Bill Mays - Mays In Manhattan

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:36
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:46) 1. Manhattan
(5:22) 2. Summer In Central Park
(6:25) 3. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group)
(9:34) 4. New York State Of Mind
(6:33) 5. All Accross The City
(6:48) 6. Sunday In New York
(6:19) 7. 317 E. 32nd St.
(9:35) 8. Autumn In New York
(6:12) 9. '39 World's Fair

Bill Mays is a California native, but like many jazz musicians, he was drawn to live in New York City. This session is made up of songs about the Big Apple, though they come from a wide range of composers: Broadway, jazz, and pop. On four of the tracks, Mays expands his trio to a sextet, adding alto saxophonist Jon Gordon, trombonist Ed Neumeister, and trumpeter/flügelhornist Marvin Stamm.

The boisterous take of Richard Rodgers' "Manhattan" makes it seem like a cool, breezy spring day. Stamm switches to flügelhorn for Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind," in which Neumeister adds a mute (for the introduction) to carry on the "ya-ya" tradition begun by Duke Ellington's star trombonist, Tricky Sam Nanton; the piece then shifts gears to suggest a leisurely stroll in the park on a sunny day. The trio selections include a brisk interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's "U.M.M.G." (showcasing bassist Sean Smith extensively) and Lennie Tristano's tricky "317 East 32nd Street." This highly recommended CD has unfortunately been deleted from the Concord catalog.
By Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/mays-in-manhattan-mw0000085036

Personnel: Piano – Bill Mays; Alto Saxophone – Jon Gordon (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8); Bass – Sean Smith; Cornet – Marvin Stamm (tracks: 6); Drums – Tim Horner; Flugelhorn – Marvin Stamm (tracks: 4, 8); Trombone – Ed Neumeister (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8); Trumpet – Marvin Stamm (tracks: 1).

Mays In Manhattan

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Marvin Stamm - Stammpede

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:12
Size: 79,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Oriental Spice
(4:14)  2. Los Samana
(3:37)  3. Powerplay
(4:23)  4. Coming Attractions
(3:57)  5. Stammpede
(5:23)  6. Masque Afrique
(4:53)  7. By Torchlight
(3:17)  8. Carnevale

An excellent bop-based trumpeter and a busy session player during much of his career, Marvin Stamm has long been a flexible player. He started on trumpet when he was 12 and later studied at North Texas State University. Stamm was with Stan Kenton's Mellophonium Orchestra during 1961-1963 (getting occasional solos) and played with Woody Herman during 1965-1966. He gained some recognition for his playing with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1966-1972), but spent much of his time during the next two decades in the studios. Stamm, who performed with Benny Goodman during 1974-1975 and toured with George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band in 1987, has since concentrated much more on jazz playing, and his Music Masters releases are good examples of his talents. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/marvin-stamm-mn0000857448/biography

Personnel: Trumpet – Allen Rubin, Marvin Stamm; Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Lou Marini; Baritone Saxophone – Ronnie Cuber; Bass – Marcus Miller; Drums – Ronnie Zito; Guitar – John Tropea; Keyboards – Kenny Ascher; Percussion – Susan Evans; Synthesizer – Chris Palmaro; Tenor Saxophone – Dave Tofani; Trombone – Jim Pugh; Vocals – Kasey Cisyk

Stammpede

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Marvin Stamm - Mystery Man

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:05
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Mark Time
(6:33)  2. Influence
(6:54)  3. Marionette
(7:51)  4. Man With the Cucumber (Mannen Med Gurkan)
(6:10)  5. Re-Re
(7:34)  6. Giuseppe
(6:07)  7. Old Ballad
(8:15)  8. Mystery Man
(6:13)  9. A Method To The Madness
(3:45) 10. My Funny Valentine

Trumpeter Marvin Stamm, rather than drag out the usual bebop standards, mostly introduces new material on his CD. Four songs are played by Berg's quartet with pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Mike Richmond, and drummer Terry Clarke; six add Bob Mintzer's tenor, and of those songs, three find Bob Malach (on tenor and soprano) making the band a sextet. Because Stamm paid as much attention to varying tempos and moods as he did to changing the instrumentation, this set holds one's interest throughout, swinging hard in a modern fashion. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/mystery-man-mw0000619145

Personnel: Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Marvin Stamm;  Bass – Mike Richmond; Drums – Terry Clarke; Piano – Bill Charlap; Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer , Bob Malach

Mystery Man

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Marvin Stamm Quartet - Alone Together

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:35
Size: 169,1 MB
Art: Front

(13:51)  1. Alone Together
( 9:35)  2. Come Out and Play
(13:30)  3. Invitation
( 7:35)  4. Baubles, Bangles, and Beads
( 7:09)  5. Lagrima Agradecida
( 6:16)  6. Fun House
( 6:49)  7. When She Looks At Me
( 8:48)  8. T's Butter

Alone Together is not only another splendid album by trumpeter Marvin Stamm's quartet (does he ever produce anything less?), it also comes with a bonus a Dvd whose playing sequence duplicates the Cd and allows one to see and hear Stamm, pianist Bill Mays, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ed Soph as they study one another, alertly interact and carefully work things out in a concert taped on November 2006. The quartet as it now stands has been performing together for more than a dozen years, and the rapport and camaraderie are readily apparent. These gentlemen are longtime friends who obviously take pleasure in playing together. You can hear it on the Cd, and see it in their faces on the Dvd. Stamm underscores the point in his cogent liner notes: "Our sensitivity to one another is the only boundary; and because this is an innate quality within each of us, it allows us complete freedom of expression. This is the joy of our playing together. 

That freedom is immediately visible on "Alone Together, on which Mays "plucks the piano strings to lend a bracing twist to his solo, and surfaces elsewhere throughout the invigorating session. This is especially true on Mays' playful "Fun House, which swings happily along behind gregarious solos by Mays and Stamm. Mays also wrote "Lagrima Agradecida, Stamm the ballad "When She Looks at Me and the mercurial "T's Butter, Reid the lively "Come Out and Play. Completing the program are Bronislau Kaper's haunting "Invitation, Robert Wright and George Forrest's "Baubles, Bangles and Beads (from the Broadway musical Kismet) and the title song by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. The recording is crystal clear, albeit slanted a bit too heavily toward Mays' piano. No problem during solos, but his comping is at times intrusive. Not his fault, of course. Soph and Reid fare better, balance-wise. Reid has a number of tasteful solos, while Soph unleashes his impressive arsenal on "T's Butter, following the last of Stamm's admirable solos. As both the Cd and Dvd have playing times approaching an hour and a quarter, there's no cause for complaint in that area. Any written appraisal, of course, only scratches the surface. As Stamm observes, "One can talk and write about the music, but in reality, it is all in the listening. The suggestion here is that you take his advice and listen (and see) for yourself. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/alone-together-marvin-stamm-jazzed-media-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Marvin Stamm: trumpet, flugelhorn; Bill Mays: piano; Rufus Reid: bass; Ed Soph: drums.

Alone Together

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