Cannonball Adderley, Milt Jackson - Things Are Getting Better

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:46
Size: 120.8 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1958/2012
Art: Front

[4:58] 1. Blues Oriental
[0:44] 2. A Few Words
[7:09] 3. Things Are Getting Better
[4:45] 4. Serves Me Right (Take 5)
[5:18] 5. Groovin' High
[6:56] 6. The Sidewalks Of New York (Take 5)
[6:23] 7. Sounds For Sid
[6:43] 8. Just One Of Those Things
[4:34] 9. Serves Me Right (Take 4, Alternate)
[5:12] 10. The Sidewalks Of New York (Take 4, Alternate)

This title provides ample evidence why alto Cannonball Adderley is considered one of the masters of his craft. Here he joins forces with Modern Jazz Quartet co-founder Milt Jackson on vibes to create a variety of sonic atmospheres. They are backed by the all-star ensemble of Wynton Kelly on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and the one and only Art Blakey on drums. The moody "Blues Oriental" opens the set with Jackson immediately diving in with his trademark fluid runs and shimmering intonation. Adderley counters with a light and lively line that weaves between the rhythm section. The optimistic "Things Are Getting Better" is a good-natured romp as the co-leads trade and cajole each other into some downright rollicking exchanges. This directly contrasts with the sultry "Serves Me Right," which allows the combo members to demonstrate their collective musical malleability. The interaction between Adderley and Jackson sparkles as they entwine their respective playing with an uncanny singularity of spirit. The cover of Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High" contains another spirited performance with some thoroughly engaging improvisation, especially during Adderley's voracious solos. "Sidewalks of New York" bops freely as Jackson unleashes some sublime licks against a hearty and equally boisterous sax. Adderley's "Sounds for Sid" demonstrates his uncanny ability to swing with a strong R&B vibe. With drop-dead timing and profound instrumental chops, this cut is undoubtedly one of the best from Adderley's earliest canon. The album concludes with a jumping reading of Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things." While Wynton Kelly has been uniformly solid, his interjections stand out here as he bridges and undergirds the two as they banter with flair and aplomb. This set can be recommended without hesitation to all manner of jazz enthusiast, as it quite literally offers something for every taste. [Some reissues include two bonus tracks supplementing the original seven-song running order, alternate takes of "Serves Me Right" and "Sidewalks of New York."] ~Lindsay Planer

Things Are Getting Better

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Ray Charles & Milt Jackson - Soul Brothers, Soul Meeting Disc 1 And Disc 2

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:50 (Disc 1)
Size: 111,6 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 46:10 (Disc 2)
Size: 107,8 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front

Disc 1

(9:15)  1. How Long Blues
(5:23)  2. Cosmic Ray
(5:25)  3. The Genius After Hours
(4:57)  4. Charlesville
(8:50)  5. Bags Of Blues
(5:51)  6. Deed I Do
(8:05)  7. Blue Funk

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Disc 2

(9:34)  1. Soul Brothers
(6:27)  2. Bag's Guitar Blues
(6:04)  3. Soul Meeting
(5:29)  4. Hallelujah I Love Her So
(6:40)  5. Blue Genius
(8:11)  6. X-Ray Blues
(3:42)  7. Love on my Mind

This brings together all of the extant takes recorded for two albums that Milt Jackson made with Ray Charles for Atlantic in 1957 and 1958. With Oscar Pettiford, Connie Kay, and Kenny Burrell in the various lineups, this is bluesy jazz in a laid-back manner; it surprised many hardcore R&B fans when these albums were originally issued. Jackson moves from vibes to piano, and even guitar (on "Bag's Guitar Blues"), while Ray jumps between piano and alto sax on these sessions. A rare glimpse of Charles' jazz soul coming up for air.      ~ Cub Koda   http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-brothers-soul-meeting-mw0000653204.

Personnel: Skeeter Best, Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ray Charles (alto saxophone, acoustic & electric pianos); Billy Mitchell (tenor saxophone); Milt Jackson (piano, vibraphone); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Connie Kay (drums)

Soul Brothers, Soul Meeting Disc 1, Disc 2

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Modern Jazz Quartet - The Montreux Years

Styles: Jazz, Bop, Cool
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:33
Size: 177,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:13) 1. Ko-Ko
(15:56) 2. A Day in Dubrovnik
( 4:51) 3. Django
( 7:52) 4. Blues in A Minor
( 4:12) 5. Bags' Groove
( 4:18) 6. The Golden Striker
( 8:27) 7. One Never Knows
( 8:38) 8. Le Cannet
( 5:16) 9. Nature Boy
( 6:53) 10. Rockin' in Rhythm
( 4:50) 11. True Blues

A showcase of some of The Modern Jazz Quartet’s most iconic Montreux Jazz Festival live performances, recorded between 1985 and 1993!

The audio has Expertly restored and remastered in superlative HD audio; The Montreux Years is released on superior audiophile heavy weight vinyl, MQA quality CD and in HD digital. The release includes brand new liner notes and rare photos from his Montreux shows.

The Montreux Years is released as part of a brand new Montreux Jazz Festival and BMG collection series “The Montreux Years”. The collections will uncover legendary performances by the world’s most iconic artists alongside rare and never-before-released recordings from the festival’s rich 57-year history, remastered in superlative audio. Each collection will be accompanied by exclusive liner notes and previously unseen photography.
https://www.amazon.ca/Modern-Jazz-Quartet-Montreux-Years/dp/B0C4Q8YFPJ

Personnel: John Lewis - piano, Milt Jackson - vibraphone, Percy Heath - double bass, Connie Kay - drums

Modern Jazz Quartet: The Montreux Years

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The Modern Jazz Quartet - Fontessa

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:40
Size: 83.9 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1956/1989/2009
Art: Front

[ 3:20] 1. Versailles (Porte De Versailles)
[ 3:48] 2. Angel Eyes
[11:23] 3. Fontessa
[ 3:52] 4. Over The Rainbow
[ 5:03] 5. Bluesology
[ 4:48] 6. Willow Weep For Me
[ 4:24] 7. Woodyn You

Recorded: January 22, 1956 & February 14, 1956. John Lewis - piano; Milt Jackson - vibraphone; Percy Heath - double bass; Connie Kay - drums.

This LP has a particularly strong all-around set by the Modern Jazz Quartet. While John Lewis' "Versailles" and an 11-minute "Fontessa" show the seriousness of the group (and the influence of Western classical music), other pieces (such as "Bluesology," "Woody 'N You" and a pair of ballads) look toward the group's roots in bop and permit the band to swing hard. ~Scott Yanow

Fontessa

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Miles Davis - Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants

Styles: Trumpet Jazz

Year: 1956

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:12

Size: 98,5 MB

Art: Front

( 7:59)  1. The Man I Love (Take 2)

(10:46)  2. Swing Spring

( 5:24)  3. 'Round Midnight

( 9:32)  4. Bemsha Swing

( 8:29)  5. The Man I Love (Take 1)

Including sessions recorded the same day as those on Bags Groove, this album includes more classic performances from the date that matched together trumpeter Miles Davis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Thelonious Monk, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke. Davis and Monk actually did not get along all that well, and the trumpeter did not want Monk playing behind his solos. Still, a great deal of brilliant music occurred on the day of their encounter, including "The Man I Love," "Bemsha Swing," and "Swing Spring." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/miles-davis-and-the-modern-jazz-giants-mw0000199989

Personnel:  Miles Davis – trumpet;  John Coltrane – tenor saxophone;  Milt Jackson – vibraphone;  Thelonious Monk – piano;  Red Garland – piano;  Percy Heath – bass;  Paul Chambers – bass;  Kenny Clarke – drums;  Philly Joe Jones – drums

Miles Davis And The Modern Jazz Giants

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The Modern Jazz Quartet - Blues on Bach

Styles: Cool Jazz, Bop
Year: 1973

File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:41
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:06)  1. Regret?
(4:58)  2. Blues in B Flat
(3:25)  3. Rise Up in the Morning
(7:54)  4. Blues in A Minor
(3:15)  5. Precious Joy
(8:00)  6. Blues in C Minor
(1:48)  7. Don't Stop This Train
(5:47)  8. Blues in H(B)
(4:24)  9. Tears from the Children

This album has an interesting concept, alternating four original blues with five adaptations of melodies from classical works by Bach. The Modern Jazz Quartet had long been quite adept in both areas, and despite a certain lack of variety on this set (alternating back and forth between the two styles somewhat predictably), the music is largely enjoyable. Vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist John Lewis (doubling here on harpsichord), bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Connie Kay were still all very much in their musical prime during the 21st year of the MJQ's existence.~Scott Yanow 

http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-on-bach-mw0000188569

Personnel: John Lewis (piano, harpsichord); Milt Jackson (vibraharp); Connie Kay (drums, percussion).

Blues on Bach

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The Swingle Singers, The Modern Jazz Quartet - Place Vendome

Styles: Jazz, Bop, Cool
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:09
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Little David's Fugue
(5:40)  2. Air For G String
(3:32)  3. Vendôme
(6:33)  4. Musikalisches Opfer Bwv 1079: No.8 Ricercar A 6
(5:04)  5. When I Am Laid In Earth (Dido's Lament)
(4:51)  6. Alexander's Fugue
(7:10)  7. Three Windows

For a short time in the mid-'60s, the Modern Jazz Quartet were working primarily in Europe and recording for the French division of Philips, with the results coming out in the United States on the MJQ's regular label, Atlantic. There was only one exception to this rule: Place Vendôme, which comprised the collaboration of the MJQ with the Swingle Singers, and which appeared in the U.S. on Philips' American subsidiary through Mercury Records. For Philips, the collaboration must have seemed like an inevitability; Ward Swingle had sung with the Double Six of Paris, which had backed up Dizzy Gillespie who, of course, had led the big band out of which the MJQ was formed in 1952. The Swingle Singers had been jazzing up the music of Johann Sebastian Bach since at least 1963 with phenomenal success, and while John Lewis wasn't quite as into the Bach bag in 1966 that he would be later, his MJQ compositions had long been taken up in European devices such as fugue and the renaissance Canzona.

Although Swingle and Lewis agreed to collaborate backstage after an MJQ concert in Paris in 1964, it wasn't until 1966 that the two groups found themselves in Paris at the same time. The resultant album, Place Vendôme, was a huge international success commercially, with the track "Aria (Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068)"though then popularly called "Air on a G String"charting strongly in Europe and the album easily earning its keep in the U.S., though it did not chart there. Not everyone was pleased; jazz critics savaged the album, the consensus being that a pop vocal group like the Swingle Singers had no business making an album with an exalted jazz group like the MJQ.
~ Uncle Dave Lewis https://www.allmusic.com/album/place-vend%C3%B4me-mw0000521943


The Swingle Singers: Jeanette Baucomont – soprano; Christiane Legrand – soprano; Alice Herald – alto; Claudine Meunier – alto; Ward Swingle – tenor, arranger; Claude Germain – tenor; Jean Cussac – bass; José Germain – bass

The Modern Jazz Quartet: John Lewis – piano; Milt Jackson – vibraphone; Percy Heath – double bass; Connie Kay – drums

Place Vendome

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Coleman Hawkins - Bean And The Boys

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 73:05

Size: 167.3 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 1993/2009

Art: Front

[2:54] 1. In The Hush Of The Night

[2:50] 2. Out To Lunch

[2:48] 3. Every Man For Himself

[2:43] 4. Look Out Jack!

[2:39] 5. On The Bean

[2:51] 6. Recollections

[2:47] 7. Flyin' Hawk

[3:02] 8. Drifting On A Reed

[3:02] 9. I Mean You

[2:38] 10. Bean And The Boys

[2:41] 11. Bean And The Boys

[3:03] 12. Cocktails For Two

[3:00] 13. You Go To My Head

[6:06] 14. Stasch

[5:58] 15. Trust In Me

[6:04] 16. Roll 'em Pete

[5:58] 17. Skrouk

[6:56] 18. Since I Fell For You

[4:55] 19. My Babe

BEAN AND THE BOYS is the perfect title for this compilation, for certainly the list of players heard on this disc reads like a virtual "who's who" in jazz. Hawkins is teamed up with swing era players Jonah Jones (trumpet), and Walter "Foots" Thomas (tenor saxophone) on the first four tracks. Tracks nine through 13 highlight The Bean with the then young lions of bebop, J.J. Johnson (trombone), Fats Navarro (trumpet), Milt Jackson (vibes) and others. The final batch of tunes comes from a post-bop period (where Hawk finally settled musically). Songs from this era (late '50s) tend to incorporate stylistic elements from both swing and bebop. Hawkins himself never really became a bebop soloist per se, though he did sometimes "turn" a bop line quite successfully. All this, if nothing else, shows us the interconnection between the various genres of jazz. Mostly, all the styles heard on BEAN AND THE BOYS contain elements of the blues. As well, all styles herein contain highly syncopated rhythmical ideas, and similar song structures. Highlights include the bopish "Bean and the Boys," the bouncy "Out the Lunch," and the boogie woogie inflected "Roll 'em Pete."

Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone); Roy Gaines (guitar); Jerome Richardson (flute, alto saxophone); Eddie Barefield (clarinet, alto saxophone); Hilton Jefferson, Hubert Fol, Porter Kilbert (alto saxophone); Walter "Foots" Thomas, Walter Thomas (tenor saxophone); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Fats Navarro, Idrees Sulieman, Jonah Jones (trumpet); Nat Peck, J.J. Johnson (trombone); Clyde Hart, Hank Jones , Jean-Paul Mengeon, Ray Bryant, Thelonious Monk (piano); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Cozy Cole, Denzil Best, Kenny Clarke, Max Roach, Walter Bolden (drums).

Recording information: Hackensack, NJ (10/19/1944-12/21/1949); New York, NY (10/19/1944-12/21/1949); Paris, France (10/19/1944-12/21/1949).

Bean & the Boys  

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Miles Davis - Bag's Groove

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:23
Size: 106,4 MB
Art: Front

(11:17)  1. Bags' Groove (Take 1)
( 9:27)  2. Bags' Groove (Take 2)
( 4:55)  3. Airegin
( 5:13)  4. Oleo
( 5:45)  5. But Not For Me (take 2)
( 4:56)  6. Doxy
( 4:45)  7. But Not For Me (take 1)

There are a multitude of reasons why Bags' Groove remains a cornerstone of the post-bop genre. Of course there will always be the lure of the urban myth surrounding the Christmas Eve 1954 session featuring Thelonious Monk which is documented on the two takes of the title track. There are obviously more tangible elements, such as Davis' practically telepathic runs with Sonny Rollins (tenor sax). Or Horace Silver's (piano) uncanny ability to provide a stream of chord progressions that supply a second inconspicuous lead without ever overpowering. Indeed, Davis' choice of former Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra and concurrent Modern Jazz Quartet members Milt Jackson (vibes), Kenny Clarke (drums), and Percy Heath (bass) is obviously well-informed. This combo became synonymous with the ability to tastefully improvise and provide bluesy bop lines in varied settings. 

The up-tempo and Latin-infused syncopation featured during the opening of "Airegin" flows into lines and minor-chord phrasings that would reappear several years later throughout Davis' Sketches of Spain epic. The fun and slightly maniacally toned "Oleo" features one of Heath's most impressive displays on Bags' Groove. His staccato accompaniment exhibits the effortless nature with which these jazz giants are able to incorporate round after round of solos onto the larger unit. Bags' Groove belongs as a cornerstone of all jazz collections. Likewise, the neophyte as well as the seasoned jazz enthusiast will find much to discover and rediscover throughout the disc. [Some reissues include both historic takes of "Bags' Groove" as well as one additional rendering of the pop standard "But Not for Me."] ~ Lindsay Planer http://www.allmusic.com/album/bags-groove-mw0000649467

Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver (piano); Percy Heath (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Bag's Groove

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Oscar Peterson - A Tribute To Oscar Peterson - Live At The TownHall

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:38
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:23) 1. Anything Goes
(6:36) 2. Reunion Blues (with Benny Green)
(8:08) 3. If Only You Knew (with Benny Green)
(7:25) 4. Bags Groove (with Milt Jackson)
(6:44) 5. Willow Weep For Me (with Milt Jackson)
(4:15) 6. Mumbles (with Clark Terry)
(3:48) 7. I Can't Face The Music (with Shirley Horn)
(5:09) 8. Here's To Life (with Shirley Horn)
(5:23) 9. In A Mellow Tone (with Stanley Turrentine)
(5:26) 10. My Foolish Heart (with Roy Hargrove)
(2:16) 11. The Duke Of Dubuque (with The Manhattan Transfer)
(4:10) 12. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 (with The Manhattan Transfer)
(7:49) 13. Mack The Knife (with Clark Terry)

This live concert was recorded on October 1, 1996 at The Town Hall in New York. Oscar Peterson was also present. The other musicians have certainly also made their mark in jazz: Ray Brown (bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), Benny Green (piano), Roy Hargrove (flugelhorn), Shirley Horn (vocals), Milt Jackson (vibraphone) , The Manhattan Transfer (vocals), Lewis Nash (drums), Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass), Clark Terry (trumpet / vocals) and Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax). The repertoire was certainly worthwhile, including: Reunion Blues, If You Only Knew (both with Oscar Peterson and Benny Green on piano), Willow Weep For Me, I Can't Face The Music, In A Mellow Tone, My Foolish Heart and "(Get your kicks on) Route 66. Oscar Peterson is still a very inspiring jazz musician, as can be heard on this CD with this animated live concert! https://www.muziekweb.nl/en/Link/JE15161/A-tribute-to-Oscar-Peterson-live-at-Town-Hall

Personnel: Oscar Peterson - piano; Niels-Henning Orsted Petersen - bass; Ray Brown - bass; Herb Ellis - guitar; Lewis Nash - drums.

Special guests: Benny Green - piano; Milt Jackson - vibes; Clark Terry - trumpet&flugelhorn; Shirley Horn - vocal; Stanley Turrentine - tenor sax; Roy Hargrove - trumpet; Manhattan Transfer - vocal

A Tribute To Oscar Peterson - Live At The TownHall

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Milt Jackson, J.J. Johnson, Ray Brown - Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company

Styles: Vibraphone, Trombone, Bop
Year: 1983
File: MP3@VBR ~253K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 75,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:27) 1. Jaybone
(5:04) 2. Lament
(5:49) 3. Our Delight
(5:34) 4. Bags' Groove
(4:48) 5. Watch What Happens
(5:10) 6. My One And Only Love
(3:41) 7. The Jumpin' Blues

The interplay between vibraphonist Milt Jackson and trombonist J.J. Johnson is the main reason to acquire this set. With fine backup from pianist Tom Ranier, guitarist John Collins, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Roy McCurdy, Jackson and Johnson are in top form on a variety of bop standards, including Johnson's "Lament," "Our Delight," "Bags Groove" and "My One and Only Love." Enthusiastic, consistently swinging music from some of the best.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jackson-johnson-brown-company-mw0000188200

Personnel: Trombone – J.J. Johnson; Vibraphone – Milt Jackson; Bass, Producer – Ray Brown; Drums – Roy McCurdy; Guitar – John Collins; Piano – Tom Ranier

Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company

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Milt Jackson - The Ballad Artistry of Milt Jackson

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:18
Size: 88,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. The Cylinder
(3:02)  2. Makin' Whoopee
(4:50)  3. Alone Together
(4:29)  4. Tenderly
(4:03)  5. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:38)  6. Nuages
(3:40)  7. Deep in a Dream
(4:39)  8. I'm a Fool to Want You
(3:45)  9. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set
(3:23) 10. Tomorrow

Vibraphonist Milt Jackson's enormous capacity for invention percolates throughout the sumptuous settings on the "with strings" date, The Ballad Artistry of Milt Jackson. Jackson and the large string section, masterfully arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones, mesh beautifully. Equally critical, the rhythm section is superbly integrated in the arrangements, underpinning the billows of violins and cellos with a distinct jazz pulse. 

Above all, Jackson is himself, bringing his consistently flawless phrasing and subtle, but ever-present, blues feeling to his role as featured solist. Bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Connie Kay, guitarist Barry Galbraith, and pianist Jimmy Jones make up the rhythm section for this 1960 session. ~Jim Todd https://www.allmusic.com/album/ballad-artistry-of-milt-jackson-vibrations-mw0000666544

Personnel: Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Quincy Jones (conductor); Don Hammond (flute); Romeo Penque (reeds); Gloria Agostini (harp); Jimmy Jones (piano); Barry Gailbraith, Chuck Wayne (guitar); Bill Crow, Milt Hinton (bass); Connie Kay (drums).

The Ballad Artistry of Milt Jackson

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Milt Jackson - Soul Believer

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:05
Size: 96,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:27) 1. Ain't Misbehaving
(4:30) 2. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(4:04) 3. I've Got The Blues
(4:09) 4. Heartstrings
(2:19) 5. Roll 'Em Pete
(3:51) 6. Yes Sir, That's My Baby
(5:08) 7. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(2:58) 8. I've Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(3:33) 9. Someone I Love
(4:01) 10. Parking Lot Blues

As vibraphonist Milt Jackson relates in the liner notes of this CD, he was a singer before he ever played vibes. This is one of his very few vocal albums and Jackson (who also takes some solos) is reasonably effective, displaying a personable voice and a gentle swing in his style. The backup utilizes synthesizers on three of the ten selections (a very unusual event at Pablo) but otherwise the lineup for these ballads and jump tunes is comprised of old musical friends, most notably pianist Cedar Walton ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-believer-mw0000276236

Personnel: Vibraphone – Milt Jackson; Bass – Ray Brown; Drums – Frank Severino; Guitar – Dennis Budimer, John Collins; Piano – Cedar Walton; Tenor Saxophone – Plas Johnson

Soul Believer

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The Modern Jazz Quartet - Blues At Carnegie Hall

Styles: Jazz, Bop, Cool 
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:23
Size: 95,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:47)  1. Pyramid [Blues For Junior]
(4:56)  2. The Cylinder
(4:28)  3. Really True Blues
(5:39)  4. Ralph's New Blues
(4:09)  5. Monterey Mist
(3:56)  6. Home
(6:12)  7. Blues Milanese l
(4:13)  8. Bag's Groove

Blues at Carnegie Hall is a live Atlantic set from 1966, with the Modern Jazz Quartet performing eight blues-based compositions. In addition to such familiar pieces as the inevitable "Bags' Groove," "Ralph's New Blues" (dedicated to jazz critic Ralph Gleason), and "The Cylinder," there are a few newer pieces (including "Home," which is similar to Lee Morgan's hit "The Sidewinder") included for variety. This predictable but consistently swinging set is particularly recommended to fans of vibraphonist Milt Jackson. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-at-carnegie-hall-mw0000318716

Personnel: Milt Jackson - vibraphone; John Lewis - piano; Percy Heath - bass; Connie Kay - drums

Blues At Carnegie Hall

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Milt Jackson - That's The Way It Is

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz 
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:24
Size: 97,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Frankie And Johnny
(7:45)  2. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:32)  3. Wheelin' And Dealin'
(7:15)  4. Blues In The Bassment
(8:44)  5. Tenderly
(7:22)  6. That's The Way It Is

As the story goes, Milt Jackson and Ray Brown would meet up once a year for a run of gigs at Shelly's Manne-Hole, not because they couldn't find work elsewhere, but rather (as the liner notes put it) for "the pleasure of making music". That's The Way It Is comes from a pair of 1969 shows with a stellar quintet that featured three jazz masters (Teddy Edwards and the two headliners) along with the young up-and-comer Monty Alexander, who would go on to have an impressively long and varied career that is still going strong today. The somewhat obscure Dick Berk manned the drummer's chair, admirably laying down the tempo for this set of hard bop jazz that not surprisingly harkens back to a simpler time of blues-based jazz music. Jackson and Brown's friendship went way back, they first played together in the rhythm section of Dizzy Gillespie's band from 1946 to 1951. The other members of the rhythm section, not coincidently, were John Lewis and Kenny Clarke, who would soon thereafter go on to form The Modern Jazz Quartet with Jackson, the group for which he is most often associated with. Brown is best known for his enduring work with the Oscar Peterson Trio, whom he played with for nearly fifteen years from 1951 until 1966. Apparently the two men remained close throughout the years, resulting in their yearly meetings at the famous Hollywood jazz club. In addition to this live LP, they would also record a couple of big band albums together for Impulse!, both of which remain pretty obscure. That's The Way It Is finds the pair playing a jazz style that by 1969 had fallen out of favor with the listeners of popular music (at least in terms of record sales), but that's the reason I love a record like this: it gives a sense of what you would find in smaller jazz clubs during this period when this music was supposedly a dying art form. This was a time when post bop, electric jazz and fusion were the stylistic watchwords of the day, so it's nice to see that Impulse! had the sense to record Jackson and Brown playing in a modern jazz style that they once helped to popularize. Even though the record is fairly mellow, the musician's love of the classic jazz sound shines through, and the subtle nature of the music seems a conscious choice against the more in-your-face electric jazz that was gaining momentum all around them. One can imagine the audience members kicking back with their cocktails, nodding their heads in appreciation at the calm and collected grooves being laid down in front of them.

No need to extoll the great talents of Jackson and Brown here, if you are unfamiliar with their work go check out the Modern Jazz Quartet and Oscar Peterson Trio, but a few quick words on Teddy Edwards seem appropriate. By the time of That's The Way It Is he had certainly fallen out of favor with the jazz mainstream, but in the late 1940s he was considered one of the best (if not the most influential) tenor saxophone players along with Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray. In 1947 Edwards and Dexter Gordon released the "The Duel", a recording that would cement both men's legendary status in the jazz world. It seems Edwards didn't achieve the same level of fame as his counterparts from the '40s due to his decision to remain in Los Angeles rather than head east, but that would explain Jackson and Brown tapping him to play in their quintet at a Hollywood jazz club, and what better choice for this set of music than a cat like Edwards who by this time had presumably seen and played it all. While the quieter tracks on the album feature some outstanding bass work from Brown (particularly his solo work on "Tenderly"), I'm certainly more partial to the upbeat tracks, in particular "Wheelin' And Dealin'" and the title track that closes out the record. The band swings and there is an instant delight in the interplay between the musicians. Nothing fancy, just some great jazz music. I'll quote Morgan Ames' liner notes again, as he sums up the recording quite well: "This is not experimental jazz. It's beyond that, or as they say in New York, outside that. This is solid, rooted, sweet-smelling earth of an enduring style, as played by masters." Well said, and even if the record labels had already begun to abandon this "enduring style", it's reassuring in hindsight to know that it was still out there, almost underground perhaps, but like the best that art has to offer it was simply biding it's time until the world would be once again ready to embrace it. The Details: An original 1969 pressing on the first version of the "Impulse! ABC Records" label. It is easily dated as pre-1972 by "A Product of ABC Records, Inc. New York, N.Y. 10019 • Made in USA" along the bottom (this would be shortened to differing lengths starting in 1972 until the next label change in 1974). This label version is often considered to be the last if the "audiophile" sounding pressings, although I own some later "neon" and "green bullseye" repressed titles and they sound pretty darn good to my ears (especially at the nice price you can snag em at). http://www.thejazzrecord.com/records/2016/5/29/milt-jackson-quintet-featuring-ray-brown-thats-the-way-it-is

Milt Jackson - Vibes; Ray Brown - Bass; Teddy Edwards - Tenor Sax; Monty Alexander - Piano; Dick Berk - Drums

That's The Way It Is

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Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson - Cherry

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:50
Size: 87,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. Speedball
(5:10)  2. I Remember You
(7:46)  3. The Revs
(6:04)  4. Sister Sanctified
(5:10)  5. Cherry
(7:00)  6. Introspective

One of the best CTI albums from the early 70s and one of Stanley Turrentine's funkiest records as well! The album's got a sharper edge than most other Turrentine albums of the time a quality that goes beyond Stan's already soulful approach to the tenor, and which brings in some tight changes and more pronounced rhythms that really give the best cuts a great groove! The group's a sextet with Bob James on electric piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Cornell Dupree on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums and titles include a monster version of Weldon Irvine's "Sister Sanctified" a great funk tune that's probably best known as the sample for "My Philosophy" by BDP! Other tracks include "Speedball", "Cherry", and "The Revs".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/1522/Stanley-Turrentine:Cherry

Personnel:  Stanley Turrentine - Tenor Sax; Milt Jackson - Vibes; Bob James - Electric Piano, Piano; Cornell Dupree - Guitar; Ron Carter - Bass; Billy Cobham - Drums

Cherry

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Tadd Dameron - The Compositions Of Tadd Dameron

Styles: Bop, Post Bop, Hard Bop, Cool Jazz 
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Fontainebleau
(3:10)  2. The Dream Is You
(6:30)  3. If You Could See Me Now
(7:42)  4. Good Bait
(5:13)  5. Smooth As The Wind
(4:43)  6. Our Delight
(4:09)  7. Hot House
(6:36)  8. Lady Bird

The definitive arranger/composer of the bop era, Tadd Dameron wrote such standards as "Good Bait," "Our Delight," "Hot House," "Lady Bird," and "If You Could See Me Now." Not only did he write melody lines, but full arrangements, and he was an influential force from the mid-'40s on even though he never financially prospered. Dameron started out in the swing era touring with the Zack Whyte and Blanche Calloway bands, he wrote for Vido Musso in New York and most importantly, contributed arrangements for Harlan Leonard's Kansas City Orchestra, some of which were recorded. Soon Dameron was writing charts for such bands as Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, Billy Eckstine, and Dizzy Gillespie (1945-1947) in addition to Sarah Vaughan. Dameron was always very modest about his own piano playing but he did gig with Babs Gonzales' Three Bips & a Bop in 1947 and led a sextet featuring Fats Navarro (and later Miles Davis) at the Royal Roost during 1948-1949. Dameron co-led a group with Davis at the 1949 Paris Jazz Festival, stayed in Europe for a few months (writing for Ted Heath), and then returned to New York. He wrote for Artie Shaw's last orchestra that year, played and arranged R&B for Bull Moose Jackson (1951-1952) and in 1953 led a nonet featuring Clifford Brown and Philly Joe Jones. Drug problems, however, started to get in the way of his music. After recording a couple of albums (including 1958's Mating Call with John Coltrane) he spent much of 1959-1961 in jail. After he was released, Dameron wrote for Sonny Stitt, Blue Mitchell, Milt Jackson, Benny Goodman and his last record but was less active in the years before his death from cancer. Tadd Dameron's classic Blue Note recordings of 1947-48, his 1949 Capitol sides and Prestige/Riverside sets of 1953, 1956, 1958, and 1962 are all currently in print on CD. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tadd-dameron-mn0000016759/biography

Personnel:  Arranged By, Conductor [Orchestra] – Tadd Dameron; Vibraphone [Soloist] – Milt Jackson; Bass – Larry Gales, Sam Jones, Buddy Clark; Drums – Ben Riley, Jimmy Cobb, Mel Lewis; Piano – Junior Mance, Bobby Timmons, Bill Evans, Jimmy Rowles; Tenor Saxophone – Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Johnny Griffin; Trumpet [Soloist] – Blue Mitchell, Jack Sheldon; Vibraphone – Dave Pike: Bass Clarinet – Herbie Mann; Bass Clarinet – Herbie Mann;

The Compositions Of Tadd Dameron

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Milt Jackson Sextet - Invitation

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:15
Size: 116,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Invitation
(5:14)  2. Too Close For Comfort
(4:27)  3. Ruby, My Dear (take 6)
(4:20)  4. Ruby, My Dear (take 5)
(6:33)  5. The Sealer
(6:54)  6. Poom-A-Loom
(4:00)  7. Stella By Starlight
(5:53)  8. Ruby
(3:58)  9. None Shall Wander (take 8)
(3:59) 10. None Shall Wander (take 6)

Once in while, an audiophile reissue can make the listener realize that what seemed like a good, solid record is better than that. If I had been asked to evaluate Invitation before hearing this release, I would’ve said it was a fairly typical early-60s hard-bop record, led by the great vibraphonist Milt Jackson. I might have added that it suffers from neither the overly careful approach that plagued much of the Modern Jazz Quartet’s output, nor from the opposite extreme, of simply blowing long solos on overly familiar standards, something Jackson has done more than enough of in his time. The success of Invitation owes on both counts to the presence of trumpeter Kenny Dorham and alto saxophonist Jimmy Heath. Each contributes not only fine solos, but a couple of nifty arrangements. But what this listener had not fully appreciated from earlier releases is the fantastically subtle interplay of the rhythm section: Tommy Flanagan, piano, Ron Carter, bass, and Connie Heath on drums. On this remastered LP, one hears every nuance with delicious clarity, from the crackle of Kay’s cymbals to the big, fat sound of Carter’s walking lines. Rarely have Jackson’s uniquely swinging vibes been heard in a more sympathetic setting. ~ Duke Baker http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/milt-jackson-sextet-invitation/

Personnel:  Milt Jackson – vibes;  Kenny Dorham, Virgil Jones (tracks 2 & 6) - trumpet;  Jimmy Heath - tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 3-5 & 7-10);  Tommy Flanagan - piano;  Ron Carter - bass;  Connie Kay - drums

Invitation

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Milt Jackson - Sunflower

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:28
Size: 79,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:10)  1. For Someone I Love (What's Your Story)
( 7:00)  2. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
( 8:23)  3. People Make the World Go Round
( 8:52)  4. Sunflower

With a series of mainstream dates to his credit dating back to the early 1950s not to mention charter membership in the now-legendary Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) and one-offs with everyone from bop saxophonist Charlie Parker to "new thing" saxophonist John Coltrane vibraphonist Milt Jackson was the clear link between his instrument's swing era beginnings with Lionel Hampton and more progressive things to come with then-relative youngsters Gary Burton and Bobby Hutcherson. Still and despite the label's centrist-leaning proclivities on one hand, balancing out its more groove-centric tendencies on the other Jackson's signing with CTI Records was something of a surprise, as was his first project, Cherry (1972), an uneven collaboration with label-hit Stanley Turrentine. His first release for the label as a full-out leader, 1972's Sunflower fares much better, even with the presence of Don Sebesky, an arranger who brought out some of the worst of CTI's easy listening tendencies, but, equally, delivered some tremendously inventive and tasteful orchestral work. Here, with a harpist and 11-piece string ensemble, Sebesky gives Jackson's opening ballad, "For Someone in Love," a burnished sheen, but it can't take away from the vibraphonist's ethereal touch, flugelhornist Freddie Hubbard's more propulsive approach, or pianist Hancock's abstract impressionism; all making for a stunning intro to an album that posits Jackson in even broader contexts than his discography to date. The Legrand/Berman ballad, "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?," the Grammy-nominated song from Richard Brooks' 1969 film, The Happy Ending, swings with the kind of graceful elegance that Jackson had honed in the MJQ, but Hancock's more exploratory accompaniment drives the tune into unexpected places, even as Ron Carter's low, resonant bass notes support the tune with perfect simplicity. What was, back in the day, side one of Sunflower was, then, a bit of a shift for Jackson into more accessible territory, but nothing earth-shattering. Tectonic plates didn't move for those who put on side two of the disc, either, but opening with The Stylistics' oft-covered hit, "People Make the World Go Round,"was something new, as the vibraphonist entered light funk territory. Carter, locked-in with drummer Billy Cobham, proves that, at a time when electric bassists like Stanley Clarke and Alphonso Johnson were on the cusp of becoming fusion stars with {Return to Forever}} and Weather Report, the acoustic bass was still the absolute funkiest low-end instrument of all. Hubbard's closing title track is also a foray into light Latin music, with a soft string cushion broadening the soundscape when the tune moves into double-time during Hubbard's plangent solo. The closing bonus track (not new, it's been on CD issues since 1997), Jackson's "SKJ," feels like something of an anomaly, both in its hard-swinging pulse and production rawer, and less refined than the rest of the set. It speaks to the truth that musicians may move around stylistically during their long careers, but they don't forget where they came from. A beautiful record that expands an already broad view of Jackson, this CTI Masterworks reissue brings one of the vibraphonist's best albums back into print. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sunflower-milt-jackson-cti-masterworks-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Milt Jackson: vibraphone; Freddie Hubbard: flugelhorn; George Marge: clarinet,bass clarinet,alto flute, English horn; Phil Bodner: flute, alto flute, piccolo, English horn; Romeo Penque: alto flute, oboe, English horn; Herbie Hancock: piano, electric piano (5); Jay Berliner: guitar; Ron Carter: bass; Billy Cobham: drums; Ralph MacDonald: percussion; Max Ellen: violin; Paul Gershman: violin; Emanuel Green: violin; Charles Libove: violin; Joe Malin: violin; David Nadien: violin; Gene Orloff: violin; Elliot Rosoff: violin; Charles McCracken: cello;, George Ricci: cello; Alan Shulman: cello; Margaret Ross: harp; Don Sebesky: arranger, conductor.

Sunflower

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Milt Jackson, J.J. Johnson, Ray Brown - Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 88.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1983/2006
Art: Front

[8:28] 1. Jaybone
[5:04] 2. Lament
[5:49] 3. Our Delight
[5:35] 4. Bags' Groove
[4:47] 5. Watch What Happens
[5:09] 6. My One And Only Love
[3:41] 7. The Jumpin' Blues

The interplay between vibraphonist Milt Jackson and trombonist J.J. Johnson is the main reason to acquire this set. With fine backup from pianist Tom Ranier, guitarist John Collins, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Roy McCurdy, Jackson and Johnson are in top form on a variety of bop standards, including Johnson's "Lament," "Our Delight," "Bags Groove" and "My One and Only Love." Enthusiastic, consistently swinging music from some of the best. ~Scott Yanow

Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company

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