Cleo Laine - Solitude

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:49
Size: 148,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(5:55)  2. Sophisticated Lady
(3:09)  3. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(4:23)  4. All Too Soon
(3:16)  5. Take All My Loves
(6:18)  6. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(5:09)  7. Love Call (Creole Love Call)
(4:15)  8. Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care To Know?)
(4:25)  9. Solitude
(5:08) 10. Reflections
(3:22) 11. We're Rockin' In Rhythm
(3:39) 12. Come Sunday
(3:48) 13. September Rain (Chelsea Bridge)
(6:39) 14. Cleo's 'A' Train

Rather than being guests, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth have lent their names to the Duke Ellington Orchestra, giving them considerable control over the session; while Mercer Ellington is listed as leader, the conductor and principal arranger is Dankworth. One unfortunate result of this arrangement is that some of the offerings are "based on variations or adaptations" of the original Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn compositions. Thus, "Chelsea Bridge" comes out "September Rain," and "Take the 'A' Train" is "Cleo's 'A' Train." Neither come off well and the latter title is presumptuous. "We're Rockin' in Rhythm" has its moments, especially Dankworth's clarinet solo in the style of Jimmy Hamilton. The best "variation" is "Love Call," based on "Creole Love Call." Laine's version in no way replaces the 1927 Adelaide Hall recording with Ellington, but her voice is well-suited to this early Duke classic. The dubbing of Ellington's piano on "Solitude" (through the wonders of technology) is just grotesque. Fortunately, Laine and Dankworth stick to the real thing for most of the cuts, putting their interpretative imprimatur on Ellington and/or Strayhorn masterpieces. Laine's reading of "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" is one the better renderings of this tune. She seems to have an affection for this song, having recorded it at least twice before. "All Too Soon," with Barry Lee Hall's trumpet and Shelley Paul's tenor playing behind Laine, is another highlight of this session. As long as Laine and Dankworth stick to the Ellington musical script, this album is a welcome addition to the "...With the Duke Ellington Orchestra" catalog. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/solitude-mw0000172947

Personnel: Cleo Laine (vocals); Jay Brandford (flute, baritone saxophone); Johnny Dankworth, Mark Gross (clarinet, alto saxophone); Patience Higgins (alto saxophone); Barry Hall (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ron Tooley (trumpet); Art Baron (trombone); Ray Harris (bass trombone).

Solitude

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Delfeayo Marsalis - Sweet Thunder

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:28
Size: 164,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. Such Sweet Thunder
(2:38)  2. Sonnet for Sister Kate
(4:48)  3. Sonnet to Hank Cinq
(9:24)  4. Half the Fun
(3:09)  5. Up & Down, Up & Down
(5:07)  6. Madness in Great Ones
(6:30)  7. Star-Crossed Lovers
(8:11)  8. Sonnet in Search of a Moor
(5:37)  9. The Telecasters
(7:53) 10. Sonnet for Caesar
(3:39) 11. Lady Mac
(8:19) 12. Circle of Fourths

Acclaimed trombonist and member of the first family of jazz, Delfeayo Marsalis launches Sweet Thunder: Duke & Shak, an original theatrical jazz production culled from live performances in thirty-six locations across the country. The play was born from Marsalis' affinity for the music of Duke Ellington and the poetry of Shakespeare: first brought to the musical stage in the 1957 production of Such Sweet Thunder at the Shakespeare Festival I Stratford, Canada. Both Ellington and Billy Strayhorn were invited to compose music in tribute to The Bard, and came up with 15 compositions for that date. Sweet Thunder streamlines Ellington and Strayhorn's original charts into a 12-movement suite, bringing an all-star list of players, including brothers Branford Marsalis and Jason Marsalis. for the recording. Staying true to Ellington's original compositions for an octet, the majority of the pieces employ an eight-man ensemble, featuring a solid horn section including soprano saxophonist Victor Goines (when Branford is not playing), altoist Mark Gross, trumpeter Tiger Okoshi, and baritone saxophonist Jason W. Marshall. When Jason Marsalis is not doing the honors, renowned drummer Winard Harper steps in, while piano great Mulgrew Miller rounds out the rhythm section.

The disc is a departure from the original Such Sweet Thunder in that Marsalis, the arranger, adds his own personal touch to the original music, injecting New Orlean-style melodic alterations along with some elements of blues, and the inclusion of poignant ballads like "Star-Crossed Lovers," "Sonnet for Caesar" and "Lady Mac." The opening title track come across a bit bluesy, with Branford leading the way on a sultry soprano march, as Delfeayo joins in with a little thunder of his own. "Sonnet to Hank Cinq" features swinging solos from each member of the horn section, providing the repertoire's first up-tempo burner. With Jason on percussions and Harper on drums, "Half the Fun" kicks in with percussive flair, as Okoshi and Branford drive music reminiscent of a snake charmer's chant. Sounding more like a traditional big band chart à la Ellington, "Sonnet In Search of A Moor" is perhaps the only classical big band pieces here, with Jason weighing in with a furious performance. A touch of New Orleans can be heard tracks including "The Telecasters" and "Up & Down, Up & Down," while the boppish, straight-ahead closer, "Circle of Fourths," highlights sizzling solos from both the Delfeayo and tenor saxophonist Mark Shim, with pianist Victor "Red" Atkins adding a closing statement to this remarkable session. The music of Sweet Thunder may not conjure up memorable phrases from the body of William Shakespeare's work, but the words "poetry in motion," seems more than adequate in describing the swing and power Delfeayo Marsalis provides, in this interpretation of a historic musical moment. 

~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sweet-thunder-delfeayo-marsalis-troubadour-jass-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Delfeayo Marsalis: trombone; Branford Marsalis: soprano saxophone; Jason Marsalis: drums (2, 6, 8-10, 12); Winard Harper: drums (1, 3-5, 7, 11); Tiger Okoshi: trumpet (1, 3, 5, 6, 10,11); Mark Gross: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Victor Goines: soprano saxophone (2, 5, 6, 8, 11,); Mark Shim: tenor saxophone (3,12); Jason Marshal: baritone saxophone; Mulgrew Miller: piano (1, 7, 9); Victor "Red" Atkins: piano (3-6, 8, 11, 12); Reginal Veal: bass (1); David Pulphus: bass (3, 4, 7, 9, 10); Charnett Moffet: bass (5, 6, 8, 11, 12).

Sweet Thunder

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Mark Gross - Blackside

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:52
Size: 144,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. On the Backside
(6:27)  2. Evocations
(3:33)  3. Choro Bandido
(5:21)  4. Volare
(4:20)  5. Bangalore
(5:41)  6. Sabe Você
(6:03)  7. Cherry Picker
(9:19)  8. Name Game
(6:44)  9. Straphangin'
(4:40) 10. Meadows
(5:36) 11. Knocks Me Off My Feet

Mark Gross is not a composer and hadn’t headlined an album for many years before Blackside. But the saxophonist does possess ample and esteemed experience in both big bands and small ensembles, and was thus able to assemble a top-notch band for this project. He is also creatively capable in myriad styles, ranging from bop through funk, calypso, R&B and Brazilian pop. All these circumstances made choosing the right material problematically open-ended, but Gross and producer/label owner John Lee resolved the issue by selecting songs they like and believe to be underexposed.

The result is a fascinating collection with a checkerboard sensibility. Tunes associated with Randy and Michael Brecker are prominent in the mix, but none are from the classic Brecker Brothers discs of the mid-’70s. Instead, Gross goes to the group’s final two records in the early ’90s for the brawny funk of “On the Backside” and then “Evocations” (co-written by Michael Brecker and Chris Botti), the latter boasting a creamy arrangement for a chorus of horns. He dips into Randy Brecker’s obscure 1969 disc, Score, for Hal Galper’s “Name Game” (a showcase for trumpeter Freddie Hendrix) and Brecker’s own “Bangalore,” which Gross galvanizes with a bounce and angularity akin to John Coltrane via Michael Brecker. And he reprises the groove-oriented “Straphangin’,” the title tune from a 1980 Brecker Brothers record. All good stuff, but even on the lesser-known material, it is hard to top the Brecker Brothers at their own game.

Ironically, pianist Cyrus Chestnut trumps all the Brecker covers with “Cherry Picker,” which opens like Ramsey Lewis sitting in with the Crusaders and then goes for some radio-friendly funky bop, with Gross growling on alto. Chestnut beautifully supports Gross’ voluptuous horn on “Sabe Você,” one of two pre-Tropicália Brazilian pop songs on Blackside. Another left-field delight is “Volare,” a musical piece of provolone that the superb band (bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Greg Hutchinson round out the core quintet with Gross, Chestnut and Hendrix) dresses up for Broadway and then sidles into a sunny bop-swing swagger. The closer is Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet,” played straight and seductively. ~ Britt Robson  http://jazztimes.com/articles/97420-blackside-mark-gross

Personnel: Mark Gross (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Yotam (guitar); Freddie Hendrix (trumpet, flugelhorn); Cyrus Chestnut (piano, organ); Greg Hutchinson (drums); Vanderlei Pereira (percussion).

Blackside

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