Joe Castro - Lush Life: A Musical Journey (6-CD Box Set)

Joe Castro's Jam Sessions (Disc 1) 

Styles: Jazz, Big Band 

Year: 2015
Time: 68:55
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 63,4 MB
Art: Front

(31:35) 1. Abstract Candy (part I) (ft. Buddy Collette & Chico Hamilton)
(11:35) 2. Abstract Candy (part II) (ft. Buddy Collette & Chico Hamilton)
(25:44) 3. Abstract Sweets (ft. Chico Hamilton)

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Joe Castro's Friends/Falcon Blues - The Teddy Wilson Sessions (Disc2)

Time: 78:26
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 73,3 MB

(7:35) 1. Falcon Blues (Blues in G) (ft. Stan Getz)
(6:53) 2. Someone To Watch Over Me (ft. Stan Getz)
(7:04) 3. Just One of Those Things (ft. Stan Getz)
(6:00) 4. Out of Nowhere (ft. Stan Getz)
(7:59) 5. I Want To Be Happy (ft. Stan Getz)
(4:17) 6. Just You, Just Me
(3:40) 7. Everything I Have Is Yours
(4:13) 8. I Got Rhythm
(7:27) 9. Sunday (ft. Zoot Sims)
(4:30) 10. You Go To My Head (ft. Zoot Sims)
(4:44) 11. I've Found a New Baby (ft. Zoot Sims)
(6:52) 12. Tea for Two (ft. Zoot Sims)

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Joe Castro's Jam Sessions - Just Joe (Disc 3)

Time: 66:15
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 61,3 MB

( 6:33) 1. Tricotism (ft. Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford)
(11:10) 2. Lester Leaps In (ft. Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford)
(11:33) 3. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (ft. Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford)
(13:24) 4. Just Joe (ft. Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford)
(13:13) 5. There Will Never Be Another You (ft. Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford)
(10:21) 3. Out of Nowhere (ft. Zoot Sims & Oscar Pettiford)

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Feeling the Blues - The Quartet Sessions (Disc 4)

Time: 74:21
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 69,2 MB

(8:10) 1. Billie's Bounce
(4:58) 2. Feeling the Blues (td-5 [7])
(4:53) 3. Sweet Georgia Brown (tk-8)
(6:31) 4. You Name It
(6:21) 5. Woody 'n'You (tk-7)
(6:08) 6. Good Gravy
(6:43) 7. Walk On (tk-4)
(6:15) 8. Autumn Leaves 1
(5:24) 9. Autumn Leaves 2
(6:26) 10. Autumn Leaves 3
(7:02) 11. Autumn Leaves 4
(5:25) 12. Sweet Georgia Brown (tk-4)

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Joe Castro Big Band - Reflection (Disc 5)

Time: 48:49
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 45,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:39) 1. Subway Grate (soloists Castro Edwards)
(8:26) 2. Funky Blues (soloists: Edwards / Castro / Candoli / Vinnegar)
(6:55) 3. Reflection (Sweepea / Strayhorn) (soloists: Baltazar / Edwards / Rosolino / Cooper / Candoli / Castro / Baltazar)
(3:01) 4. For Carl (Perkins) (soloists: Edwards / Cooper)
(3:17) 5. Hard to Find (soloists: Castro / Edwards / Cooper)
(4:44) 6. Sunset Eyes (soloists: Castro / Edwards)
(4:55) 7. Play Me the Blues (soloists: Edwards / Castro)
(3:19) 8. Daisy Mae [Whatever] (soloists: Cooper / Castro / Cooper)
(2:45) 9. Vintage '57 (soloists: Castro / Cooper)
(3:00) 10. Jeannie's Waltz (Would You Believe) (soloist: Edwards)
(2:47) 11. Sunset Eyes (soloist: Ortega)
(3:06) 12. Play Me the Blues (soloists: Edwards / Castro) (6:35) 13. Reflection (Sweepea / Strayhorn) (2:56) 14. For Carl (Perkins) (soloists: Cooper / Castro)

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Teddy Edwards Tentet / Angel City (Disc 6)

Time: 61:30
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 57,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:48) 1. Angel City
(4:25) 2. Bear Tracks
(4:51) 3. Lee-Ann
(4:54) 4. The Midnight Creeper (alternate take)
(5:46) 5. Theme for Jay
(4:40) 6. Nairobi Chant
(4:28) 7. I'm In That Old Mood Again
(3:38) 8. Steppin' Lightly
(6:48) 9. Angel City (alternate take)
(4:53) 10. The Midnight Creeper
(6:19) 11. Theme For Jay (alternate take)
(5:56) 12. I'm In That Old Mood Again (alternate take)

Jazz has always had more than its fair share of lucky personalities highly charismatic, captivating artists who could win over producers, club owners and peers just as easily as they could break audience hearts with their music. One of the most complex and least-known among them was Joe Castro, an upbeat, easy-going and gregarious pianist who was close with Dave Brubeck, Zoot Sims, Teddy Edwards, Duke Ellington, Lucky Thompson, Louis Armstrong and June Christy, to name a few. But Castro's spell wouldn't have lasted long if his drive and talent hadn't been exceptional.

Now, a new box set provides ample evidence of Castro's wide-ranging talents. Joe Castro: Lush Life, a Musical Journey (Sunnyside) features six CDs of previously unreleased private recordings in a variety of settings. There are never-before heard abstract works with Chico Hamilton and Buddy Collette in 1954; private recordings Castro made of Teddy Wilson in 1955; jam sessions with Teddy Edwards, Billy Higgins and Leroy Vinnegar in 1959; a Teddy Edwards Tentet date in 1966; and perhaps the most exciting material in the box the Joe Castro Big Band featuring top West Coast players and the finest orchestral recording of Teddy Edwards' Sunset Eyes I've ever heard.

As jazz musicians go, Castro was rather unusual. He didn't have a drug or alcohol habit. He didn't have issues with depression. And he wasn't self-destructive. Instead, Castro was a hard-working, swinging pianist who had a long-term romantic relationship with heiress Doris Duke in the 1950s that may or may not have led to marriage. Either way, the union exposed him to wealth, world capitals, a recording studio Duke built for him on her property and friendships with powerful artists and executives in the jazz and entertainment industries.

The Castro-Duke relationship eventually wound up in a legal tiff in 1964 followed by their reuniting and Duke agreeing to give Castro capital control of their label Clover Records and their music publishing company, JODO. But Castro's fondness for being away touring and booking recording artists who weren't particularly well known meant the label was burning through cash without much to show on the sales side. Clover and JODO were dissolved in 1966. That year, Castro married Loretta Haddad, a pianist-singer, and the pair would remain together until Haddad's passing in 2008. Castro died in 2009. Duke died in 1993.

JazzWax clip: Here's the the Joe Castro Big Band playing “Sunset Eyes," arranged by Castro. The band, contracted by Al Porcino, featured Porcino, Ray Triscari, Stu Williamson and Jimmy Zito (tp); Dick Noel, Mike Barone, Ken Shroyer and Frank Rosolino (tb); Anthony Ortega (as, fl); Gabe Baltazar (as); Bob Cooper and Teddy Edwards (ts); Bill Hood (baritone); Joe Castro (p, arr); Ron Anthony (g); Leroy Vinnegar (b) and Carl Lott (d).

And here's “There Will Never Be Another You“ in 1956 recorded at Duke Farms in Somerville, N.J., with Lucky Thompson (ts), John Glasel (tp), Joe Castro (p), Oscar Pettiford (b) and Ron Jefferson (d). By Marc Myers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/joe-castro-lush-life/

Joe Castro - Lush Life: A Musical Journey Disc 1, /Disc 2,Disc 3, Disc 4, Disc 5, Disc 6

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Teddy Edwards - Teddy's Ready

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:08
Size: 92,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. Blues in G
(5:51)  2. Scrapple from the Apple
(4:01)  3. What's New?
(4:19)  4. You Name It
(7:24)  5. Take The "A" Train
(7:06)  6. The Sermon
(4:30)  7. Higgins' Hideaway

Tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards' debut for Contemporary (which has been reissued on CD in the OJC series) gives listeners a strong sampling of the underrated tenor's talents. Edwards, a contemporary of Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray but sometimes overlooked due to his decision to spend most of his life living in Los Angeles, is showcased on a quartet set with the obscure but talented pianist Joe Castro, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Billy Higgins. Performing three standards, three originals (of which "Higgins' Hideaway" is most memorable), and Hampton Hawes' "The Sermon," Edwards has a chance to stretch out and he makes the most of the opportunity, creating some excellent straight-ahead music.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/teddys-ready-mw0000617292

Personnel:  Teddy Edwards - tenor saxophone;  Joe Castro - piano;  Leroy Vinnegar - bass;  Billy Higgins - drums

Teddy's Ready

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Teddy Edwards - Sunset Eyes

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:46
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. Tempo de Blues
(7:12)  2. Vintage '57
(3:32)  3. I Hear a Rhapsody
(3:06)  4. Up in Teddy's New Flat
(5:27)  5. Sunset Eyes
(6:11)  6. Teddy's Tune
(6:32)  7. Takin' Off
(2:16)  8. The New Symphony Sid
(5:11)  9. My Kinda Blues
(2:28) 10. Takin' Off (first version)

Teddy Edwards, who took part in classic tenor battles with Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray in Los Angeles during the mid- to late '40s, remained a major tenorman for more than half a century. However, his decision to live in L.A. resulted in him being greatly underrated through the years. Fortunately, the superior hard bop tenor (who showed that there was more than just cool jazz being played on the West Coast in the 1950s) recorded on a fairly frequent basis throughout his career. This set features music from 1959-1960 with Edwards joined by either Amos Trice, Joe Castro or Ronnie Ball on piano, Leroy Vinnegar or Ben Tucker on bass, and Billy Higgins or Al Levitt on drums. Edwards, an underrated composer, performs six of his originals (including his most famous composition, "Sunset Eyes," and two versions of "Takin' Off"), Vinnegar's "Vintage '57," and a pair of standards. Although there are short solos for Castro and Vinnegar, the focus throughout is on the leader's distinctive and likable tenor. Since the great Teddy Edwards never recorded an uninspiring record, this date is easily recommended to fans of straight-ahead jazz. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunset-eyes-mw0000599920

Personnel:  Teddy Edwards - tenor saxophone;  Ronnie Ball, Joe Castro , Amos Trice - piano;  Leroy Vinnegar, Ben Tucker  - bass;  Billy Higgins, Al Levitt - drums

Sunset Eyes

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Zoot Sims With The Joe Castro Trio - Live At Falcon Lair

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:32
Size: 139,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:21)  1. A Night In Tunisia
(6:59)  2. Pennies From Heaven
(6:39)  3. I'll See You In My Dreams
(9:32)  4. It's Always You
(9:24)  5. Blues for Nat
(7:19)  6. Swinging With Rudolph
(7:01)  7. East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon)
(7:13)  8. J.C. Blues

This loose-limbed rendezvous sounds exactly as it was, an impromptu late-night jam session planned on the fly in someone’s apartment in this case, however, no ordinary apartment but “The Playhouse,” a spacious second-story room above a garage and adjacent to the main house at Falcon Lair, the imposing Beverly Hills estate then owned by tobacco heiress Doris Duke and previously occupied by legendary silent film star Rudolph Valentino. Pianist Joe Castro, who was married to Duke from 1956-64, liked to invite his friends over for unrehearsed get-togethers, and one frequent guest who would blow anytime, day or night, at the drop of a downbeat was the irrepressible Zoot Sims. An unusual aspect of this particular session is that Zoot brought only his alto sax, not the tenor for which he is much better known. Not to worry; if he hadn’t been such a great tenor stylist, Zoot would certainly have been numbered among the best alto players of his day. Strangely, after playing alto for a couple of years in the mid-'50s he packed up the horn and seldom played it again. And as far as anyone knows, he never said why (he did play soprano sax in later years). As Zoot never recorded on alto with only a rhythm section, this album is, in that respect at least, historic. Castro, who thought he might be able to interest record companies in some of the sessions (Stan Getz was another regular visitor), generally had his Telefunken microphones plugged in and Ampex quarter-inch tape recorder running. 

Considering the source, the sound quality is quite good, the overall balance evenhanded with Castro, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Ron Jefferson clearly defined. Zoot also comes through loud and clear, complementing but never overshadowing the trio. Musically, the group doesn’t stray far from familiar territory, renovating five standards and a trio of undemanding Castro originals including two blues. There are one or two awkward moments when everyone is searching for the proper groove and tempo, but they are of little consequence in a session that swings as hard and consistently as this one, thanks mainly to Zoot’s inability to do anything less, regardless of time, place or crewmates which is not meant to suggest that the supporting cast, especially bassist Vinnegar, is less than admirable. “Zoot was a joy, a groove to be with,” says Castro, who has lived in Las Vegas since 1980 and still jams at home whenever he can. “He was a wonderful guy, unpretentious, and played his ass off” on alto as well as tenor, as Castro’s Ampex bears witness. We’ll not see his like again, and Live at Falcon Lair documents one of those occasions when Zoot was happiest relaxed, swinging, and clearly having great fun deconstructing and reassembling musical scores and swapping ideas with like-minded companions.~ Jack Bowers   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=13810#.UwEoZoXYMbg
 

Personnel: Zoot Sims, alto saxophone; Joe Castro, piano; Leroy Vinnegar, bass; Ron Jefferson, drums.

Live At Falcon Lair

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