Kevin Hays - All Things Are

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:45) 1. New Day
( 9:54) 2. Elegia
( 3:36) 3. Unscrappulous
(11:52) 4. For Heaven's Sake
( 9:35) 5. All Things Are
( 8:05) 6. Sweet Caroline
( 9:45) 7. Twilight

You can tell the heat of the trio by the laughter boiling over. Not in all cases, admittedly, but for this session, the exhortations and chuckles, picked up by the mic, drive drummer Billy Hart, bassist Ben Street, and pianist Kevin Hays with a gentle nudge here, a harder shove there to greater pleasures, in greater complexities, even as they start in simplicity.

Recorded live on the bandstand of a sans-audience Smoke Jazz Club, this date finds Hays and Hart switching posts between leader and led. The drummer can be a one-man solar system through his cymbals and dry snare, while the piano hops around the stereo spectrum, a fire sometimes banked as Hart muses, sometimes roaring ahead and around. I’m intrigued how Street keeps himself to one side, stereo and muse-wise. But from a little farther back he always comments, astutely, quietly, in wisdom.

Hays states that the virus gave him the chance to improve, practicing at home, but he worried about losing his ability to relate to others. Sounds like he needn’t have worried. Three tunes here stemmed directly from him; three others sprang up as contrafacts of standards. Reworking “All the Things You Are” into “All Things Are” gives you its hint from the new title: leaving things out to put most anything in, thus expanding possibilities from the already-rich cycle of fifths in the original. Street waits patiently for his chance, gets it, and explains everything the other two left out. I grow weary and numb and even cynical watching the news, feeling the grind through my bones; then I hear this, and our race seems worth saving.By By Andrew Hamlin
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/kevin-hays-ben-street-billy-hart-all-things-are-smoke-sessions/

Personnel: Kevin Hays, piano; Ben Street, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

All Things Are

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Al Foster - Reflections

Styles: Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:56
Size: 156,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:20) 1. T.S. Monk
(5:04) 2. Pent-Up House
(7:17) 3. Open Plans
(6:23) 4. Blues on the Corner
(5:32) 5. Anastasia
(8:21) 6. Six
(5:11) 7. Punjab
(6:56) 8. Beat
(4:51) 9. Alone and I
(5:36) 10. Half Nelson
(6:18) 11. Monk's Bossa

On Reflections, Foster revisits the work of several of those peers alongside an inspiring quintet of all-stars: Nicholas Payton, Chris Potter, Kevin Hays, and Vicente Archer.

Throughout the session he propels this supremely talented unit through fresh, vital treatments of well-known and less-traveled numbers by iconic legends Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, and McCoy Tyner, all of whom regarded Foster as their first-call drummer for long portions of his celebrated career at times competing for his services. Band members Payton, Potter, and Hays each contribute a tune apiece, while Foster penned three well-wrought songs, including two homages to Thelonious Monk that bookend the program.

It’s hard to overstate Foster’s contribution to the musical production of the aforementioned giants over his 60 years as a professional. But, as much as Foster likes to wax nostalgic about the past, it’s also evident on every note of this 68-minute gem that he’s fully committed to living in the moment and playing in the here and now. This follow-up to his well-received 2019 Smoke Sessions debut, INSPIRATIONS & DEDICATIONS, is Foster’s fifth leader recording and, as even the notoriously self-critical drummer surprisingly says, “It is my best record Yet." https://jazzbluesnews.com/2022/08/31/cd-review-al-foster-reflections-2022-video-cd-cover/

Personnel: Al Foster – drums; Nicholas Payton – trumpet; Chris Potter – tenor and soprano saxophone; Kevin Hays – piano and Fender Rhodes; Vicente Archer – bass

Reflections

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Klaus Doldinger - Blind Date (Back In New York)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:31
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:22)  1. Friendship
(5:26)  2. Blue Circle
(6:30)  3. Here to Be
(4:59)  4. East River Drive
(4:51)  5. September Song
(5:26)  6. Hasta manana
(6:20)  7. What's New ?
(6:19)  8. Blind Date
(4:37)  9. Erinnerung
(5:36) 10. Stop and Go

Klaus Doldinger, best-known for leading the excellent fusion group Passport in the 1970s and '80s, has had a diverse and episodic career. He started out studying piano in 1947 and clarinet five years later, playing in Dixieland bands in the 1950s. By 1961, he had become a modern tenor saxophonist, working with such top visiting and expatriate Americans as Don Ellis, Johnny Griffin, Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, Donald Byrd, and Kenny Clarke, recording as a leader for Philips, World Pacific, and Liberty. However, in 1970, he initiated a long series of fusion-oriented sessions for Atlantic that featured his tenor, soprano, flute, and occasional keyboards with an electric rhythm section. In addition to writing music for films (including Das Boot) and television in Europe, Doldinger has remained active as a player who occasionally explores his roots in hard bop into the late '90s, but because he has always lived in Europe, he remains underrated in the U.S.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/klaus-doldinger-mn0000101962/biography

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax], Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Klaus Doldinger ; Bass – Ira Coleman; Drums – Victor Lewis; Featuring [Also Featuring], Percussion – Don Ernesto (tracks: 6, 8); Featuring [Also Featuring], Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Stefon Harris (tracks: 4, 6, 7); Guitar – Peter Bernstein (tracks: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10); Piano – Kevin Hays

Blind Date (Back In New York)

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Kevin Hays - 7th Sense

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:55
Size: 147,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:50)  1. Take The D Flat Train
(6:57)  2. Seventh Sense
(7:13)  3. Three Pillars
(8:24)  4. My Man's Gone Now
(5:47)  5. Interlude
(7:08)  6. Space Acres
(5:06)  7. Little B's Poem
(7:57)  8. East Of The Sun
(4:33)  9. Makyo
(4:57) 10. Black Narcissus

Pianist Kevin Hays' style mixes together the influences of Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner and he helps define the modern mainstream on this Blue Note disc. The quintet set also features plenty of solo space from vibraphonist Steve Nelson and the excellent tenorman Seamus Blake. 

Opening with three Hays originals and also including Hindermith's "Interlude" (which finds the group sounding a little like the Modern Jazz Quartet) and such standards as "My Man's Gone Now" and "East of the Sun," the music pays tribute to the past without becoming predictable or overly derivative. It's a fine release. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/seventh-sense-mw0000114092

Personnel: Kevin Hays - piano;  Seamus Blake - tenor saxophone; Steve Nelson - vibraphone; Doug Weiss - bass; Brian Blade -drums

7th Sense

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Kevin Hays Quintet - Sweet Ear

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:16
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:26)  1. Neptune
(6:39)  2. Sweetear
(4:09)  3. Fun
(6:06)  4. Almost Always
(6:23)  5. You And The Nigth And The Music
(7:09)  6. Beatrice
(6:57)  7. Lonely Woman
(8:23)  8. Judgement

A talented pianist, Kevin Hays grew up in Connecticut and started lessons when he was seven. He made his recording debut with Nick Brignola; toured with the Harper Brothers (1989-1990); and worked with Joshua Redman, Benny Golson, Donald Harrison, Roy Haynes, and Joe Henderson, among others. Kevin Hays recorded three albums with Bob Belden, and in 1994 cut his first record as a leader, Seventh Sense (Blue Note). ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kevin-hays-mn0000082897/biography

Personnel: Piano – Kevin Hays; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Vincent Herring; Bass – James Genus; Drums – Joe Chambers; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson

Sweet Ear

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Ron McClure - Never Forget

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:40
Size: 157,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Halfmoon Again
(7:28)  2. Hello Spring
(4:07)  3. Lament for Lost Heroes
(7:26)  4. Belle
(6:39)  5. Never Forget
(8:41)  6. Hey New Day
(6:12)  7. We'll Say Hello Again
(6:32)  8. Illusions Of ...
(6:23)  9. Stinky Fingers
(9:16) 10. Remember Me

A resourceful and flexible bassist, Ron McClure has thrived in hard bop, jazz-rock, and free and bebop sessions and bands. One of the finest upper register players on either acoustic or electric, his rhythmic skills are tremendous. McClure has also been an active educator since the early '70s, teaching at Berklee and Long Island University and doing workshops both nationally and internationally. He started on piano at age five, and later played accordion and bass. McClure studied privately with Joseph Iadone and attended the Hartt School of Music, graduating in 1963. He later studied composition with Hall Overton and Don Sebesky. McClure played with Buddy Rich in the mid-'60s, and worked and recorded with Marian McPartland, Herbie Mann, and Maynard Ferguson during that same period. McClure played in Wyton Kelly's band in 1966, then joined Charles Lloyd in 1967. The Lloyd group also included Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette, and enjoyed unusual popularity and publicity for a late-'60s jazz band. They were the first American group to play at a Soviet jazz festival, and also appeared at the Fillmore, one of the few jazz acts to play there. McClure was a founding member of the jazz-rock band the Fourth Way -- with Michael White, Mike Nock, and Eddie Marshall -- in 1968. They got a good response at the Newport and Montreux festivals in 1970, but disbanded in 1971 after a three-year stint. During the '70s, McClure played with Joe Henderson, Gary Burton, Mose Allison, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Thelonious Monk, Tony Bennett, and Jarrett. He recorded with Jerry Hahn, Julian Priester, Cal Tjader, and the Pointer Sisters, and spent three years with Blood, Sweat & Tears in the mid-'70s. McClure played and recorded with George Russell, Tom Harrell, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Mark Gray, Jimmy Madison, Adam Nussbaum, Richie Bierarch, Vincent Herring, Kevin Hayes, Bill Stewart, and Michel Petrucciani in the '80s and '90s. McClure has done sessions as a leader for Ode, Bellaphon, EPC, Steeplechase, and Ken Music. He has a few dates available on CD. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ron-mcclure-mn0000831201/biography 

Personnel: Bass – Ron McClure; Alto Saxophone – Vincent Herring; Drums – Bill Stewart; Piano – Kevin Hays; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson

Never Forget

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Jon Gordon - Jon Gordon Quartet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:53
Size: 177,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:48)  1. One For Charles
( 7:30)  2. The Trust Of A Child
( 6:23)  3. Evidence
( 6:04)  4. Time Trap
( 6:25)  5. What's New
( 6:53)  6. Land Of Ephysus
( 7:18)  7. My Shining Hour
(10:07)  8. Earth Song
( 5:36)  9. Pass It On, Jon
(14:46) 10. Jazzspeak

Jon Gordon's U.S. debut as a leader is an impressive start. Clearly one to watch on his main instrument, alto sax, he kicks things off with an uptempo, somewhat exotic original, "One for Charles." He also has a nice sound on the soprano on his engaging ballad "The Trust of a Child." The strong supporting cast was a functioning quartet at the time of the recording: pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Bill Stewart. Gordon was also clearly inspired by his former teacher, Phil Woods, who is present on several tracks, including an original dedicated to the younger man, "Pass It On, Jon." ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jon-gordon-quartet-mw0000932334

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Jon Gordon;  Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods; Bass – Scott Colley; Drums – Bill Stewart; Piano – Kevin Hays

Jon Gordon Quartet

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Eli Degibri & Kevin Hays Duo - One Little Song

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:21
Size: 131,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Spinster
(8:08)  2. Gypsy
(4:59)  3. E.T.
(2:50)  4. Fax To Roni
(8:23)  5. Wish
(6:03)  6. Night In Portugal
(6:55)  7. 8 Ball
(5:20)  8. Cuba
(5:35)  9. What Remains
(3:37) 10. One Little Song

Herbie Hancock noticed Eli Degibiri early. In 1999, the venerable pianist selected the then-unknown saxophonist to perform internationally with his group, citing Eli’s “natural ability toward effective teamwork, focus, willingness to listen, and eagerness to learn, the caliber of which is a rare find in jazz today.” Hancock saw potential: “Eli’s music treads uncharted waters…he has the potential to be a formidable force in the evolution of jazz.” In the last decade, Eli has recorded five albums as a leader, and toured with veterans such as Al Foster, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Eric Reed and the Mingus Big Band. “Don’t miss him,” cautions Ben Ratliff in The New York Times, “He is a very modern improviser, super-artful; his creations are spiky and fractured, but immaculately sculptured.” Kevin Hays has known Brad Mehldau for years; their relationship dates back to high school. On the subject of Hays, his fellow pianist exclaims, “Stellar! Kevin Hays is a true original. Everything he plays has a deep intelligence and swing.” The two artists recently recorded together for the Nonesuch imprint, which is among the latest of Kevin’s dozen releases as a leader or co-leader on labels such as Blue Note, Artist Share, and Steeplechase. Kevin is also highly in-demand as a sideperson, having performed and/or recorded with the likes of Eddie Henderson, Nicholas Payton, Jack DeJohnette, and John Scofield, who proclaims, “[Kevin]’s all-encompassing; phenomenally so!” We’ve been presenting both Eli and Kevin’s groups intermittently since 2002, and we look forward to the second performance by the duo at The Gallery this Thursday, April 26th. This show will launch a short tour for the pair, which also includes stops at An die Musik LIVE (Baltimore), Dazzle (Denver), and SFJAZZ’s Israeli JazzFest (San Francisco). You can stream tracks from One Little Song courtesy of our friends at SFJAZZ (the audio player is on the right towards the bottom). http://www.jazzspeaks.org/eli-degibri-kevin-hays-one-little-song/

Personnel:  Eli Degibri, tenor, soprano sax, vocals; Kevin Hays, piano.

One Little Song

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Rick Margitza - Hands Of Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:39
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:31)  1. Hands Of Time
(5:47)  2. Hip Bop
(6:54)  3. Embraceable You
(7:06)  4. How Things Are At Home
(8:33)  5. Forty Five Pound Hound
(6:56)  6. At Long Last
(7:49)  7. Cultural Elite

For this modern straight-ahead set, Rick Margitza (heard on both tenor and soprano) performs six of his challenging originals plus "Embraceable You." The latter, whose melody is given some altered notes that do not help and make things sound sour, is a low point. However, Margitza sounds much stronger on his originals, particularly the boogaloo "Hip Bop," the medium-tempo blues "Forty Five Pound Hound," and the joyful "At Long Last." His rhythm section is excellent (bassist George Mraz is particularly responsive to the saxophonist's playing), and Margitza sounds in prime form, showing individuality on both of his horns. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/hands-of-time-mw0000645101

Personnel: Saxophone – Rick Margitza;  Double Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Al Foster; Piano – Kevin Hays

Hands Of Time

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Scott Colley - Seven

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:21
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:50)  1. Fragment
(6:54)  2. Tangled Reality
(6:07)  3. Low Down
(4:10)  4. Don't Rise
(4:53)  5. Few Words
(6:52)  6. Bridge of Dawn
(4:50)  7. The Return
(5:06)  8. Legacy
(2:35)  9. Three Visitors

Multi-Grammy nominated Scott Colley, “one of the leading bassists of our post-bop era, and a composer- bandleader ofquietly serious resolve,” has composed incredible new works for his recently formed band, Current, which features trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, drummer Nate Smith, and pianist Kevin Hays. ArtistShare is proud to submit Scott’s stunning new recording, Seven, for nomination consideration in the 60th Grammy Awards. The writing and performance is unparalleled, combining beautiful melodicism with exhilarating rhythmic structures. The band navigates sometimes surprising territory, including Kevin Hays’ vocal performance on “Don’t Rise.”~ Brian Camelio https://news.allaboutjazz.com/artistshare-is-proud-to-submit-scott-colleys-seven-for-nomination-consideration-in-the-60th-grammy-awards.php

Personnel:  Acoustic Bass, Composed By, Arranged By, Photography By [Cover] – Scott Colley; Drums – Nate Smith; Piano, Vocals – Kevin Hays; Trumpet – Jonathan Finlayson

Seven

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Don Braden - Landing Zone

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:40
Size: 134,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Landing Zone
(5:48)  2. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
(7:58)  3. Nightline
(7:10)  4. Body And Soul
(1:47)  5. The Break
(6:21)  6. Hillside
(7:06)  7. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(5:11)  8. Have You Met Miss Jones
(7:51)  9. A Blue Spree
(3:03) 10. Amsterdam Jam
(1:26) 11. Quadralog

Tenor saxophonist Don Braden is a highly-competent young hard bopper with an attractively reedy tone, flexible technique, and a sure sense of time. This is a straightahead jazz album like dozens of others released in the mid-to-late '90s  better than many, no different from most. Pleasant, untroubling, and ultimately forgettable. Braden's a decent player who might have the potential to be something more. His is an agreeable musical personality, but he's got some stretching to do if he wants to make a lasting contribution. ~ Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/album/landing-zone-mw0000627954

Personnel:  Don Braden - tenor saxophone;  Kevin Hays - piano;  Cecil Brooks III - drums;  Joris Teepe - bass

Landing Zone

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Brad Mehldau, Kevin Hays - Modern Music

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:48
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:21)  1. Crazy Quilt
(6:25)  2. Unrequited
(5:12)  3. Generatrix
(2:57)  4. Celtic Folk Melody
(5:18)  5. Excerpt From Music For 18 Musicians
(6:27)  6. Lonely Woman
(5:00)  7. Modern Music
(6:19)  8. Elegia
(3:46)  9. Excerpt From String Quartet No. 5

Modern Music, the collaborative recording between longtime colleagues and jazz pianists Brad Mehldau and Kevin Hays, and composer and arranger Patrick Zimmerli (a mutual friend of both) is startling for its deep reliance on modern classical technique and arrangements. Certainly, Mehldau is known for dabbling in all sorts of music, from pop to classical on his recordings and in live performance. Hays, too, has branched out in recent years, from his signature, intelligent, hard swinging post-bop approach to include compositions with modern classical touches, such as those found on Piano Works, Vol. III. Zimmerli, who wrote the charts for this session, played saxophone in his younger years. He composed and chose the lion's share of the material. Three pieces are by Zimmerli, while Mehldau and Hays contribute one each; there are also readings of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," an excerpt from Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians," and one from Philip Glass' "String Quartet No. 5." Those seeking a jazz recording should look elsewhere; even Coleman's standard is overly formal, with Mehldau (right channel) playing the melody in various voicings as Hays creates pulsing rhythmic and harmonic patterns in the middle and high registers. The latter begins to swing a bit toward the middle of the tune as Mehldau takes the rhythm line, but even here, the counterpoint dialogue Hays creates moves it far from the beautiful, droning center of Coleman's work. The section from Reich's work, which attempts, in its way, to imitate the mallet instruments, isn't nearly as forceful or convincing. Those complaints aside, Zimmerli's compositions, sauch as "Crazy Quilt," "Modern Music," and "Generatrix," with their busy palettes, intricate cross-keyboard dialogues, and contrapuntal studies are all deeply satisfying. His sense of melody is found in rhythmic approaches; his stuttering half-steps and tonal shifts are especially notable for their ability to play off both pianist's technical and melodic gifts, for all their busy-ness. Hays' "Elegia," too, for its seeming moodiness is more pastoral than one would gather by its title. In sum, Modern Music totals what its title promises, it's not a jazz album, but one in which new considerations of harmonic composition and intra-instrument dialogue are readily apparent and delivered upon with discipline as well as verve. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/modern-music-mw0002184441

Personnel:  Brad Mehldau – piano;  Kevin Hays – piano.

Modern Music

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Steve Gadd Band - Steve Gadd Band

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:59
Size: 132,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. I Know, But Tell Me Again
(5:20)  2. Auckland by Numbers
(4:14)  3. Where's Earth
(6:36)  4. Foameopathy
(4:49)  5. Skulk
(5:08)  6. Norma's Girl
(6:35)  7. Rat Race
(4:12)  8. One Point Five
(3:41)  9. Temporary Fault
(4:53) 10. Spring Song
(5:35) 11. Timpanogos

This tasty set is the fourth from the airtight Steve Gadd Band. Atop Gadd’s distinctly supple sense of groove, we hear master pianist Kevin Hays (in for Larry Goldings) playing lots of earthy Rhodes with just the right touch and singing on “Spring Song.” Michael Landau provides rhythmic snap and bluesy bite on guitar. Trumpeter Walt Fowler brings melodic focus with an unhurried, crystalline tone. Longtime Allan Holdsworth bassist Jimmy Johnson stays straightforward and in the pocket while hugging every compositional curve, not least on Holdsworth’s composition “Temporary Fault.” ~ Editor's Notes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/steve-gadd-band-feat-walt-fowler-kevin-hays-jimmy-johnson/1343432193

Personnel:  Steve Gadd Band (drums), Kevin Hays (keyboards, vocals), Walt Fowler (trumpet/flugelhorn), Jimmy Johnson (bass), Michael Landau (guitars)

Steve Gadd Band

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Benny Golson - Up Jumped Benny

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:32
Size: 164,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:48)  1. Up Jumped Spring
( 8:47)  2. Stablemates
( 0:23)  3. Talk Intro
(10:45)  4. Tiny Capers
( 0:24)  5. Talk Intro
(15:22)  6. I Remember Clifford
( 6:32)  7. For Old Time Sake
(10:02)  8. Whisper Not
(10:25)  9. Gypsy Jingle Jangle

Benny Golson had not appeared on an American jazz label in a long time, so Bob Karcy of Arkadia Jazz stepped in where others feared to tread, issuing this live gig from a jazz club somewhere in Switzerland on the last day of a tour. Armed with a rhythm section of competent young players (Kevin Hays, piano; Dwayne Burno, bass; Carl Allen, drums), Golson takes his dusky tenor sax tone frequently into Coltrane extended harmonic country when the tempos are up, his head figuratively in the clouds above the occasionally combustible trio. Yet he also ruminates in an almost withdrawn manner at ballad tempo on a lengthy treatment of his jazz standard "I Remember Clifford," concluding with a quiet solo elegy for Brownie based on a tenor (the vocal species) aria from Puccini's Tosca. Stanley Crouch's liner notes are full of his usual respect-your-elders blather and the sound quality is boxy, but Golson's fans will feel fortunate to have this. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/up-jumped-benny-mw0000595037

Personnel: Benny Golson (tenor saxophone); Kevin Hays (piano); Dwayne Burno (bass); Carl Allen (drums).

Up Jumped Benny

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Louis Smith Sextet - Strike Up The Band

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:44
Size: 159,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:31)  1. I Hear A Rhapsody (Frejus-Baker-Gasparre)
( 6:33)  2. It's All Right (Edwards)
( 8:15)  3. Don't Misunderstand (Parks)
( 7:38)  4. Edwaa (L. Smith)
(10:45)  5. Stablemates (B. Golson)
( 9:06)  6. Lover (Rodgers)
( 9:10)  7. Night and Day (C. Porter)
( 7:43)  8. Strike Up The Band (Gershwin)

This session, under the leadership of trumpeter Louis Smith, brings hard bop veterans together with a couple newcomers who were at the time helping to revive the style. This is the kind of recording session where one gets a taste of the fireworks that would result from a live jam session featuring the participants. Each soloist launches into the heart of the tune, cutting out the preliminaries and never reaching the heights more extended blowing would allow. Each song gives the frontline and pianist Kevin Hays a chance to have their say. The hornmen have complementary yet distinctive approaches. Tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, like Smith a former member of Horace Silver's combo, is a study in soulful reserve, whittling statements from the grain of the tunes. Alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, in contrast, plays with barely restrained passion. He can't seem to wait to burst into doubletime. On &"Stablemates" he picks up Cook's last phrase and rips ahead like the anchor runner on a relay team. The leader's style has Cook's restraint matched with Herring's penchant for rapid fire runs. No matter how fast he plays, though, he never loses his knack for plucking the plumpest notes off the chords. That harmonic structure is well rooted by the rhythm section, especially bassist Steve LaSpina. On the ballad &"Don't Misunderstand", LaSpina burrows deep to create a melodic as well as harmonic counterline to Smith's tender theme and variations. 

~ David Dupont https://www.allmusic.com/album/strike-up-the-band-mw0000978277  

Personnel:  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Louis Smith ;  Alto Saxophone – Vincent Herring;  Bass – Steve LaSpina;  Drums – Leroy Williams;  Piano – Kevin Hays;  Tenor Saxophone – Junior Cook

Strike Up The Band

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Terell Stafford - Forgive and Forget

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:31
Size: 155,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:17)  1. No, No, No (That Ain't the Way It Go)
( 6:00)  2. A Two-Per to Fill
(10:01)  3. Forgive and Forget
( 5:25)  4. The Owl Express
( 8:51)  5. The Tint Train
( 8:45)  6. Please Rest My Soul
( 6:10)  7. No, No, No (That Ain't the Way It Go) [Take 2]
( 5:16)  8. The Owl Local (No Passengers!)
(10:43)  9. Some Many Second Chances

Veteran trumpeter Terell Stafford delivers the second installment of saxophonist Herb Harris's dynamic "Jazz Masters Unlimited" series production, with the unveiling of Forgive and Forget, providing a forum for Stafford's talents and improvisational skills. Showcasing a repertoire penned and arranged by Harris, the trumpeter surrounds himself with a formidable quintet that makes his performance here much easier to appreciate. The A-list of players appearing with Stafford include tenor saxophonist extraordinaire Tim Warfield who served as the first masters series feature and a musical collaborator of the trumpeter for over thirty-years. Pianist Kevin Hays introduces the opening statement "No, No, No, (That Ain't The Way It Go)," with light key work on essentially a waltz-styled arrangement featuring stylish powerful solo moments from the leader, Warfield's strong tenor voice and stellar support from the rhythm players, bassist Greg Williamson, drummer Rodney Green and of course Hayes on the keys. 

A piece with such an impressive tone and color, it's repeated here on a second version or a "Take 2" that's just as invigorating but a tad shorter. One of the highlights and keeper of this recording, has to be the bluesy-tinged "A Two-Per to Fill" where Warfield fires the opening salvo and Stafford returns the favor with a dicey trumpet solo that energizes the tune for one memorable number. The lengthy title track captures Stafford on the muted horn delivering respectful moments on a solemn delicate ballad highlighting pianist Hays and the drummer with soft brush work on a graceful piece of music. In stark contrast to the warm title piece, "The Owl Express" releases the hard bop juices that have been percolating underneath and features the entire group in a fast-pace tempo making this tune quite irresistible. Other notable tracks include melodic "The Tint Train" where Stafford's high-pitch trumpet play is at its best, the soft and gentle ballad "Please Rest My Soul" and the swinging finale "Some Many Second Chances." With over twenty-years of experience performing on the world stage of jazz, there's little doubt that Terell Stafford is a master and Forgive and Forget is an excellent vehicle confirming that status. A trumpeter who wields the instrument with versatility and power, this one master who puts it altogether here in a master performance anyone can appreciate, well done! ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/forgive-and-forget-terell-stafford-herb-harris-music-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Terell Stafford: trumpet; Tim Warfield: tenor saxophone; Kevin Hays: piano; Greg Williams: bass; Rodney Green: drums.

Forgive and Forget

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Kevin Hays New Day Trio - North

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:54
Size: 142,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Scrapple from the Apple
(7:46)  2. Elegia
(6:47)  3. Violetta
(7:30)  4. Schumann's Chamisso
(5:43)  5. Sweet Caroline
(6:21)  6. Where Did You Sleep Last Night
(5:35)  7. All Things Are
(5:47)  8. North
(7:43)  9. I'll Remember April
(4:44) 10. Morning

The second album from the Kevin Hays New Day Trio does and doesn't follow in its predecessor's footsteps. On one hand you can argue that it's completely different, as Hays doesn't sing on this one and there are no guests to speak of here; on the other, you can certainly opine that the overt lyricism in this music, forged through Hays' fingers and enhanced by the extremely interactive and empathetic team of bassist Rob Jost and drummer Greg Joseph, is a clear link to New Day (Sunnyside, 2015). In truth, both thought camps are probably right. Hays has managed to tinker with the fine balance of musical distinctiveness and directional mutability in his work for more than two decades, so why should things be any different with this group? Better to simply enjoy this to-die-for music than split hairs over album-to-album connectivity.  North's name was born through historical and personal ties for Hays, referencing everything from Harlem's musical riches to the pianist's former upstate New York home/sanctuary to a metaphorical ideal. It's an album built on a specific platform of thought, but it's not a work that fixes the compass on a single point. In fact, the variety is quite staggering when you start to think about it: A twisted and spiked take on Charlie Parker's "Scrapple From The Apple" sits beside a sorrowful-turned-scintillating "Elegia"; a Chilean folk pastoral, painted freely by Hays' piano and Jost's ukulele, serves as a prelude to an excitable 5/4 romp on "Violetta"; staid socializing leads toward waltzing wonders through classical borrowings on "Schumann's Chamisso"; and funky feelings rule the day on "Sweet Caroline" a Hays original, not the Neil Diamond party warhorse. All of that sits within the incredibly gratifying first half of the album.  The five tracks that follow continue to speak to Hays' creativity, both as a composer, interpreter, and conceptualist. Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep" points both to its deep folk-blues spirit and sunnier aspirations, the swinging "All Things Are" emerges from the roots of the eternal "All The Things You Are" and grows in different directions, the title track is both a reflection and a respite, and "I'll Remember April" bounces along on a 6/8 carriage and gets a slightly darker and more intriguing coat of harmonic paint than what's customarily used. Then album's end cites day's beginning on the ever-evolving yet melodically moored "Morning." It's certainly a clear sendoff, but it also brings you back, inviting another listen each and every time. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/north-kevin-hays-new-day-trio-sunnyside-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Kevin Hays: piano; Rob Jost: bass, ukulele; Greg Joseph: drums.

North

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Kevin Hays Trio - Ugly Beauty

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:38
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:00)  1. Shade Of Jade
(6:28)  2. Chelsea Bridge
(7:00)  3. The Well
(6:59)  4. Ugly Beauty
(5:50)  5. Pompeian
(7:57)  6. Detour Ahead
(6:32)  7. Big Nick
(6:14)  8. How The Mighty Fall
(6:34)  9. United

Kevin Hays was only 23 at the time of this recording and hadn't quite developed the hallmarks of his own style. Still, this is clearly the work of a prodigious talent. Joined by Larry Grenadier on bass and Jeff Williams on drums, the pianist tackles difficult music by post-bop greats Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Wayne Shorter, and John Coltrane. He does beautiful work with the standard ballads "Chelsea Bridge" and "Detour Ahead," as well as the Monk classic "Ugly Beauty." Only one Hays original, "The Well," appears, along with "How the Mighty Fall," a bossa by the underrated tenor saxophonist and composer Patrick Zimmerli. Hays' superior grasp of harmony is quite evident; his improvising while extremely impressive is not as distinctive as it would become in subsequent years. The fact that this is one of only two trio albums in Hays' catalog (as of this writing) makes it all the more interesting. ~ David R. Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/ugly-beauty-mw0000436048

Personnel:  Bass – Larry Grenadier;  Drums – Jeff Williams;  Piano – Kevin Hays

Ugly Beauty

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Kevin Hays - Go Round

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:55)  1. Daybreak
(10:23)  2. Early Evening
(10:33)  3. Go Round
( 5:59)  4. When I Wake
( 6:01)  5. The Run
( 5:54)  6. Sutra
( 8:14)  7. Quiet
(10:19)  8. Invitation
( 2:55)  9. Sutra (Reprise)

Pianist Kevin Hays shows individuality on this CD and he certainly takes chances. The compositions (all but "Invitation" were penned by Hays) must be quite difficult to play because according to the liners "Daybreak" is 12 bars with a couple of bars in 5/4, "The Run" has sections in 5/4, 4/4 and 3/4 in every chorus and "Invitation" is completely altered. Both of the tenors (the obscure Steve Hall and Seemus Blake) somehow manage to sound comfortable and creative in this format which is an extension of the controlled freedom of Wayne Shorter and Andrew Hill. On some tracks Hays plays an electric piano and, with Hall's Shorter-influenced tenor, one thinks of early Weather Report or 1970s Herbie Hancock; Blake adds to the atmosphere by sometimes electrifying his sax. The alert and versatile playing of bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Billy Hart is also quite impressive. This is thought-provoking music that grows in interest over time. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/go-round-mw0000174907

Kevin Hays (piano & Fender Rhodes), Steve Hall (tenor saxophone), Seamus Blake (tenor & soprano saxophone), Doug Weiss (bass), Billy Hart (drums) & Daniel Sadownick (percussion).

Go Round

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Kevin Hays - Crossroad

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 68:30
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

( 6:27)  1. P.S. The Blues
( 8:54)  2. Gaslight
( 7:37)  3. Garden View
( 8:38)  4. Woody's Call
( 9:06)  5. Quartet
( 8:46)  6. Cross Road
( 8:35)  7. Nature Boy
(10:24)  8. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise

A talented pianist, Kevin Hays grew up in Connecticut and started lessons when he was seven. He made his recording debut with Nick Brignola; toured with the Harper Brothers (1989-1990); and worked with Joshua Redman, Benny Golson, Donald Harrison, Roy Haynes, and Joe Henderson, among others. Kevin Hays recorded three albums with Bob Belden, and in 1994 cut his first record as a leader, Seventh Sense (Blue Note). ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kevin-hays/id17271591#fullText

Scott Wendholt (trumpet, flugelhorn) Kevin Hays (piano) Freddie Bryant (guitar) Dwayne Burno (bass) Carl Allen (drums)

Crossroad

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