Astral Traveling (Alternate Take)
(6:38)  8. Rejuvination (Alternate Take)
(6:04)  9. Imani (Alternate Take)
(6:29) 10. In Search Of Truth (Alternate Take)

For many jazz fans, pianist Lonnie Liston Smith irredeemably blotted his copy book decades ago. Right enough, for Smith's smooth jazz and quiet storm albums of the 1980s and 1990s were bland, blissed-out, insubstantial affairs. But between 1965, when he was featured on saxophonist (Rahsaan) Roland Kirk's Here Comes The Whistleman (Atlantic), and the early 1970s, when he was a member of trumpeter Miles Davis' electric group, Smith was not only on the page, he was helping to write it.  From 1969-73, Smith was a key player in the astral jazz movement led by pianist/harpist Alice Coltrane and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. It was Sanders who made the first fully-formed astral jazz album, his Bob Thiele-produced Impulse! debut, Tauhid (1967). Smith was featured as pianist (and occasional co-arranger) on five Sanders albums: Izipho Zam (Strata-East, 1969) and Impulse!'s Karma (1969), Jewels Of Thought (1970), Summun Bukmun Umyun (1970) and Thembi (1971). Smith did not work with Coltrane: she played all the piano she needed, plus the harp and Wurlitzer organ. In Sanders' bands, Smith approximated the sweeping harp and piano glissandos which were emblematic of Coltrane's spin on astral jazz. He also added block chord accompaniments more redolent of McCoy Tyner (an early influence), and fit into the music's hummable melodies and vamp- and ostinato-driven grooves like they were made for him.

With Sanders, Smith played a supporting role, but an important one. The trouble, the intimations of quiet storm, came when Smith started leading his own band, the Cosmic Echoes. Well, not exactly when he started. The group's debut, Astral Traveling produced by Thiele for Flying Dutchman, the label he set up on leaving Impulse! in 1969 was rooted in the sound of Sanders' bands. Revisited almost 40 years later, it still has weight.  Astral Traveling leads off with two tunes associated with Sanders: the title track, written by Smith, which Sanders and Smith had recorded on Thembi, and "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord," a traditional gospel tune which they had recorded on Summun Bukmun Umyun, where it had been arranged by Smith. George Barron, the Cosmic Echoes' saxophonist, is not in Sanders' league, technically or conceptually, but his soprano is pleasing enough on both tracks. His multiphonic tenor solo on "I Mani (Faith)" is more memorable. Smith, who is mainly heard on acoustic piano, solos infrequently, and approaches Astral Traveling much as he did Sanders' albums: embellishing the melodies and subsuming himself in the collective groove.  

The other musicians anchored by bassist Cecil McBee (a frequent member of Sanders' lineups) and drummer David Lee Jr drive the ostinatos and add color. There are three percussionists, including conga player James Mtume and tabla player Badal Roy (both Sanders alumni), and on "In Search Of Truth" (at 7:08, the longest track), Geeta Vashi is heard on tamboura, astral jazz's signature instrument. At no point does Astral Traveling reach the heights of Sanders' or Coltrane's contemporaneous albums, but on "Rejuvenation," "I Mani (Faith)" and "In Search Of Truth" it gets close enough. 

Recent CD reissues have included alternate takes of all three tracks. Anyone bitten by the astral jazz bug is sure to find plenty to enjoy on the disc. Sad then, that Smith's subsequent Flying Dutchman releases moved steadily towards smooth jazz and cocktail funk. 1974's Cosmic Funk had its moments, as did, to a lesser extent, the same year's Expansions. But by the time the synths and disco beats moved in, on 1975's Visions, it was bye-bye Lonnie Liston Smith for most of the jazz world. (A half dozen Pharoah Sanders/Alice Coltrane albums of the early/mid 1970s were reissued in October 2011 in Impulse!'s 2-on-1 series and are reviewed here). ~ Chris May  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/lonnie-liston-smith-astral-traveling-lonnie-liston-smith-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Lonnie Liston Smith: piano, electric piano; George Barron: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Joe Beck: guitar; Cecil McBee: bass; David Lee Jr.: drums; Sonny Morgan: percussion, conga; James Mtume: percussion, conga; Badal Roy: tabla; Geeta Vashi: tamboura.

Astral Traveling

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Woody Herman - Giant Steps

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:01
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. La Fiesta
(4:50)  2. A Song For You
(3:53)  3. Freedom Jazz Dance
(5:37)  4. The Meaning Of the Blues
(3:28)  5. The First Thing I Do
(4:31)  6. Think On Me
(4:03)  7. Giant Steps
(3:08)  8. A Child Is Born
(4:24)  9. Be-Bop And Roses

Woody Herman always went out of his way during his long career to encourage younger players, often persuading them to write arrangements of recent tunes for his orchestra. On this recording one gets to hear his band interpret such selections as Chick Corea's "La Fiesta," Leon Russell's "A Song for You," "Freedom Jazz Dance," "A Child Is Born" and "Giant Steps"; what other bandleader from the '30s would have performed such modern material? With strong solo work from tenors Gregory Herbert and Frank Tiberi, trumpeter Bill Stapleton and Herman himself, this is an impressive effort. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/giant-steps-mw0000188305

Personnel: Woody Herman (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Joe Beck (guitar); Gregory Herbert (flute, alto flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone); Harry Kleintank (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Steve Lederer, Frank Tiberi (tenor saxophone); Bill Stapleton (trumpet, flugelhorn); Larry Pyatt, Gil Rathel, Walt Blanton, Bill Byrne (trumpet); Geoff Sharp, Jim Pugh (trombone); Harold Garrett (bass trombone); Andy LaVerne (electric piano); Wayne Darling (electric bass, bass guitar); Ed Soph (drums); Ray Barretto (congas).

Giant Steps

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