Garrison Fewell - Are You Afraid Of The Dark?

Styles: Guitar Jazz

Year: 1995

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 52:11

Size: 122,3 MB

Art: Front

(6:02)  1. Are You Afraid Of The Dark

(6:27)  2. X-Ray Vision

(4:32)  3. Song Of Her

(8:58  4. Journey To The East 1. The Silk Road 2. Statue

(1:51)  5. The 34 Suite Homage À Ravel

(5:12)  6. The 34 Suite Crossing The Border

(5:43)  7. Ten Directions

(7:17)  8. Alto Blues

(6:06)  9. The Tower Of Kazimierz

One of guitarist Garrison Fewell's main teachers was Pat Martino and one can certainly hear a bit of Martino's searching style on this release, Fewell's second for Accurate. In addition, Fewell's world travels (including lengthy trips to the Middle East and Asia) and his interest in folk music from other countries is sometimes hinted at but in general the program (all but two of the nine selections are his originals) is straightahead modern jazz. Joined by the talented pianist Laslo Gardony, the great veteran bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Matt Wilson, Garrison Fewell performs a well-rounded set of high-quality and consistently swinging music, alternating romps with ballads.By Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/are-you-afraid-of-the-dark-mw0000174493

Personnel: Garrison Fewell (guitar); Laszlo Gardony (piano); Cecil McBee (bass); Matt Wilson (drums).

Are You Afraid Of The Dark?

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Eric Rasmussen - School Of Tristano 1, 2, 3

Album: School Of Tristano 1
Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:29
Size: 142,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:44) 1. Friendlee
(4:30) 2. I Can't Remember
(4:53) 3. Dixie's Dilemna
(6:58) 4. Backgroud Music
(4:38) 5. It's You
(6:18) 6. 317 E. 32nd Street
(5:52) 7. Marshmallow
(5:41) 8. Kary's Trance
(7:14) 9. Every Breath
(7:37) 10. Wow

Although he was far too young to have studied with Lennie Tristano, alto saxophonist Eric Rasmussen is a firm believer in the late pianist and teacher's approach to jazz, especially playing intricate reworkings of familiar chord changes. Guitarist Nate Radley is equally drenched in Tristano-school arrangements, so together with bassist Dave Ambrosio and in-demand drummer Matt Wilson (who seems like he takes part in hundreds of recording sessions every year), the group plays eight works created by Tristano and two of his earliest followers, Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh.

But the quartet takes the original recordings as a launching pad for improvisation, relishing the tricky unison lines and counterpoint of the creators while also putting their own stamp on them in the process. So attentive listeners are still able to pick out the songs which inspired each of these pieces, including Tristano's challenging "317 E. 32nd Street" (based on "Out of Nowhere"), Marsh's furious "Background Music" ("All of Me") and a spacy treatment of Konitz's "Kary's Trance" ("Angel Eyes"). Rasmussen reworked "I Remember You" into a new composition "I Can't Remember," while Bailey transforms rocker Sting's hit "Every Breath You Take" into a Tristano-flavored piece ("Every Breath") with great success.

While far too many people label Tristano's approach to jazz as "cold" and "unemotional" Rasmussen's quartet proves otherwise throughout this rewarding session, reviving the idea that musicians attentively listening to one another can produce more compelling results than simply playing it safe. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/school-of-tristano-mw0001906494

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Eric Rasmussen; Bass – Dave Ambrosio; Drums – Matt Wilson; Guitar – Nate Radley

School Of Tristano 1

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Album: School Of Tristano 2
Time: 57:49
Size: 133,3 MB

(4:06) 1. Earful
(6:00) 2. Sound Lee
(3:03) 3. Progression
(3:35) 4. Line Up
(5:27) 5. Victory Ball
(3:35) 6. April
(4:35) 7. Marionette
(6:02) 8. April Fool
(3:23) 9. Hi Beck
(5:04) 10. Tautology
(6:44) 11. Leave Me Alone
(6:07) 12. Smog Eyes

Alto saxophonist Eric Rasmussen recorded his first volume of compositions by Lennie Tristano and some of his most famous students in 2006. When producer Nils Winther discovered that this only represented a fraction of Rasmussen's repertoire of songs by Tristano and his disciples, he quickly suggested additional record dates. This volume, taped around the same time as volume three, features the same quartet with guitarist Nate Radley, bassist Dave Ambrosio, and the in-demand drummer Matt Wilson, all of whom excel in facing the challenges of the intricate reworking of familiar songs as envisioned by Tristano, Lee Konitz, Ronnie Ball, Billy Bauer, and Ted Brown.

Rasmussen avoided listening to the available recordings of the pieces the quartet performed, in order to guarantee fresh approaches to each song. As on the earlier session, the quartet dives headfirst into each of these demanding compositions, constantly challenging themselves as improvisers building upon the framework by their predecessors. Two of Tristano's pieces are based upon "I'll Remember April," "April," and "April Fool," though they are very different works. Rasmussen's unison playing with Radley in Konitz's fiendishly difficult "Sound Lee" is superb. Tristano fans will enjoy digging out the original recordings by the pianist, Konitz, Ball, Bauer, and Brown to compare them with the stunning interpretations on this highly recommended disc. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/school-of-tristano-2-mw0000793976

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Eric Rasmussen; Bass – Dave Ambrosio; Drums – Matt Wilson; Guitar – Nate Radley

School Of Tristano 2

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Album: School Of Tristano 3
Time: 57:13
Size: 132,1 MB

(4:02) 1. Sax Of A Kind
(9:15) 2. Leave Me Alone
(6:01) 3. Playa Del Ray
(7:34) 4. Requiem
(5:06) 5. Lennie-Bird
(4:14) 6. Just Way There You Are
(5:56) 7. Palo Alto
(2:27) 8. Lennie's Pennies
(5:20) 9. Sop Goes The Leasel
(3:35) 10. April (take1)
(3:39) 11. Line Up (take1)

Saxophonist/Composer Eric Rasmussen relocated to the Phoenix area in the summer of 2007. The California native spent the last ten years playing and teaching in New York City where he was a staple of the jazz community, performing regularly on the East Coast as well as throughout Europe. While in New York, he performed regularly with some of the most respected names in jazz and was the Director of Jazz Studies at the Center for Preparatory Studies in Music at Queens College.

Earning his Masters of Music degree in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Eric studied with Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Danilo Perez and Paul Bley. He received his BFA in Jazz Performance from California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles, where he studied with Charlie Haden, Joe Labarbera and Roscoe Mitchell. Eric leads the groups Guaranteed Swahili and the Eric Rasmussen Tristano Band, both of which have toured the United States on numerous occasions. Eric is an experienced educator and guest clinician with clinics at the University of Iowa, California Institute of the Arts, Wellesley College, Saddleback College, Arizona State University, Hartnell College, Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, as well as numerous high schools throughout the country and in the Phoenix area.

With his own groups, Eric has recorded for internationally acclaimed jazz labels Steeplechase and Fresh Sound Records. As a sideman, Eric has also recorded with Paul Bley, Danilo Perez, Billy Hart, Christophe Schweizer and the Jazz Composers Alliance Saxophone Quartet. He has played at some of the most prestigious venues in the Country including the Kennedy Center and a 2007 performance with the Lee Konitz Big Band as part of the JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall. Eric has served as adjunct faculty for Mesa Community College, Paradise Valley Community College and was the Music Director for Young Sounds of Arizona from 2010 – 2011. Currently, Eric is the Director of Instrumental Music at Scottsdale Community College.
https://directory.scottsdalecc.edu/rasmussen-eric

School Of Tristano 3

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Gary Smulyan - Tadd's All, Folks

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

(7:23) 1. Whatever Possessed Me
(5:32) 2. This Night of Stars
(7:06) 3. Weekend
(7:42) 4. Lovely One in the Window
(6:40) 5. You're a Joy
(3:56) 6. Take a Chance on Spring
(9:57) 7. My Dream / Do You Remember Now
(4:54) 8. Sweet Life
(7:38) 9. I'm Never Happy Anymore
(6:48) 10. Never Been in Love

This album is all about Tadd Dameron (1917 - 1965), one of the most important American jazz composer/musicians. Multiple award-winner Gary Smulyan conceived the brilliant idea of recording Dameron compositions with lyrics.

The vocal part is phenomenally rendered by the young talent Anaïs Reno. Three songs including the lovely This Night Of Stars have never been recorded before. https://www.birdland.com.au/gary-smulyan-tadd-s-all-folks

Personnel: Gary Smulyan(baritone saxophone); Pete Malinverni(piano); David Wong(bass); Matt Wilson(drums); Anais Reno(vocal)

Tadd's All, Folks

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Mary LaRose - Out Here

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:26
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:59) 1. Gazzelloni
(5:07) 2. 245
(5:00) 3. Out There
(6:49) 4. Music Matador
(7:00) 5. Gw
(5:39) 6. Serene
(6:08) 7. Out to Lunch
(4:39) 8. Love Me
(5:01) 9. Warm Canto

Vocalist Mary LaRose has explored the instrumental music of jazz artists in the past, penning lyrics to the music of Thelonious Monk,Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and Charles Mingus. Also included in her previous releases is the music of Eric Dolphy, who has always been a spirit guide for LaRose. With Out Here, she dedicates an entire album to Dolphy's compositions, plus a couple pieces tied to his legacy.

This session reminds you of the great Carmen McRae's Carmen Sings Monk (Novus, 1990). Like that recording, LaRose adds insight into and new appreciation of some classic compositions. Alongside partner Jeff Lederer, who plays clarinets, LaRose's ensemble includes Tomeka Reid (cello), Patricia Brennan (vibraphone, electronics), bassist Nick Dunston, and drummer Matt Wilson. Blending sung, spoken word, and scatting vocalese, the music is packed with ceaseless animation, with the arrangements by Lederer. LaRose's wordless duet with Wilson's drums opens "Gazzelloni" which blossoms into an infectious groove. Lederer's solo on clarinet (instead of Dolphy's choice of flute) pairs nicely with the solos of Reid, Brennnan, and Dunston. That funny word (a dedication to Italian flutist Severino Gazzelloni) is repeated, parsed, and spun as if in a blender, creating an addictive cocktail. LaRose emulates Annie Ross' surfing vocalese with "245" and "GW," the latter piece featuring Brennan's vibraphone skew wiffed with electronics. We also hear two poems.

Mal Waldron's "Warm Canto" is decorated with Patricia Donegan's "Lover's Wish," which LaRose speaks over the intertwined clarinets of Lederer, Isaiah Johnson and Cameron Jones, and Hallie Lederer's "Syncopation" becomes the spoken/sung lyrics to Dolphy's "Serene." Matt Wilson's contagious march informs the intricate classic "Out To Lunch," punctuated by Lederer's clarinet, Reid's cello, and LaRose's twisted tongue recital. Maybe the best tribute to Dolphy is the cover of Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons' "Music Matador." LaRose matches the composition with acrobatic lyrics sung over the Afro-Caribbean sounds of salsa trombonist Jimmy Bosch and percussionist Bobby Sanabria with additional vocals by Maya Rose Lederer. Everybody, let's dance.
By Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/out-there-mary-larose-little-i-music

Personnel: Mary LaRose: voice / vocals; Jeff Lederer: saxophone, tenor; Tomeka Reid: cello; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Nick Dunston: bass; Matt Wilson: drums; Jimmy Bosch: trombone; Bobby Sanabria: drums; Isaiah Johnson: drums; Cameron Jones: clarinet; Maya Rose Lederer: voice / vocals.

Out Here

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Matt Wilson Quartet - That's Gonna Leave a Mark

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:49
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:16) 1. Shooshabuster
(5:44) 2. Arts & Crafts
(4:28) 3. Rear Control
(6:37) 4. Getting Friendly
(4:04) 5. Two Bass Hit
(6:58) 6. Area Man
(3:40) 7. Lucky
(2:21) 8. That's Gonna Leave a Mark
(6:57) 9. Celibate Oriole
(4:03) 10. Come and Find The Quiet Center
(3:37) 11. Why Can't We Be Friends

A drummer whose creativity, drive, dedication and infectious joy have garnered him high honors from fellow musicians and critics alike, Matt Wilson is also a perspicacious and activist bandleader. The Matt Wilson Quartet alto and tenor saxophones doubling clarinets, bass and drums is raucous, rambunctious and high energy. Among piano-less quartets, it's more in the tradition of Ornette Coleman, Max Roach and Charles Mingus than Gerry Mulligan or Gary Burton.

The similarities with Coleman's two-sax quartet that paired him with Dewey Redman's tenor, in whose own quartet Wilson played for over a decade, are palpable on tunes with a post-bop vibe like "Shooshabuster" and the out title track, which pair Andrew D'Angelo's alto (more than a little indebted stylistically to Coleman and Eric Dolphy) and Jeff Lederer's tenor. But Wilson also prizes an eclectic and at times proletarian vision that encompasses the classic bop of "Two Bass Hit," with a drum solo inspired by Philly Joe Jones, and the '70s soul-rock anthem from War, "Why Can't We Be Friends?," a track adding female and child voices to make the title message clear.

It also embraces the spirituality of the traditional hymn "Come and Find the Quiet Center," one of the few quiet moments on this CD, as well the Mingus-like accelerations, decelerations and quirky rhythm change-ups of "Rear Control," D'Angelo's composition featuring bass clarinet and clarinet interweaving in a jaunty tune with broad Raymond Scott cartoon theme gestures. Lederer, with the help of 12 notes chosen by his daughter Maya, contributes another two-clarinet track, "Lucky," while bassist Chris Lightcap is represented by his Ornette-ish "Celibate Oriole." Throughout, Wilson leads the charge, creating myriad driving, shifting rhythms and timbres, especially with his unique attack on drum heads and rims.By George Kanzler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/thats-gonna-leave-a-mark-matt-wilson-palmetto-records-review-by-george-kanzler

Personnel: Matt Wilson: drums; Andrew D'Angelo: alto sax, bass clarinet; Jeff Lederer: tenor sax; Chris Lightcap: bass.

That's Gonna Leave a Mark

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Martin Wind Quartet, Bill Mays, Scott Robinson, Matt Wilson - My Astorian Queen

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:27
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:35) 1. Mean What You Say
(5:30) 2. Solitude
(6:06) 3. Broadway
(7:35) 4. Peace Waltz
(5:02) 5. E Preciso Perduar
(7:57) 6. Out in P.A.
(5:30) 7. My Astorian Queen
(4:56) 8. There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York
(3:12) 9. New York, New York

Bassist Martin Wind, born in Flensburg, Germany, moved to New York City in 1996 and has called the area home ever since more specifically, suburban New Jersey where he lives with his wife, Maria, two grown sons and one dog. Wind had been in New York for less than forty-eight hours when he was introduced to Maria who lived in an apartment in a predominantly Greek area of Astoria, Queens; soon afterward, she became Wind's Astorian Queen and lifelong companion. When planning his fifteenth album as leader or co-leader of his own groups, to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of his arrival, Wind turned to some old friends to flesh out his quartet and if it sounds like more than a quartet, that is more than likely because the versatile Scott Robinson plays tenor and bass saxophones, clarinet and trumpet (albeit not simultaneously). And if it sounds considerably better than your average foursome, that is definitely because pianist Bill Mays and drummer Matt Wilson complete the starting line-up.

Wind, who also composes, wrote three of the album's nine selections: "My Astorian Queen," "Solitude" and "Out in P.A.," while Mays wrote the meditative "Peace Waltz." New York is prominently represented with Wilbur Bird's swinging "Broadway" and the last two numbers, George Gershwin's "There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York" (from the folk opera Porgy and Bess) and Fred Ebb & John Kander's iconic salute to the city, "New York, New York." Rounding out the program are Thad Jones' light-hearted "Mean What You Say" and the Latin charmer, "E Preciso Perduar," which was brought to Wind by one of his students, a drummer from Brazil.

Although bassists, even when leading a group, more often than not take on a supporting role, Wind takes the lead on "My Astorian Queen," using his resonant sound and marvelous technique to bring its lovely melody to life. Robinson plays tenor on that theme, as he does on "E Preciso Perduar" and "Out in P.A.," moving to trumpet on "Mean What You Say" and "There's a Boat," clarinet on "Solitude," bass saxophone on "Broadway." Wind also carries the melody on "New York, New York," played by the trio without Robinson, as is "Peace Waltz." Wind plays arco bass there, and on "Out in P.A." As for Mays, he is simply one of the best in the business, whether soloing or comping, and Wilson (who solos smartly on "There's a Boat") fits any milieu like the proverbial glove. With My Astorian Queen, Wind and his colleagues have celebrated his anniversary in grand style. By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/my-astorian-queen-martin-wind-laika-records

Personnel: Martin Wind: bass, acoustic; Bill Mays: piano; Scott Robinson: saxophone, baritone; Matt Wilson: drums.

My Astorian Queen

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Craig Brann - A Conversation Between Brothers

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:09
Size: 145,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Johnny B Goode
(4:29)  2. Poetic
(6:17)  3. Folksong for Ethan
(6:08)  4. Dorothy's Welcome
(5:09)  5. Glory! No Pleading the Fifth
(6:08)  6. Isle of View
(7:44)  7. Reinventing Something Round
(6:28)  8. Keith-Ar
(6:25)  9. A Conversation Between Brothers
(6:32) 10. Autumn Trane
(4:06) 11. Faux Pass

"The cream always rises to the top. So it follows that guitarist Craig Brann would then be the crème de la crème and has firmly established his place at the table of NYC jazz cats." ~ Mark Corroto (All About Jazz)

During the mid-nineties, Brann came to the NYC-area from rural Maine to attend William Paterson University's jazz program under the artistic direction of Rufus Reid, James Williams and other masters and later graduated from the University of Maine at Augusta. He has studied with many wonderful educators including John Foss, David Demsey, Tony Gaboury, Bob Thompson, Steve Grover, Richard Nelson, Paul Meyers, James Weidman, Rich Derosa, and Don Braden, however, his education was not limited to formal environments. At the same time, Smalls Jazz Club was in its nascent boom of a creative community. With weekly residencies by Kurt Rosenwinkel, Sam Yahel, Josh Redman, Brian Blade, Chris Potter, Omer Avital, Avishai Cohen, etc.  including late-night jam sessions hosted by Sasha Perry with guests like Roy Hargrove Smalls provided Brann a whole 'nother world of learning. Later, these same luminaries Mark Turner, Greg Tardy, Joel Weiskopf, and Matt Wilson would join him on the bandstand and on various recordings.   

Since his arrival in NYC, guitarist Craig Brann has quietly and steadily established himself as one of the elite players of his generation. Now Brann has residencies and regular performances throughout NYC (Smalls, Bar Next Door, Tomi Jazz, Blue Note, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola @ Jazz at Lincoln Center, etc). The band may include the mentors above or other seasoned greats such as Seamus Blake, Donny McAslin, Rudy Royston, his fellow WPU alums Nick Morrison, Freddie Hendrix, Ethan Herr, Sam Barsh, and Johnathan Blake, or rising stars like John Raymond or Sanah "Hawk Eyes" Kadoura. Brann lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Rebeccah Hope, and their four children: Tehilah ('07), Irving ('09), Verdinah, ('13), and Dorothy ('15). He has recorded 5 albums for SteepleChase: Advent(ure) ('12), Mark My Words ('14), Conversation Between Brothers ('16), Lineage ('18), and The Twelve ('19). https://www.craigbrann.com/bio

Personnel: Bass – Nick Morrison (5); Drums – Matt Wilson; Guitar – Craig Brann

A Conversation Between Brothers

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Brandon Wright - Boiling Point

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:18
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Free Man
(5:37)  2. Drift
(7:59)  3. Odd Man Out
(5:58)  4. Boiling Point
(8:00)  5. Here's That Rainy Day
(9:15)  6. Castaway
(5:12)  7. Interstate Love Song
(6:31)  8. You're My Everything

The word tenor, in Latin, refers to "a continuous holding to a course," and tenor saxophonist Brandon Wright does just that on Boiling Point. Whether Wright is engaging in a musical boxing match with trumpeter Alex Sipiagin or crooning over pianist David Kikoski on an established ballad, he always seems to maintain a consistent musical presence that transcends tempo, feel and style. Perhaps it's his tone, which is big but not too brash and attractive, yet far from smooth, that ties it altogether. Regardless of what it is, Wright makes it work across these eight tracks.  Of course, some of the credit must also go to the rest of the band. Bassist Hans Glawischnig is the rock at the center of it all, making sure that everything lines up and is held together in just the right way. Drummer Matt Wilson, one of the most creative and enjoyable forces on the jazz scene today, has the rare ability to be fully interactive, while also maintaining his role as a key rhythmic element that locks in the time for the rest of the band. Kikoski occasionally shows a fondness for McCoy Tyner's piano playing in his own sound, but he isn't nearly as percussive as Tyner often was on his classic recordings. He also happens to have tremendous range as an artist and an incredible touch on the piano. Sipiagin is the perfect frontline partner for Wright and he finds a good balance between bold and controlled. He creates some musical fireworks on Wright originals like "Odd Man Out" and "Castaway" but he can also turn it down a few notches for gentler material. While the aforementioned "Castaway" and the title track demonstrate Wright's ability to write and play in a more aggressive manner, he works equally well in a more relaxed setting. His "Drift" sounds like it could have been an outtake from Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage (Blue Note, 1965) and his performance on "Here's That Rainy Day" is soothing and refined. His tone takes on a velvet-like quality here as he gently glides over Kikoski's piano. While his playing often heats up the material on this album, it's Brandon Wright's ability to go from cool to hot and everything in between that proves to be his greatest strength on Boiling Point. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/boiling-point-brandon-wright-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel:  Brandon Wright: tenor saxophone;  Alex Sipiagin: trumpet;  David Kikoski: piano;  Hans Glawischnig: bass;  Matt Wilson: drums.

Boiling Point

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Adrian Cunningham, Ken Peplowski - Duologue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:45
Size: 134.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Swing, Bossa Nova, Cool Jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. Show Type Tune
[4:10] 2. Jimmy Up Jimmy Down
[4:28] 3. Ballade
[5:03] 4. Background Music
[4:33] 5. Carinhoso
[5:33] 6. Mozart After A Few Beers
[5:05] 7. Dois Grandes Grinos
[5:09] 8. Looking Back
[6:40] 9. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[3:44] 10. Luiza
[5:59] 11. Sonic Garden
[3:52] 12. Alligator Crawl

Bass – Martin Wind; Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Liner Notes – Adrian Cunningham; Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Producer, Liner Notes – Ken Peplowski; Drums – Matt Wilson; Piano – Renee Rosnes. Recorded on May 10 & 11, 2017 in New York City.

A co-leader project often is an opportunity to hear an old favorite in a new context—and perhaps to discover a new favorite musician. Such is the case with Duologue, icon Ken Peplowski’s album with fellow clarinetist Adrian Cunningham, an Australian native now based in New York who has collaborated with other acclaimed bandleaders, including trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and bassist Vince Giordano. But the title of this excellent straightahead disc is somewhat misleading because the project involves a flexible, collaborative quintet, and the other three band members made essential contributions, adding one composition apiece to the recording. Acrobatic pianist Renee Rosnes gave this program “Jimmy Up Jimmy Down,” a gem she composed for saxophone legend Jimmy Heath. Bassist Martin Wind offered “Looking Back,” which adds a supremely memorable melody to a program filled with them. Gregarious drummer Matt Wilson supplied “Sonic Garden,” an avant-leaning piece that demonstrates how musical elements from Earth can meld well with those from Saturn. The co-leaders’ shared affinity for Brazilian tunes is evident: The band transforms Pixinguinha’s “Carinhoso” into a brilliant flute showcase for Cunningham, while Rosnes and Peplowski’s duo reading of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Luiza” illustrates why the clarinet master is invited to perform at festivals around the globe.

Elsewhere on this 12-track album, Cunningham and Peplowski offer authoritative dual-clarinet segments, particularly on the buoyant “Dois Grandes Gringos.” (Other woodwinds factored into the recording sessions as well, with the co-leaders contributing tenor saxophone and bass clarinet.) This album’s smile-inducing renditions of Duke Ellington’s “I’m Just A Lucky So And So” and Fats Waller’s “Alligator Crawl” will be catnip for fans of classic jazz. Additionally, this project showcases Cunningham’s sense of humor, not only in the song title of his “Mozart After A Few Beers,” but also in his liner notes essay: “Ken’s idea to record the album entirely [with the musicians] drumming on reclaimed Tupperware was suggested, and put aside … as was his idea of having us play underwater, with only the bubbles of air recorded as they hit the surface. (Preliminary bathtub tests proved unsuccessful.) All jokes aside, this album is terrifically successful. ~Bobby Reed

Duologue mc
Duologue zippy

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Lee Konitz - Strings for Holiday - A Tribute to Billie Holiday

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. The Man I Love
(5:04)  2. You've Changed
(4:27)  3. God Bless the Child
(6:06)  4. But Beautiful
(5:18)  5. I Cried for You
(5:30)  6. Lover Man
(4:19)  7. All of Me
(5:26)  8. Good Morning Heartache
(5:23)  9. For Heaven's Sake
(4:48) 10. Easy Living
(4:47) 11. These Foolish Things
(3:41) 12. For All We Know

Always eager to record in new situations, on this CD Lee Konitz is showcased with a string sextet (two violins, violas and cellos), bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Matt Wilson. The cool-toned altoist pays tribute during a dozen songs to both Billie Holiday and (in a more subtle fashion) tenor great Lester Young, two of his early idols. Daniel Schnyder contributed all of the arrangements for the set. Rather than weighing down the proceedings, Schnyder has the strings adding rich harmonies and phrases that seem to anticipate the leader's phrases, and they even swing. Lee Konitz, who added a vibrato to his sound for the project so he could recreate some of Billie Holiday's feeling, handles the ballads and medium-tempo material beautifully. Highlights include "The Man I Love," "I Cried For You," "All Of Me" and "Easy Living." A memorable and heartfelt effort by all concerned.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/strings-for-holiday-mw0000099426

Personnel:  Lee Konitz alto saxophone;  Mark Feldman violin;  Cenovia Cummin violin;  Jill Jaffe viola;  Ronald Lawrence  viola;  Erik Friedlander cello;  Daniel Pezzotti cello;  Michael Formanek
bass;  Matt Wilson drums.

Strings for Holiday - A Tribute to Billie Holiday

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Ted Nash - The Mancini Project

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:30
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Theme From The Night Visitor
(6:30)  2. Dreamsville
(4:53)  3. Something For Nash
(1:31)  4. Shot In The Dark
(6:28)  5. Lujon
(7:27)  6. Breakfast At Tiffany's
(3:09)  7. Cheryl's Theme
(1:24)  8. Mr Yunioshi
(4:58)  9. Soldier In The Rain
(6:25) 10. The Party
(1:38) 11. A Quiet Happening
(6:11) 12. Two For The Road
(6:17) 13. Experiment In Terror
(1:42) 14. Baby Elephant Walk

While Henry Mancini (1924-1994) borrowed plenty from jazz, he returned in kind by contributing a large body of fine, memorable music worthy of the melodic jazz tradition. Much of Mancini's best film music particularly those scores from the early 1960s sprang from the "cool jazz" of the 1950s West Coast Scene and featured some of the era's best players. Aside from insanely catchy music, Mancini brilliantly fused instrumental colors and devised some of the cleverest musical patterns imaginable. Oddly, though, Mancini never inspired the great wealth of jazz tributes that composers such as Gershwin, Jobim or Ellington motivated over the last several decades. Of the few that have surfaced over the last few years, none were as inspired as the music being honored. Ted Nash's exquisite The Mancini Project is a most pleasurable exception. This fine tribute finds the reed player exploring 14 of Mancini's compositions, including at least two of the composer's very best ("Lujon" and "Dreamsville") and several surprising and satisfying choices ("Theme From Night Visitor" and "Cheryl's Theme"). Nash is joined by three like-minded partners of the highest order, pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Matt Wilson. Together, and not always at once, they breathe beautiful life into Maestro Mancini's music.

Nash, who has become well known for his considerable contributions to Wynton Marsalis' Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra as well as the Jazz Composers Collective, charts a path that's very much his own. He's more inspired here than ever before. This is due, perhaps, to his special connection to the music. Both his father and uncle were part of the Mancini aggregates which recorded the original versions of songs heard here. Indeed, "Something For Nash," featured in Blake Edwards' 1987 film Blind Date and covered here, was written by Mancini for Ted's father. Nash sounds lush throughout, primarily but not exclusively on tenor sax. The Kimbrough/Reid/Wilson triumvirate responds in kind with some marvelously melodic and truly creative complicity. This is especially evident on the moodiest pieces, notably "Night Visitor," "Lujon" and "Experiment in Terror." The trio's take on "Breakfast At Tiffany's" moves beyond mood toward pure inspiration, where Nash bravely hints at the motions and emotions David Murray has expertly explored. 

The remarkably funky "The Party," elsewhere an odd rock-ish number highlighting an odd Peter Sellers film, is given great resonance by Kimbrough's strong-as-church gospel foundation. Nash finds a niche on soprano for the lovely, swinging "A Quiet Happening" and "Two For The Road" and finesses the flute on the equally enchanting "Something For Nash," "Soldier In The Rain" and "Baby Elephant Walk." Surprisingly, Nash gives several of the more familiar titles ("Shot In The Dark," "Baby Elephant Walk") a refreshing sprite, but disallows any sort of improvisation and keeps them well below the two-minute mark. But it's hard to fault this collection which could easily stretch into multiple volumes for its attempt at a most beautiful tribute. Nash and company give this timeless music the sense of essential it most surely deserves. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-mancini-project-ted-nash-palmetto-records-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel: Ted Nash: tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, alto flute, piccolo; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Rufus Reid: bass; Matt Wilson: drums.

The Mancini Project

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Ari Ambrose & Stephen Riley - Tenor Treats Two

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2009

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 66:09

Size: 152,1 MB

Art: Front

( 9:17)  1. Sandu

(13:12)  2. Wave

( 7:02)  3. Back Home In Indiana

( 7:24)  4. 502 Blues

( 9:49)  5. Scrapple From The Apple

( 7:49)  6. Darn That Dream

(11:32)  7. How High The Moon

Resuming right where its companion volume left off, this disc delivers another stimulating hour-plus colloquy between its co-leaders. Tenorist Ari Ambrose gets top billing on the tray card, but it’s very much an affair of equals, onset to finish. Stephen Riley is the more overtly mercurial and idiosyncratic of the two frontline partners. His lushly-conceived tone and phrasing are instantly recognizable, a post-millennial alloy of Lester Young disciples running from Don Byas through Teo Macero to Warne Marsh an on to Wayne Shorter and beyond. That hollowed-out huskiness frequently contrasts swimmingly with Ambrose’s often more straightforwardly athletic sound. On the previous volume, Ambrose playfully aped his partner at several junctures, adopting a grainy timbre and fluttery doppelganger inflection when voicing a line. He keeps that mimicry to a minimum here. This set also stands apart in the greater degree on interplay between the horns. Several of their spiraling chases recall the sort of near-telepathic harmonic congruity between the aforementioned Marsh and Lee Konitz. Solos are still the frequent conveyance for forward momentum, but the heightened willingness on the part of the principals to engage each other directly gives this volume a distinctive and definitive edge. There numerous are moments where their overlapping lines become an organized tangle of free-flowing counterpoint. Bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Matt Wilson aren’t simply window-dressing. Both men actively feed and respond to the tenors with shifting backdrops and move to the foreground for improvisations when situation permits. The tunes don’t offer much in the way of surface surprises, though it is a treat to see Jimmy Rowles “502 Blues” amongst the other bop and earlier familiars. It along with El Gaucho, Riley’s just-released quartet record (also on Steeplechase) are oblique hints to the saxophonist’s abiding affection for Shorter’s Adam’s Apple. A 13+ minute foray through Jobim’s “Wave” departs from the predictable through the tenors’ close dissection of the dog-eared bossa theme, itself a melody seemingly custom tailored to Riley’s romance-ready vernacular. Listeners with a yen for tandem tenor that treads reliably off the beaten track are strongly advised to check this and the earlier volume out without compunction.

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Ari Ambrose; Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Stephen Riley;  Bass – Jay Anderson;  Drums – Matt Wilson

Tenor Treats Two

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Joan Stiles, Joel Frahm, Matt Wilson - Three Musicians

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:30
Size: 117.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Everything's Coming Up Roses
[5:06] 2. In The Sunshine Of My Funny Valentine's Love
[5:08] 3. West End Boogie
[6:03] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[3:54] 5. Lucky To Be Me
[2:33] 6. All The Things You Are
[4:24] 7. Blood Count
[2:38] 8. O.W.
[3:17] 9. Introspection
[5:37] 10. Nutty
[5:08] 11. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime Can't Buy Me Love
[3:32] 12. Bebopicity

Joan Stiles: piano; Joel Frahm: tenor saxophone(1-3, 5-12), soprano saxophone (4); Matt Wilson: drums (1-5, 9-12).

On the surface, Three Musicians is a smart collection of performances from a witty threesome, but closer observation reveals deep Cubist intent. In referencing one of Pablo Picasso's masterpieces, pianist Joan Stiles touches on a style of art that rarely finds an overt entrance into jazz, creating a layered, collage ideology within the very fabric of her work.

The term "mash-up" has become the phrase of choice in pop music circles to describe arrangements that weave two separate songs into a single work of art, but that concept is merely an outgrowth of Synthetic Cubism. While few musicians have tapped into the potential of this primarily visual art form, Stiles finds two different ways to touch on this topic. The obvious creation of combinatorial art comes with the merging of musical materials that takes place when she blends "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?" with The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love," or Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love" with "My Funny Valentine" ("In The Sunshine Of My Funny Valentine's Love"), but her connection to Cubism also comes to light on a different plane. The very interaction between all three musicians on this date can be viewed as an aural, collage-based representation of what Cubism—and jazz—is all about.

Stiles, drummer Matt Wilson and saxophonist Joel Frahm overlap, contrast, collide and collude with one another in complementary fashion as they create music full of wit, wisdom and wonder that would have made Picasso and Georges Braque gush with pride. They deconstruct and reform Thelonious Monk's work to their liking ("Nutty" and "Introspection"), create music that charms and sparkles with beauty ("Lucky To Be Me"), and bring Stiles' own compositions to life ("West End Boogie" and "Bebopicity"). Much of this ground may have been frequently covered, the trio's ability to bring humor into the mix without resorting to caricature helps set it apart.

The majority of the music touches on a chemistry that exists between all parties, but three mid-album tracks delve deeply into the duo relationship between Frahm and Stiles. "All The Things You Are" is a short journey all about weaving melodic, harmonic and rhythmic elements between two parties, while "O.W." is steeped in bluesy interplay; but the beauty of the bunch is the serious-as-can-be take on Billy Strayhorn's "Blood Count," which proves to be the album's emotional centerpiece.

Those prone to analyzing art can make plenty of connections between Stiles' work and Cubism as a whole, or argue the opposite to their heart's content, but that doesn't really matter. Music matters most, and Stiles clearly gets that. ~Dan Bilawsky

Three Musicians

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Mario Pavone - Boom

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:10
Size: 137,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:40)  1. Julian
(5:56)  2. Not Five Kimono
(6:18)  3. Arkadia
(0:18)  4. Po
(8:43)  5. Bad Birdie
(3:23)  6. Short Yellow
(6:10)  7. Arc
(6:16)  8. Bastos
(6:33)  9. Interior Boom
(4:49) 10. Out and About

Mario Pavone brings in a stripped down version of the band he has worked with in the recent past for Boom. He couldn't have done better than choose these three players. They chip in and put all the pieces together so compactly that it would be hard to imagine any other band reaching in and reacting to the music as marvellously as they have done. With the exception of two tunes from Thomas Chapin, the music was composed by Pavone. There is much that goes on here. To tip the hat to that cliché, Pavone wears a coat of many colours. And thank the stars he does. He writes with an ear for melody, but it is his intuition in adding the breadth and the scope, in the constant reshaping of the song, that makes his music so exceptional. The blues hue "Bastos" mainly through the piano of Peter Madsen as he swerves the phrases in during his conversation with Tony Malaby, whose tenor initially grounds the movement in earthy notes and then takes flight soaring in short thrusts. Malaby turns around and offers soaring, long lines that float in luminous grace on "Arc," a ballad that has an intense emotional core. If one tune has to be chosen to profile the interplay which takes music to a higher plateau, then "Not Five Kimono" serves the purpose well. The tune never settles into a defined groove. The landscape keeps shifting, the drive coming from Matt Wilson, whose time and meter direct the tempo as Malaby dissects and probes on the soprano. The shifting sands of time come on "Arkadia," which opens on a sprightly note, only to deceive. The head stated, Pavone takes over the reins. He makes every note on the bass tell a story, no matter if it comes in single exclamation or in a flurry. And when he gets into the sway, the band grabs on to his leash and goes out with a swinging good time. Finally there's "Out and About," a Chapin tune. Pavone scampers, Malaby jabs before getting linear, form and structure volatile and malleable. Madsen changes that, romping along to Wilson's marching beat before it all goes out on a folksy step-to. And if truth be told, there's never a dull moment! ~ Jerry D'Souza https://www.allaboutjazz.com/boom-mario-pavone-playscape-recordings-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php

Personnel: Mario Pavone--bass; Tony Malaby--tenor and soprano saxophones; Peter Madsen--piano; Matt Wilson--drums

Boom

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Lee Konitz, Matt Wilson - Gong With Wind Suite

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:25
Size: 138.3 MB
Styles: Free jazz, Bop
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[6:09] 1. Gong With Wind
[3:31] 2. Song With Wind
[5:13] 3. Winding Up
[3:01] 4. Brush Wind
[3:48] 5. No Ill Wind
[5:15] 6. Brush Thing
[2:14] 7. Rhythmic Wind
[7:08] 8. Stickin'
[5:57] 9. Snare Rattle
[3:50] 10. Rapids
[5:05] 11. Foxtrot
[5:29] 12. Tommin'
[3:39] 13. Winding Down

Altoist Lee Konitz and drummer Matt Wilson perform 13 mostly concise free improvisations on this likable but not particularly memorable outing. Konitz has long been a melodic and mellow-toned improviser, even at his freest. His playing always sounds logical and purposeful, even in this sparse setting. Wilson is very much in the background most of the time, offering quiet and occasionally inaudible support. The music is fine but would have benefited from closer interaction between the two players and a lot more heat and fire. ~Scott Yanow

Gong With Wind Suite

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