Kenny Garrett & Svoy - Who Killed AI?

Styles: Saxophone, Piano Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 35:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 82,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:54) 1. Ascendence
(5:10) 2. Miles Running Down AI
(5:11) 3. Transcendence
(5:09) 4. Divergence Tu-dah
(3:06) 5. Ladies
(6:15) 6. My Funny Valentine
(6:30) 7. Convergence

Electronic jazz albums are a potentially tricky proposition based on a seemingly contradictory idea that you can create organic, improvisational music in what is usually a more controlled, production-heavy, computer-based style. Saxophonist Kenny Garrett defies such concerns and bridges the gap between in-the-moment improvisation and beat-based productions with 2024's Who Killed AI?. This is Garrett's first all-electronic album and finds him working in collaboration with electronic producer/instrumentalist Mikhail Tarasov (aka Svoy).

A former student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Svoy brings both jazz and classical influences to bear on his work and has garnered acclaim as a solo artist and as a producer for other artists. All of this makes him a perfect collaborator for Garrett, a performer whose work also straddles a wide array of styles, from his early days in Miles Davis' crossover fusion band of the late-'80s to his own heady post-bop, funk, and world music explorations. Together, they craft sonically adventurous tracks that wouldn't sound out of place at a rave, but they also feature plenty of propulsive, harmonically nuanced improvisation. Much of this is due to Garrett's crisp, motivic style and his kinetic lines push nicely off Svoy's textured, groove-based soundscapes.

It's a vibe they leap into on the opening "Ascendence," where Garrett spirals through Svoy's digital buzz and grind like John Coltrane plugging into the Matrix. And while a kind of jazz future shock is the aesthetic at play, they draw upon jazz history, evoking Garrett's time with trumpeter Davis on "Miles Running Down AI," a slippery, acid-soaked wah-wah number that works as a wry nod to "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" off 1969's Bitches Brew. The duo even offer a skittering, EDM-esque rendition of "My Funny Valentine'' that one can only imagine might have made even the Dark Prince of jazz smile.By Matt Collarhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/who-killed-ai--mw0004208055#review

Personnel: Kenny Garrett - Saxophone, Vocal; Svoy - Piano

Who Killed AI?

---

Mulgrew Miller - Wingspan

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:18
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Wingspan
(6:48)  2. One's Own Room
(6:08)  3. The Eleventh Hour - Early Take
(5:25)  4. I Remember You
(7:55)  5. Soul-Leo
(7:32)  6. You're That Dream
(7:15)  7. Sonhos Do Brasil (Dreams Of Brazil)
(7:33)  8. The Eleventh Hour - Later Take

A beautiful set from Mulgrew Miller one of his greatest albums as a leader, and exemplary of the kind of underground jazz that was still bubbling strong in the 80s! The set features Miller's quintet with Kenny Garrett on alto and flute, Steve Nelson on vibes, Charnett Moffett on bass, and Tony Reedus on drums led by Miller in a range of expressive styles carried off with effortless ease. There's some really nice numbers on here with a gentle and soulful groove mixing vibes, piano, and alto in wonderful shades of colors and tone. Titles include "Sonhos Do Brasil", "Wingspan", "One's Own Room", "The Eleventh Hour", and "Soul Leo".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/476436/Mulgrew-Miller:Wingspan

Personnel:  Mulgrew Miller – piano; Charnett Moffett – bass; Tony Reedus – drums; Rudy Bird – percussion (tracks: 2 5 7); Kenny Garrett – saxophone, flute; Steve Nelson – vibraphone

Wingspan

---

Chick Corea - The Montreux Years

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 84:26
Size: 193,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:51) 1. Fingerprints
(13:41) 2. Bud Powell
(11:46) 3. Quartet No. 2 (Pt. 1)
( 4:31) 4. Interlude
( 4:41) 5. Who’s Inside the Piano
( 7:14) 6. Dignity
(10:07) 7. America (Continents Pt. 4)
(14:10) 8. New Waltz
(10:19) 9. Trinkle Tinkle

If there is anything more ambitious than curating an extensive, comprehensive collection covering the history of an artist, it is collating selected works which vividly outline a particular timeline or theme. Chick Corea's The Montreux Years is a fine example of the latter; this seventh edition in the archive series devoted to the iconic festival not only reflects the late composer and pianist's technical skills, but also his eclectic stylistic tastes. And that is not to mention his fondness for collaborations in all manner of settings.

Eight cuts from six performances, with a running time of about seventy-four minutes, somewhat belies the twelve year chronology of The Montreaux Years. The late esteemed musician first appeared at the iconic festival in 1972, then almost two dozen times thereafter, an extended sequence of events which lent itself to exactly the kind of rotating presentations of which this set is a microcosm.

Corea's inimitable combination of formality and playfulness is potent throughout. And it is not just readily on the Akoustic Band's "Quartet #2 (Pt. 1)," but also (literally) at the opposite end of the musical spectrum on "Interlude;" unfortunately, this overlong audience call-and-response, in the company of the Elektric Band, illustrates the man's penchant for crowd-pleasing as an end in itself. As throughout this CD, on "America (Continents Pt.4)" the sound of the recording has all the realism of the room in which the musicians are playing, no doubt due to the MOA process used in the restoration and mastering of the audio by Tony Cousins.

That latter cut is the closest this anthology gets to a solo piano piece here but, fortunately, a snippet of the man alone at the ivories at the outset of "Dignity" mitigates the absence of such a track. On this dedication to the author's mother, the invigorating interplay with drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Avishai Cohen balances the tranquility of the leader's interval, while saxophonist Bob Berg's high-flying interlude during the final track, just over fourteen minutes of "New Waltz," also makes for a fittingly rousing close.

The liner notes for The Montreaux Years could have been better conceived and executed to more fully align with the music to which they are devoted. Rather than filling many of the fourteen pages inside the hardbound covers with sentimental reminiscences, more pertinent details about the respective timelines of the groups that appear in the set (and perhaps even some discographical info) would accurately place the ensembles within the chronology of Corea's career; such scholarly information would have been more in line with the borderline deluxe design of the package with its 3D lettering on the outer front cover alongside Joe Weghon's colorful art (which also appears on the compact disc itself).

Fortunately, such academic criticism becomes moot when listening to the likes of the easy-going shuffle of The Freedom Band's take on "Bud Powell," especially as it so dramatically contrasts the New Trio's rollicking opening of "Fingerprints." The Montreux Years is a suitably celebratory historical homage to one of the most iconic jazz musicians of our time. By Doug Collette https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-montreux-years-chick-corea-bmg/

Personnel: Chick Corea: piano; Frank Gambale: guitar; Eric Marienthal: saxophone, soprano; Bob Berg: saxophone; Kenny Garrett: saxophone, alto; Tim Garland: saxophone; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Christian McBride: bass; John Patitucci: bass, acoustic; Avishai Cohen: bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums; Dave Weckl: drums; Roy Haynes: drums; Jeff Ballard: drums; Tom Brechtlein: drums; Gary Novak: drums.

The Montreux Years

---

Kenny Garrett - Sounds from the Ancestors

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:40
Size: 155,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:49) 1. It's Time to Come Home
( 5:13) 2. Hargrove
( 8:08) 3. When the Days Were Different
( 8:05) 4. For Art's Sake
( 8:31) 5. What Was That?
(10:55) 6. Soldiers of the Fields/Soldats des Champs
( 7:10) 7. Sounds from the Ancestors
( 9:47) 8. It's Time to Come Home (Original)

On Sounds from the Ancestors, Kenny Garrett's fifth album for Mack Avenue and his first since Do You Dance! (Mack Avenue 2016), the former saxophonist for both Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis, turns to the past for inspiration. From the Motown and gospel music he was weaned on as a youth growing up in Detroit, to the the hard bop of Blakey and post-bop of John Coltrane , Garrett wears his influences proudly on his sleeve on this energetic set. But the ancestors of the title refers more to Garrett's African forbearers and the deepest roots of all. It is pan-African rhythms, above all else, that permeate this music.

The album begins and ends with ten-minute versions of "It's Time to Come Home," where loping rhythms and a piano motif that never gives up provide the canvas for Garret's languid, melodious improvisation. In the home stretches of these mirror-image, Afro-Cuban bookends, Garrett riffs and chirps rhythmically to the accompaniment of percussion, piano and African vocals. These are opening and closing statements that see Garrett plant his standard in African soil. Everything that comes in between, on the remaining six originals, is a tributary of this main source.

The infectious melody and groove of "Hargrove" pays sunny tribute to trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Here, Maurice Brown blows an upbeat solo over a chanted refrain of "A Love Supreme," a throwback to Garrett's Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane (Warner Bros. Records, 1996). Coltrane's abiding influence on Garrett is evoked in more personal terms on the epic "Soldiers of the Fields/Soldats des Champs," where the leader's outstanding playing bridges Coltrane's tender melodicism and his searing intensity. Pianist Vernell Brown Jr. also burns on this polyrhythmically vibrant track where martial beats and Afro-Caribbean flavors fuse to potent effect.

Though Garrett cites Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye as touchstones, there is more than a hint of Stevie Wonder's shadow on the cheery "When the Days Were Different," where saxophone and wordless vocals mesh over a repetitive piano motif. "For Art's Sake," a nominal salute to Blakey, also tips a wink to the Afrobeat of Tony Allen, with some Joe Zawinul-esque keyboard textures lending a modern slant. African percussion ripples throughout "What Was That?," another impassioned slice of Coltrane-ish post-bop which stokes Garrett and Brown Jr.'s fires.

After all the bustle and intensity of the preceding fifty minutes, the delicate piano intro to "Sounds from The Ancestors" provides a brief and welcome change of tone. The exquisite reverie is soon replaced, almost inevitably, by rhythmic lift-off. Powerful Yoruban vocals and wailing, Screamin' Jay Hawkins-like interjections vie with Garrett's keening, Gospel-fired exclamations in a heady stew.

Garrett's embrace of the musical highways and byways that have informed his evolution sounds respectful but never overly reverential, rooted yet free of constraints. Greater variation in mood might have made for a deeper emotional offering, but that is a minor quibble. A highly enjoyable ride from start to finish.~Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/songs-from-the-ancestors-kenny-garrett-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Kenny Garrett: saxophone, alto; Vernell Brown Jr.: piano; Corcoran Holt: bass; Ronald Bruner: drums; Rudy Bird: percussion.

Sounds from the Ancestors

---

Herbie Hancock - Gershwin's World

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:39
Size: 155,2 MB
Art: Front

( 0:56)  1. Overture (Fascinating Rhythm)
( 4:48)  2. It Ain't Necessarily So
( 5:58)  3. The Man I Love
( 4:00)  4. Here Come De Honey Man
( 5:51)  5. St. Louis Blues
(11:05)  6. Lullaby
( 3:31)  7. Blueberry Rhyme
( 1:26)  8. It Ain't Necessarily So (Interlude)
( 4:45)  9. Cotton Tail
( 4:43) 10. Summertime
( 1:56) 11. My Man's Gone Now
( 4:44) 12. Prelude in C# Minor
( 9:13) 13. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G, 2nd Mvt
( 4:38) 14. Embraceable You

Gershwin's World is a tour de force for Herbie Hancock, transcending genre and label, and ranking among the finest recordings of his lengthy career. Released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin's birth, this disc features jazzman Hancock with a classy collection of special guests. The most surprising of Hancock's guest stars is Joni Mitchell, who delivers a gorgeously sensual vocal on "The Man I Love," then provides an airy, worldly take on "Summertime." On these two tracks, she shows she has come a long way from her folksinger beginnings to become a first-class jazz singer in her own right. Stevie Wonder's unmistakable harmonica complements Mitchell's singing on "Summertime" and shares lead instrument space with his own voice on the W.C. Handy classic "St. Louis Blues." Jazzman extraordinaire Wayne Shorter smokes a solo spot on Duke Ellington's "Cotton Tail" and carves out some space for his soprano saxophone in the midst of "Summertime." 

A number of the young lions of jazz are featured on various cuts, and Herbie's old pal Chick Corea joins the leader for a piano duet of James P. Johnson's "Blueberry Rhyme." Gershwin's wonderful, extended "Lullaby" finds Hancock teamed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, as does an attractive arrangement of a "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" by Maurice Ravel, whose jazz influence can be heard on the piece. In addition, one of the most beautiful tracks on the album places star soprano Kathleen Battle's voice at the forefront of Gershwin's own "Prelude in C# Minor." Yet with all the fine performances by his guests, Gershwin's World remains Hancock's show, and he plays magnificently throughout. From beautiful to funky, percussive to melodic, improvisational to tightly arranged, Hancock and cohorts take a wondrous journey through the music and world of Gershwin. ~ Jim Newsom  http://www.allmusic.com/album/gershwins-world-mw0000038316

Personnel: Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea: Piano; Madou Dembelle: Djembe; Massamba Diop: Talking Drum; Cryo Baptista, Bireyma Guiye, Cheik Mbaye: Percussion; Eddie Henderson: Trumpet; Kenny Garrett: Alto Saxophone; James Carter: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones, Wayne Shorter: Tenor Saxophone; Bakithi Kumalo: Bass and Guitar; Ira Coleman: Bass; Terri-Lynn Carrington: Drums, Marlon Graves: Guitar, Robert Sadin: Percussion Programming; Stevie Wonder: Harmonica and Vocals; Charles Curtis: Cello, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Kathleen Battle: Vocals, Joni Mitchell: Vocals.

Gershwin's World

---

Miles Davis - Merci Miles! (Live At Vienne)

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 80:15
Size: 184,5 MB
Art: Front

(15:58) 1. Hannibal
(18:10) 2. Human Nature
(10:16) 3. Time After Time
( 9:01) 4. Penetration
( 8:35) 5. Wrinkle
( 6:08) 6. Amandla
( 5:55) 7. Jailbait
( 6:08) 8. Finale (Band Only)

So great was Miles Davis' legend, so magnetic his aura, that the crowds and the adulation only increased towards the end of his lifea period when he was playing arguably the least progressive music of his career. This double-CD recording of a concert at the Jazz à Vienne Festival from 1991 is a case in point. Ten thousand people packed into the Roman amphitheatre that July evening, while another two-and-a-half thousand who had turned up without tickets were shepherded onto the terrace above the amphitheatre. The multitude shows tremendous warmth and appreciation towards Davis and his band throughout a performance which only occasionally scales the heights.

This audio is taken from concert footage shot by independent production company, Zycopolis Productions, a film which has never been released in its entirety. Nor is it clear if this CD recording represents the full concert, with Scritti Politti's "Perfect Way," and the extended blues title track from Davis' underrated Star People (Columbia, 1983) that began every other Davis concert that summer, not included in this set. Watch this space for the not improbable Merci Encore Miles! The Complete Live at Vienne CD/DVD box set, at some future date.

The sound quality, it has to be said, is a little patchy. Keyboardist Deron Johnson is often extremely faint, except when soloing, which he does with some panache. Then there is Foley a fixture of Davis' live bands between '87 and '91 whose "piccolo" bass, tuned an octave higher, is practically inaudible throughout. By contrast, electric bassist Richard Patterson's churning funk lines are a little too heavy in the mix at times. This sonic imbalance is particularly notable on the dynamic, fifteen-minute opener "Hannibal," which sparks into life when alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett unleashes a searing solo. Johnson picks up the reins in a measured, bluesy response, with Davis' sculpted phrasing supplying contrast of a more minimalist nature. Davis, who plays muted trumpet for most of the concert, is a largely peripheral presence, content to listen as he always did intently and to direct the band.

Davis sounds the key motifs and riffs back and forth with Garrett and the ghostly sounding Foley, but he leaves the heavy lifting to his band. His only extended solo of note, on "Human Nature," however, is a fine one, imbued as it is with a spare yet haunting lyricism that would not have seemed out of place on In A Silent Way (Columbia, 1969). In the CD-booklet essay Ashley Kahn observes that you could take a Davis solo from '49 or '91 and "it's the same material, the same feeling, the same Miles" and he has a point. Davis may have lacked puff in the twilight of his career trumpeter Wallace Roney carried the load on Davis' famous revisiting of his orchestral music from the Gil Evans years at the Montreux Jazz Festival, just a week after this Vienne concert but his signature sound during this eighty-minute recording remains intact, albeit a little thinner.. On Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" Davis' playing is relaxed, his delivery tender, though when he removes the mute his tone is warmer and more assured. Prince's "Penetration" is a funk-fuelled vehicle for Johnson and Garrett, with Patterson and drummer Ricky Wellman maintaining an unwavering groove.

The second disc which weighs in at just twenty-five minutes duration kicks off with "Wrinkle," with Davis, sans mute, at his most animated. What begins as a fairly generic funk exercise suddenly shifts up a gear into double-time terrain, with Davis and Garrett locked in bebop unison to the delight of the crowd. "Amandla" flits between mid- tempo funk with a striking solo from Johnson and bluesy balladry, with Davis reunited with his mute. The trumpeter's phrasing brooding, melancholy and quite gorgeous evokes the atmosphere of Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Fontana, 1958), the soundtrack Davis composed for French director Louis Malle's acclaimed film noir. Another Prince-penned tune, the blues-funk "Jailbait" is little more than a slow groove over which Johnson on Hammond-esque organ and Garrett take turns to stretch out. "Finale" concludes the set with a six-minute drum feature for the hard-working Wellman. On one level it is something of an anti-climax and seems like an odd way to sign off, but then Davis always loved his drummers.

There is plenty of energy coming from both the stage and the audience in what was clearly a significant occasion for those in attendance. Beautifully packaged, this triple gatefold is handsomely adorned on the interior with the colors of the French tricolour -an acknowledgement of Davis' enduring fondness for France. Whilst perhaps not essential listening, Merci Miles!: Live at Vienne certainly has its moments. And it is an important historical document, marking as it does the most complete recording from Davis' final tour, at time of writing.

Personnel: Miles Davis: trumpet; Kenny Garrett: saxophone, alto; Deron Johnson: keyboards; Foley: guitar; Richard Patterson: bass, electric; Ricky Wellman: drums.

Merci Miles! (Live At Vienne)

---

Larry Willis - My Funny Valentine

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:38
Size: 146,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. For Opener's
(3:18)  2. It could Happen to You
(6:31)  3. Blues for Wynton Kelly
(8:52)  4. Who's Kidding Who
(6:03)  5. Rhythm-A-Ning
(6:28)  6. Blood Count
(6:46)  7. My shining Hour
(5:45)  8. Lazy Afternoon
(8:02)  9. Ethiopia
(6:02) 10. My Funny Valentine

Although Larry Willis had played fusion and electric jazz-rock in the 1970s, the Willis heard on 1988's enjoyable, if conventional, My Funny Valentine is a more conservative post-bopper/hard bopper whose main reference points include McCoy Tyner, Tommy Flanagan, Wynton Kelly and Bill Evans. Willis plays the acoustic piano exclusively on this CD, and standards are a high priority. Nothing cutting-edge occurs, just straight-ahead jazz that's honest, warm and melodic. Most of the selections are trio numbers with bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster, although the pianist is joined by the passionate alto saxman Kenny Garrett on Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning," Garrett's insistent "For Openers" and Willis' haunting "Ethiopia." As a trio pianist, Willis is in good form on such often recorded standards as "My Funny Valentine," "Lazy Afternoon" and Billy Strayhorn's "Bloodcount" all of which demonstrate how sensitive a ballad player he can be. Initially released only in Japan by the Jazz City label, My Funny Valentine came out in the U.S. when the Philadelphia-based Evidence Music reissued it in 1998. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-funny-valentine-mw0000198066

Personnel: Larry Willis – piano; Kenny Garrett – alto saxophone; George Mraz – bass; Al Foster – drums

My Funny Valentine

---

Darren Barrett - First One Up

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:30
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. First One Up - Take 1
(5:33)  2. Word! Dr. Byrd
(7:59)  3. Impossible
(5:20)  4. 2 to 4
(6:29)  5. Grand Ravine
(6:45)  6. Up Down - Inside Out
(5:11)  7. Conceta Elfreda
(5:41)  8. A New Day Comes
(7:15)  9. Reflections
(6:45) 10. First One Up - Take 2
(2:42) 11. Dee's Theme

This is the debut recording by trumpeter Darren Barrett who in ’97 won the annual international Jazz competition sponsored by the Thelonious Monk Institute. The man clearly has exceptional chops and enthusiasm to match but he leaves an inescapable impression that what is being said has been recited many times before, often with deeper awareness and broader substance. In other words, purposeful as Barrett and his companions are, there’s nothing notably fresh or absorbing in their repertoire, which consists here of eight original compositions by Barrett (“First One Up” is performed twice) and one each by Steve Allen (“Impossible”) and Thelonious himself (“Reflections”). Barrett sounds much like several of his more recent predecessors (Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Marcus Printup, Terence Blanchard, Wallace Roney and others) with the obligatory nods toward Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan and other old line boppers. One of the drawbacks is that Barrett’s compositions, while earnest in their intent, haven’t much meat on their bones and thus serve mainly as routine springboards for improvisation. 

Another is that pianist Goldberg could use a more delicate touch to great advantage (and is that him or his piano making those strange noises while he solos?). Barrett’s front line partners, Greene (on eight tracks) and Garrett (on three), are quite capable but stylistically inseparable from many of their contemporaries. Make no mistake, Barrett shows great promise and gives an exceedingly good account of himself throughout, and First One Up may one day be seen in retrospect as the wellspring of an uncommonly productive career. For now, however, we must observe that “promising” is about as suitable a word as discretion will allow. The more acclamatory phrases may come later. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/first-one-up-darren-barrett-j-curve-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Darren Barrett, trumpet; Aaron Goldberg, piano; Jimmy Greene, tenor, soprano sax; Kenny Garrett, alto sax (1, 6, 10); Reuben Rogers, bass; John Lamkin, drums.

First One Up

---

Kenny Garrett - Black Hope

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:54
Size: 154,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:08)  1. Tacit Dance
( 4:09)  2. Spanish Go-round
(10:04)  3. Computer G
( 7:39)  4. Van Goghs Left Ear
( 3:53)  5. Black Hope
( 7:01)  6. Jackie And The Bean Stalk
( 4:46)  7. Run Run Shaw
( 5:24)  8. 2 Step
( 4:53)  9. Bone Bob
( 4:42) 10. Books And Toys
( 5:34) 11. Bye Bye Blackbird
( 1:35) 12. Last Sax

Alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett hasn't been as heavily publicized as his fellow young lions, but he can play with as much authority, conviction, and sheer energy as anyone. Only some uneven material keeps his '92 album from being exceptional, and even on the weak songs, Garrett's playing forces you to pay attention. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-hope-mw0000082568

Personnel:  Kenny Garrett: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone;  Kenny Kirkland: piano, synthesizer;  Donald Brown: synthesizer;  Charnett Moffett: bass;  Brian Blade, Ricky Wellman: drums;  Don Alias: percussion

Black Hope

---

Rodney Kendrick - The Secrets Of Rodney Kendrick

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:12
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:56)  1. Slide The World Into Space
(10:04)  2. Ganawa In Paris
( 3:36)  3. The New World Is Ordered
( 7:41)  4. Berkshire Blues
( 6:35)  5. Dig
( 6:22)  6. Sharon
( 4:47)  7. Slick Exit
( 4:54)  8. Takin It With Me
( 9:13)  9. Down Here Below

A member of vocalist Abbey Lincoln's group at the time of this recording, this is pianist Rodney Kendrick's debut as a leader. For this recording he has gathered several musical contemporaries playing in various combinations for a varied program of nine selections, including four written by Kendrick and two written by pianist Randy Weston, the African percussion-driven "Ganawa in Paris" and a beautiful trio reading of "Berkshire Blues." In addition to Weston, Thelonius Monk seems to be Kendrick's other primary influence, as heard in his solos throughout this recording and his playful introduction to Miles Davis' "Dig," a medium swinger based on "Sweet Georgia Brown" that features excellent contributions from alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Garrett and Hargrove also contribute mightily to Kendrick's "Slide the World Into Place" and "Slick Exit," while cornetist Graham Haynes and tenor saxophonist Houston Person show their stuff on Kendrick and Tarus Mateen's "The New World Is Ordered" and Tyler Mitchell's "Takin' It With Me." This is a very promising debut from an up-and-coming pianist. ~ Greg Turner https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-secrets-of-rodney-kendrick-mw0000109804

Personnel:  Piano, Arranged By – Rodney Kendrick;  Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett;  Bass – Tarus Mateen;  Cornet – Graham Haynes;  Drums – Turu Alexander;  Tenor Saxophone – Houston Person;  Trumpet – Roy Hargrove

The Secrets Of Rodney Kendrick

---

Freddie Hubbard & Woody Shaw - Double Take

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:00
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Sandu
(4:54)  2. Boperation
(6:21)  3. Lament For Booker
(6:26)  4. Hub-Tones
(8:07)  5. Desert Moonlight
(5:28)  6. Just A Ballad For Woody
(8:15)  7. Lotus Blossom

Other than their joint appearance as sidemen on Benny Golson's Time Speaks in 1983, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw had never recorded together before Double Take. At this point in their evolution, Hubbard still gets the edge (his range is wider and he cannot be surpassed technically). Although Shaw tended to play more harmonically sophisticated lines and is remarkably inventive, they are both trumpet masters. 

Their meeting on Double Take was more of a collaboration than a trumpet battle; in fact, the brass giants only trade off briefly on "Lotus Blossom." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/double-take-mw0000192018

Personnel:  Freddie Hubbard: trumpet, flugelhorn;  Woody Shaw: trumpet;  Kenny Garrett: alto saxophone, flute;  Mulgrew Miller: piano;  Cecil McBee: bass;  Carl Allen: drums

Double Take

---

Jerry Granelli - A Song I Thought I Heard Buddy Sing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:47
Size: 132.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1992/2015
Art: Front

[7:39] 1. Wanderlust
[0:38] 2. Smoky Row
[5:02] 3. The Oyster Dance
[6:20] 4. Billie's Bounce
[9:26] 5. Coming Through Slaughter
[6:01] 6. In That Number
[5:06] 7. Prelude To Silence Shell Beach-Lincoln Park
[7:23] 8. I Put A Spell On You
[6:02] 9. Blues Connotation
[4:06] 10. Blues Connotation (Reprise)

Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett; Bass – Anthony Cox; Drums – Jerry Granelli; Electric Bass – J. Granelli; Guitar – Robben Ford; Guitar, Banjo – Bill Frisell; Soprano Saxophone – Denny Goodhew; Trombone – Julian Priester. Recorded at London Bridge Studio, Seattle, January – February, 1992.

Drummer Jerry Granelli offers a wide-ranging amalgam of styles and sounds on this 1993 date. The life of legendary (but unrecorded) jazz trumpeter Buddy Bolden is aurally covered through a ten-track, four-part set that sequences songs according to movements; Bolden's world, journey, memories, and an epilogue are the settings, with an interesting lineup that includes torrid alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, Bill Frisell playing banjo as well as guitar, trombonist Julian Priester, guitarist Robben Ford, and bassist Anthony Cox. It is not strictly traditional New Orleans jazz nor merely reflective or commemorative fare, but an aggressive musical commentary on the Bolden legend. ~Ron Wynn

A Song I Thought I Heard Buddy Sing mc
A Song I Thought I Heard Buddy Sing zippy

---

Steve Turre - Rainbow People

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:13
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:40)  1. Rainbow People
(6:00)  2. Forward Vision
(9:05)  3. Brother Ray
(5:51)  4. Groove Blues
(8:47)  5. Midnight In Madrid
(4:12)  6. Cleopatra's Needle
(8:15)  7. Search For Peace
(5:29)  8. Segment
(8:49)  9. Para El Comandante

If the rainbow of the title denoted musical diversity then it would be most fitting in the case of trombonist Steve Turre, as his musical bag is hewn from many colors. Turre is equally at home playing Latin rhythms, blues or straight-ahead jazz hardly surprising when you consider his apprenticeship with saxophonist/flautist Rahsaan Roland Kirk and singer Ray Charles, his collaborations with timbalist/bandleader Tito Puente and pianist Hilton Ruiz, and his long associations with trumpeters Woody Shaw and Dizzy Gillespie, and pianist McCoy Tyner. All these influences are felt on Rainbow People, a classy and deceptively leisurely session which finds Turre in sparkling form. Part of the success of Rainbow People surely lies as much in the familiarity of the musicians with one another as in the strength of Turre's arrangements. Turre has played with all these musicians in various settings over many years, with the exception of trumpeter Sean Jones, whom Turre hired on the spot after seeing him perform at a New York jam session. Jones is used sparingly, playing on three of the nine tracks, combining harmonically with Turre to great effect. His sound shifts between warm and honey-toned on "Para El Commandante, and more biting on "Midnight in Madrid." Similarly, saxophonist Kenny Garrett appears on just four tracks, but his playing is strong and he builds his solos with patience and imagination. On Charlie Parker's "Segment," Garrett stretches out a little more, as might be expected.

The soulful blues of "Brother Ray" is probably one of the best tributes to Ray Charles since the singer's passing in 2004, evoking the voice and spirit of the man. Turre takes two intimate solos, the first on open trombone and the second muted the latter coming after a tasteful bass intervention from Peter Washington, and capturing the plaintive cry that Charles exhibited in his blues. Miller provides beautifully sympathetic accompaniment which reveals the gospel/blues side of his playing. The rhythm section of Washington and drummer Ignacio Berroa swings the music throughout Rainbow People. They drive the goodtime blues vibe of "Groove Blues," which has the feel of a more languid version of "Sweet Home Chicago," with Garrett, Miller and Turre each taking enjoyable solos. Miller, for his part, is also in fine form, playing to the needs of the music beautifully. He injects the spirit of McCoy Tyner into the music, and the influence of Coltrane's great pianist on Turre is reinforced further by the inclusion of Tyner's lovely "Search for Peace." Turre's Latin roots shine on "Midnight in Madrid," with its brassy Iberian bravura and just a hint of Turre's Mexican heritage, and on the impressive session-closer dedicated to Latin great Mario Rivera, "Para El Comandante," on which Turre's conch is given a delightful run for the only time on the album, over a tasty salsa rhythm. The blues is at the heart of Rainbow People and the songs are like a heartfelt, mellow incantationgospel praise to guiding lights. Classy, sophisticated, and soulful.
~ Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rainbow-people-steve-turre-highnote-records-review-by-ian-patterson.php

Personnel: Steve Turre: trombone, shells (9); Kenny Garrett:alto saxophone (1,4,8,9); Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn (2,5,9); Mulgerw Miller: piano, keyboards; Peter Washington: bass; Ignacio Berroa: drums; Pedro Martinez: percussion (9).

Rainbow People

---

Kenny Garrett - Happy People

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:28
Size: 140,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Song For DiFang
(5:12)  2. Happy People
(5:52)  3. Tango In 6
(5:11)  4. Ain't Nothing But The Blues
(3:41)  5. Song #8
(5:32)  6. Halima's Story
(4:41)  7. Monk-ing Around
(5:59)  8. A Hole in One
(4:49)  9. Thessalonika
(7:03) 10. Asian Medley
(7:59) 11. Brother B. Harper

Just going over the press material for this album, I got the distinct impression that there was a pretentious sense of crossover appeal in the mix with verbiage that in effect claimed Garrett was trying to bridge the gap between jazz, hip hop, and world music. As for the music itself, let's just say that too much of what constitutes this mixed bag is simply unbecoming to an artist of Garrett's stature. Co-producer Marcus Miller shares much of the responsibility for this cloying affair, with slap bass and banal vocals as part of the minefield, not to mention a pretentious dedication to Tiger Woods. Only when Bobby Hutcherson is present and on the cathartic "Brother B. Harper" do we really get a sense of Garrett's great talent, a talent that seems to have been sublimated for the most part since 1996's Pursuance. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/happy-people-kenny-garrett-warner-bros-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Kenny Garrett (saxophones), Marcus Miller (bass), Charnett Moffett (bass), Vernon Brown (piano), Chris Dave (drums), Marcus Baylor (drums), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Jean Norris (vocals)

Happy People

---

Jeff 'Tain' Watts - Detained At The Blue Note

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:53
Size: 164,3 MB
Art: Front

(13:47)  1. 107 Steps
(10:56)  2. JC Is The Man
(11:54)  3. Mr. JJ
(19:03)  4. Sigmund Groid
(15:10)  5. ...Like The Rose

On Detained at the Blue Note , Jeff "Tain" Watts' first live outing as a leader, the effusive drummer lets loose with one of the most unrestrained performances he's ever released. Watts' uninhibited style of drumming is best heard in the intimate club setting in which this disc was recorded. The outgoing Tain is inspired by the interaction with a live audience and the listeners respond in kind as the music escalates in intensity, delivering climax after climax to their roaring approval. Opening with Bjork's "107 Steps," the quintet featuring saxophonist Marcus Strickland, pianist Dave Kikoski, guitarist David Gilmour and bassist Eric Revis engage in a liberated dance on the Latinish line, driven relentlessly by the leader's inexorable rhythms. The date's other four tracks reinvent Watts' compositions from his earlier studio dates. "JC Is The Man" from Bar Talk is appropriately a dedication to a former Zinc Bar mixologist (Jean Claude) and not John Coltrane, although the music is most certainly, like most of Watts' compositions, Trane influenced. The group bookends the song with a good-humored vocal chorus; in between they settle into a groove with Gilmore's guitar and Kikoski's keyboards setting a more Milesian mode. 

Watts introduces the "powerful and soulful" Kenny Garrett, who joins the band for "Mr. JJ," raising the excitement level another point with a passionate Coltrane-Sanders inspired solo that culminates in an electrifying duet with the explosive Watts. Strickland holds his own on tenor, once again proving that he is the leading up-and-coming saxophonist on the scene today. Citizen Tain's "Sigmund Groid" receives a thorough treatment on a nineteen-minute examination of Watts' thoughtful melody, featuring a searing extended solo by Garrett. The closing "Like The Rose," a moving ballad by Watts, begins with a beautiful bluesy piano prelude from Kikoski that introduces the leader's vocal recitation of his lyrics, which are almost Shakespearean in their romanticism. Garrett and Gilmore get downright funky on the body of the tune, gamboling joyously over a Tain backbeat that spirals into a whirlwind that drives Gilmore's guitar and Kikoski's keyboards into a frolicking frenzy before returning to the tune's tender words. Few live dates succeed on the level of this one. Watts' ability to capture the hearts and souls of listeners with music that remains uncompromising in its creativity is a shining example to all who aspire to reach a wider audience without sacrificing their integrity. ~ Russ Moto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/detained-at-the-blue-note-jeff-tain-watts-half-note-records-review-by-russ-musto.php

Personnel: Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums, vocal), Kenny Garrett (alto saxophone), Dave Kikoski (piano, synthesizer), Eric Revis (bass), David Gilmore (guitar), Marcus Strickland (tenor saxophone)

Detained At The Blue Note

---

Dianne Reeves - Music For Lovers

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:54
Size: 123,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. My Funny Valentine
(7:29)  2. Come In
(5:02)  3. That Day
(5:21)  4. Suzanne
(6:18)  5. You tought my heart to sing
(5:37)  6. Never said (chan's song)
(6:24)  7. Speak low
(5:47)  8. The twelfth of never
(5:19)  9. In your eyes

The Music for Lovers series from EMI and Blue Note spotlights the balladic nature and romantic side of the artists who have recorded for its associated labels. Dianne Reeves performs in a variety of settings here, singing standards from the vocal jazz world as well as R&B and art rock. Beginning with an excellent 1982 reading of "My Funny Valentine" with Billy Childs, the volume picks up two Reeves performances from the late '80s (including one with Herbie Hancock), several from the late '90s (including a version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne"), and three from 2000 (including Reeves' own "Come In" with George Duke). ~ John Bush http://www.allmusic.com/album/music-for-lovers-mw0000555782

Personnel: Dianne Reeves (vocals); Nick Kirgo, Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar); Bob Sheppard (reeds); Kenny Garrett (soprano saxophone); Oscar Brashear (trumpet, flugelhorn); Otmaro Ruíz, Billy Childs, Billy Childs Trio (piano, synthesizer); Jorge Del Barrio (Synclavier); Billy Carroll (electric bass); Gregory Hutchinson, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, Rocky Bryant, Terri Lyne Carrington, Brian Blade, Joe Heredia (drums); Manolo Badrena, Munyungo Jackson, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Romero Lubambo (guitar, acoustic guitar); Kevin Eubanks (acoustic guitar); George Duke (piano, keyboards); Mulgrew Miller (piano); Herbie Hancock (keyboards).

Music For Lovers

---

Bobby Hutcherson - Skyline

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:52
Size: 132.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. Who's Got You
[6:45] 2. I Only Have Eyes For You
[6:28] 3. Delilah
[5:21] 4. Chan's Song
[7:22] 5. Pomponio
[6:14] 6. Can You Read My Mind
[6:09] 7. Tres Palabras
[6:39] 8. The Coaster
[5:19] 9. Candle

Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett; Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Al Foster; Marimba – Bobby Hutcherson; Piano – Geri Allen. Recorded August 3-5, 1998 at Avatar Studios, New York City.

Hard bop vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, 58, came to the jazz world during one of its most fertile eras: in the late fifties and early sixties. His early experience in the clubs and coffeehouses of Pasadena (California) prepared Hutcherson for New York City's fast pace and innovative ways. His recording contract with Blue Note placed the vibraphonist squarely in the middle of jazz's mainstream of the 1960s, and today his current Verve release holds the same connotation. It's an eclectic session of up-tempo jaunts, lush ballads, Latin syncopation, and other small ensemble workouts. Kenny Garrett participates on half the session with a heady, mostly lower register saxophone tone and an improviser's attitude much like that of the leader's. For an in-depth look at what motivates Bobby Hutcherson and how others have influenced his performance, see Fred Jung's recent interview with the vibraphonist.

Kenny Garrett and Bobby Hutcherson make a fine pair of conversationalists. Their imaginations run wild and there's a little fire in everything they accomplish; yet both are lyrical and offer seamless phrases. Their alternating improvised solo work on "I Only Have Eyes for You" is quite similar in approach. Both leave a little space here and there, leaving traces of the familiar melody for the listener to recognize, while moving freely around the chords. Hutcherson's "Pomponio," a Latin jazz dazzler, lets marimba and alto sax stretch out over the rhythm section's powerful son montuno. Geri Allen tosses out fluid phrases that ripple over the percussive keyboard; her interludes, particularly on "Delilah," "Candle," and "Chan's Song," make a welcome addition. John Towner Williams' "Love Theme from Superman" is included to emphasize lush lullaby harmonies from both pianist and vibraphonist. Christian McBride drives the unit with an overt pulse that is particularly effective through his rhythmic Latin solo on "Tres Palabras." Al Foster's consistent performance is highlighted on "Pomponio," as he drops bombs and flirts with the various metallic textures of his drum set. Hutcherson has the track record to back up this stellar performance, so another great session comes as no surprise. Recommended. ~Jim Santella

Skyline 

---

Jack Walrath - Master Of Suspense

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:23
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Meat!
(5:19)  2. Children
(5:58)  3. No Mystery
(4:50)  4. A Study In Porcine
(3:52)  5. I'm Sending You A Big Bouquet Of Roses
(3:09)  6. The Lord's Calypso
(9:06)  7. I'm So Lonemsome I Could Cry
(5:27)  8. Monk On The Moon
(6:34)  9. A Hymn For The Discontented

The biggest news of this CD by trumpeter Jack Walrath is that Willie Nelson sings and plays guitar on two numbers: "I'm Sending You a Big Bouquet of Roses" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." The other selections feature Walrath (who composed all but the two Nelson features) with a larger group than normal; a septet that includes altoist Kenny Garrett, tenor saxophonist Carter Jefferson, trombonist Steve Turre, pianist James Williams, bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Ronnie Burrage. As usual Walrath's music stretches the boundaries of hard bop without tossing away its roots. Among the more memorable titles are "Meat," "The Lord's Calypso" and "Monk on the Moon." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/master-of-suspense-mw0000193705

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett;  Bass – Anthony Cox;  Drums – Ronnie Burrage;  Guitar, Vocals – Willie Nelson ;  Piano – James Williams ;  Tenor Saxophone – Carter Jefferson;  Trombone – Steve Turre;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jack Walrath

Master Of Suspense

---

Kenny Garrett - Do Your Dance!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:06)  1. Philly
(6:56)  2. Backyard Groove
(4:43)  3. Wheatgrass Shot (Straight to the Head)
(6:22)  4. Bossa
(4:58)  5. Do Your Dance!
(4:37)  6. Calypso Chant
(7:23)  7. Waltz (3 Sisters)
(8:08)  8. Persian Steps
(5:30)  9. Chasing the Wind

On Kenny Garrett's fourth Mack Avenue release, 2016's Do Your Dance!, the Detroit-born saxophonist dives headlong into a set of original songs that exploit dance rhythms in subtle, unexpected ways. Conceptually speaking, while there are dance beats from swing, funk, Latin, and more throughout Do Your Dance!, the idea of doing your dance could also simply refer to the idea of doing your own thing and expressing yourself in your own unique way. That seems to be the deeper notion running through much of Garrett's music, which is often explosive, harmonically challenging, and highly engaging here. Joining Garrett are several collaborators from his other Mack Avenue releases, including pianist Vernell Brown, Jr., bassist Corcoran Holt, drummers Ronald Bruner, Jr. and McClenty Hunter, and percussionist Rudy Bird. Together, they have a lively, organic ensemble sound that lends itself to group interplay even during solos. Everybody sounds alert and focused with all ears on Garrett. Bookended by two fiery post-bop swingers in "Philly" and "Chasing the Wind," both of which bring to mind mid-'60s John Coltrane, Do Your Dance! finds Garrett in an eclectic mood. His roiling "Backyard Groove" picks up on the angular circularity of Miles Davis' "Freedom Jazz Dance," while the aptly titled "Bossa" is a fluid, minor-key-tinged exploration the Brazilian sound. Elsewhere, Garrett displays his knack for combining disparate sounds, as on the classically inflected "Wheatgrass Shot (Straight to the Head)" featuring rapper Donald "Mista Enz" Brown, Jr., which sounds delightfully like the Roots making an ECM album. Also unexpected are the ruminative "Waltz (3 Sisters)" and the exotic "Persian Steps," which features Garrett on sax, flute, and the droney, traditional Indian Shruti Box. More expected, but no less impressive, is the buoyant "Calypso Chant," in which Garrett summons the titanic energy and island-inspired hard bop of Sonny Rollins. Ultimately, with Do Your Dance! Garrett has crafted an album that will get your blood flowing to your brain and your feet. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/do-your-dance!-mw0002945796

Personnel: Kenny Garrett: alto saxophone (1 – 6, 9, soprano saxophone (7), percussion, vocal (6), piano, flute, shruti box (8);  Vernell Brown Jr: piano (1 – 7, 9), chant (8);  Corcoran Holt: bass (1 – 7, 9);  Ronald Brunner: drums (1, 2, 8, 9);  McClenty Hunter: drums (3 – 7);  Rudy Bird: percussion (3 – 6); Donald ‘Mista Enz’ Brown: rap (3, 5).

Do Your Dance!

---

Al Jarreau - Tenderness

Styles: Jazz, vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:39
Size: 168,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Mas Que Nada
(7:36)  2. Try A Little Tenderness
(6:05)  3. Your Song
(5:21)  4. My Favorite Things (Feat. Kathleen Battle)
(7:39)  5. She's Leaving Home
(6:17)  6. Summertime
(6:04)  7. We Got By (Feat. David Sanborn)
(5:54)  8. Save Your Love For Me
(5:26)  9. You Don't See Me
(5:52) 10. Wait For The Magic
(5:24) 11. Dinosaur
(5:42) 12. Go Away Little Girl

Rather than do a strictly studio or strictly live album next, Jarreau recorded a "live in the studio" affair before an invited audience and this time he would not be bothered with the latest new mediocre R&B tunes. Spreading his net from the Gershwins through Lennon-McCartney to Jorge Ben, Elton John and himself, Jarreau assembled a core band that includes vets like Joe Sample, Steve Gadd, the late Eric Gale, and producer Marcus Miller and turned himself loose on the songs with a freedom that hasn't been heard extensively on his records since the '70s. As then, he transplants standards of whatever school into his own cross-genre idiom, squeezing his tone through the syllables and flashing his speed scatting. He produces some lovingly drawn-out reprises of "She's Leaving Home" and "We Got By," a semi-funk "Summertime" with echoes of Gil Evans in the horns, and fits into the rapid-fire "Mas Que Nada" in the Brazilian manner-born. Opera diva Kathleen Battle's breathless coloratura soprano makes for an odd, unsettling contrast with Jarreau's snake-like wanderings in "My Favorite Things" (the only track recorded at a separate session in New York; the others were cut in L.A.); Michael Brecker's tenor sax adds a third alien voice to the mix. Those who were first drawn to Jarreau from his live and recorded performances of the mid-'70s are going to like this CD and this time, the new material ("Wait for the Magic," "Dinosaur") is not only interesting and thought-provoking, it makes good use of Jarreau's voice. As with Live In London, a home video of the sessions is available, but contains only ten tracks. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/tenderness-mw0000624282

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn (tracks: 6; 7), Kenny Garrett (tracks: 8);  Backing Vocals – Jeff Ramsey, Sharon Young, Stacy Campbell;  Bass – Marcus Miller;  Drums – Steve Gadd;  Guitar – Eric Gale, Paul Jackson Jr. (tracks: 1);  Keyboards – Joe Sample, Neil Larsen; Percussion – Bashiri Johnson (tracks: 4), Don Alias (tracks: 11), Paulinho Da Costa;  Producer – Marcus Miller;  Synthesizer – Jason Miles (tracks: 4), Philippe Saisse;  Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker (tracks: 4);  Trumpet – Michael "Patches" Stewart;  Vocals – Al Jarreau, Kathleen Battle (tracks: 4)

Tenderness

---