Esther Phillips - Black Eyed Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77.5 MB
Styles: Soul/Blues/R&B
Year: 1973/2012
Art: Front

[5:30] 1. Justified
[3:29] 2. I've Only Known A Stranger
[6:41] 3. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[6:09] 4. Black-Eyed Blues
[4:34] 5. Too Many Roads
[7:27] 6. You Could Have Had Me, Baby

Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion, Pee Wee Ellis; Backing Vocals – Carl Carldwell, Joshie Armstead, Lani Groves, Tasha Thomas; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Boz, Ron Carter; Cello – Alan Shulman, Anthony Sophos; Drums – Ian Wallace; Guitar – Charlie Brown; Percussion – Arthur Jenkins; Piano – Tim Hinkley; Trumpet – Jon Faddis, Marvin Stamm; Viola – Alfred Brown, Emanuel Vardi; Violin – David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Irving Spice, Joe Malin, Max Ellen. Recorded at Van Gelder Studios. Recorded July, 1973.

This was the third album that Esther cut for Creed Taylor's CTI album. It marked a change from the previous two in that the string arrangements were undertaken for the first time with this artist, by Bob James; it's a subtle but very important change. Secondly the material stretches out from the straight-ahead R&B to embrace a range of varying styles. This being the case, the album is not as 'immediate' as the previous two, but is just as satisfying when it yields all its nuances. My favourite tracks are her reading of Bill Wither's "Justified" which is a great version.There's a particularly sensual and burning version of "I've only known a stranger" and a straight ahead jazz version of Leonard Feather's "You could have had me baby".While I'm writing about it I should also mention the title track, which is a Joe Cocker track given a particularly good makeover. That's four out of the seven tracks mentioned already, so when you consider that there's a bonus unreleased track as well out of the remaining three,it makes you realise what good value it is. Add in an excellent set of sleeve notes, and this is another 'must have' Esther Phillips album! ~Dr.D.Treharne

Black Eyed Blues

---

Rhoda Scott - Paris - New York Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Paris - New York   Disc 1

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:19
Size: 134,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Moanin'
(3:43)  2. Il Est Mort Le Soleil
(7:41)  3. Medley from ''West Side Story''
(4:13)  4. Take A Ladder
(4:43)  5. Ebb Tide
(2:47)  6. What Kind Of Fool Am I?
(2:26)  7. Count Basie (Lil Darlin)
(6:38)  8. Splanky
(4:29)  9. Mach II
(3:26) 10. Fire And Brimstone
(5:08) 11. Jeremy
(6:30) 12. Delilah
(3:20) 13. Blues At The Bilboquet

---

Album: Paris - New York  Disc 2

Time: 43:57

Size: 101,4 MB

(4:32)  1. Mach 2

(4:33)  2. Tanikka

(5:02)  3. Rhoda Map

(4:15)  4. R And R

(4:34)  5. Charlotte's Walz

(5:08)  6. Walkin' About

(7:26)  7. Take A Ladder

(4:24)  8. La La Solitude

(4:00)  9. Quand Je Monte Chez Toi

In 1967, following in the footsteps of Tadd Dameron and Quincy Jones, Rhoda Scott arrives in France to take classes with Nadia Boulanger. Barely a year later, she recorded her debut album Barclay, Take a Ladder duet with one of the best drummers of the moment, Daniel Humair. A long series of albums will follow, two of which are particularly distinguished by the presence of first-rate accompanists: Mach II (1971) in which his long-time accomplice, American saxophonist / flutist Joe Thomas and especially Rhoda Scott in New York, participate. (1976), the result of the collaboration between the virtuoso organist and the great orchestra of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis. Translate by Google https://www.amazon.fr/Paris-New-York-Rhoda-Scott/dp/B007JNN1LG

Personnel: Organ [Hammond] – Rhoda Scott; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Edward Xiques, Jerry Dodgion; Arranged By, Flugelhorn – Thad Jones; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Bob Bowman ; Drums – Mel Lewis; Electric Piano – Harold Danko; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Larry Schneider; Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Gregory Herbert; Trombone – Billy Campbell, Clifford Adams, Earl Mc Intyre, John Mosca; Trumpet – Al Porcino, Cecil Bridgewater, Earl Gardner, Lynn Nicholson

Paris - New York Disc 1,Disc 2

---

Kenny Burrell - Jazzmen Detroit

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Afternoon in Paris
(4:46)  2. You Turned the Tables on Me
(5:28)  3. Apothegm
(5:21)  4. Your Host
(5:37) 5. Cottontail
(6:40)  6. Tom's Thumb

This Savoy CD lists Kenny Burrell as session leader, but it is clearly a group effort that could easily have been attributed to Pepper Adams or pianist Tommy Flanagan. Burrell has the edge, though, in writing credits with the contribution of two tunes: the quietly assured "Your Host" and the bluesy, hard bop line "Tom's Thumb." Adams offers his leisurely, sophisticated "Apothegm" to the date. Flanagan, for his part, is pure elegance, subtlety, and swing. With the exception of drummer Kenny Clarke, all the players hail from the motor city.

Coming up through the same hometown music scene may help account for the fine group interplay. It's also apparent the musicians had the luxury of working through these six tunes before sitting down to record. The result does full justice to the fine writing and arranging and allows for thoughtfully developed improvisations. Ensemble entries are crisp and assured, as are the entrances by all soloists. Burrell favors a dry, clean attack here, while Adams reins in his more full-throated tendencies. Clarke, Flanagan, and bassist Paul Chambers support with consummate taste. The overall mood may be a bit too polite, but this remains a classy, near classic performance. There's no padding, although, at 33 minutes, the running time is brief. The sound recording is excellent.By Jim Todd  http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazzmen-detroit-mw0000097797

Personnel: Kenny Burrell (guitar); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Tommy Flanagan (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Jazzmen Detroit

---

Pepper Adams - The Adams Effect

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:12
Size: 112.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1985/2007
Art: Front

[6:56] 1. Binary
[6:56] 2. Now In Our Lives
[5:45] 3. Valse Celtique
[6:22] 4. Dylan's Delight
[7:01] 5. How I Spent The Night
[7:26] 6. Claudette's Way
[8:43] 7. Now In Our Lives

Baritonist Pepper Adams' final album as a leader (he died 14 months later) matches him with tenor saxophonist Frank Foster, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Hart for five of his straight-ahead if occasionally complex originals plus Foster's "How I Spent The Night." Adams still sounded in prime form at the time and, even if none of his tunes became standards, they served as strong and diverse vehicles for the musicians' improvisations. A fine effort by a classic baritone saxophonist.By Scott Yanow

The Adams Effect

---

Pepper Adams - Any Day Now - Where or When

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:17
Size: 159,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:58) 1. Blackout Blues
(6:26) 2. Minor Mishap
(3:53) 3. My One And Only Love
(6:23) 4. Unforgettable
(5:57) 5. Afternoon In Paris
(5:55) 6. Muezzin
(4:45) 7. You Turned The Table On Me
(5:50) 8. Alone Together
(5:36) 9. Cottontail
(8:42) 10. High Step
(5:27) 11. Apothegm
(5:21) 12. Your Host

Pepper Adams handled the baritone saxophone with the driven facility of hard bop and fueled the big horn with a propulsive intensity that caused him to be nicknamed "the Knife" for his "slashing and chopping technique," which had a humbling effect upon musicians fortunate enough to gig with him. From 1954 until shortly before his passing in 1986, Pepper Adams existed as an indispensable ingredient in the North American jazz ensemble, releasing more than 20 albums as a leader, emanating a special warmth as a featured soloist, and serving as a strongly supportive sideman and an often overlooked accompanist, for he anchored many an ensemble behind vocalists such as Brook Benton, Aretha Franklin, Jon Lucien, Carmen McRae, Helen Merrill, Esther Phillips, Dakota Staton, Joe Williams, and Jimmy Witherspoon.

Often mentioned in the same breath with Serge Chaloff, Gerry Mulligan, and Cecil Payne, his powerhouse approach was closer to that of Harry Carney and Leo Parker. Born Park Adams III on October 8, 1930, in Highland Park, MI, he was five years old when his family moved to Rochester, NY, where he soon developed a passionate interest in jazz by listening to Fats Waller, Jimmie Lunceford, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway on the radio. At 12 he was blowing clarinet and tenor sax and was soon sitting in with local bands, including one led by veteran reedman Ben Smith. Pepper's primary inspiration was tenor archetype Coleman Hawkins, and Harry Carney inspired him to take up the baritone.

Moving back to Detroit in 1946, he played in a group led by Lucky Thompson and worked in the house band at the African-American-owned Bluebird Inn with Barry Harris, Billy Mitchell, and Thad and Elvin Jones while holding down a job manufacturing automobiles. He blew tenor with Lionel Hampton for a while and served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953, including a spell in Korea. Resuming his routine at the Bluebird, he developed his stamina while working with Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt, and Wardell Gray, whose influence he always acknowledged. Adams worked in a group led by guitarist Kenny Burrell, then recorded with alto saxophonist Lennie Niehaus.

His most memorable session of 1955 was with bassist Paul Chambers and emerging tenor John Coltrane. Moving to New York in January 1956, he recorded with Kenny Clarke, Curtis Fuller, and Quincy Jones. Pepper toured with Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson and while on the West Coast he jammed with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars. During 1957 Adams made records with harmonica ace Toots Thielemans; pianists Hank Jones and Ahmad Kharab Salim; trumpeters Shorty Rogers and Lee Morgan; and saxophonists Dave Pell, John Coltrane, Frank Wess, Coleman Hawkins, Hank Mobley, and Shafi Hadi (later reissued with the complete Debut recordings of Charles Mingus).

In 1958 Adams worked with Benny Goodman, Johnny Griffin, Chet Baker, Manny Albam, Gene Ammons, and Donald Byrd, with whom he would co-lead a band and cut quite a number of albums over the years. In 1959 Pepper put out an LP with trombonist Jimmy Knepper and led a group that was recorded live at the Five Spot. He supported Art Pepper and Sonny Red on their album Two Altos and sat in on Philly Joe Jones' Showcase. Adams helped solidify the orchestra that appeared with Thelonious Monk at Town Hall and served as a sort of living furnace among trombonist Jimmy Knepper and saxophonists Jackie McLean, John Handy, and Booker Ervin during the session that resulted in Blues and Roots, the album that virtually defines the artistic legacy of Charles Mingus.

He began the 1960s by recording with multi-instrumentalist Herbie Mann, pianist Herbie Hancock, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, and trumpeters Howard McGhee and Freddie Hubbard. He also recorded with pianists Duke Pearson and Red Garland, helped saxophonist Pony Poindexter cut his first album, and appeared live with Mingus at New York's Town Hall and Birdland. In 1963 Pepper Adams Plays Charlie Mingus was co-produced by Mingus and vibraphonist Teddy Charles. Other collaborations from this period include Ben Webster's See You at the Fair, Oliver Nelson's More Blues and the Abstract Truth, and dates led by pianist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.

In 1966 Thad Jones and Pepper Adams co-led the album Mean What You Say. This coincided with the first of the Monday night performances at the Village Vanguard by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, an 18-piece unit that would stay together for ten years. Throughout the late '60s Pepper Adams performed with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, with Dizzy Gillespie at the Vanguard, behind organist Jimmy Smith on Stay Loose...Jimmy Smith Sings Again, and on various albums by saxophonists Lou Donaldson, Hank Crawford, Zoot Sims, Houston Person, and Roland Kirk. He closed out the decade by sitting in with bassist Richard Davis, with guitarist George Benson on the album Giblet Gravy, and in a large band behind Mose Allison on the LP Hello There, Universe. Pepper Adams showed up on several Blue Note sessions presided over by Elvin Jones from 1969 to 1973, on two albums with soul-jazz organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith, and with composer and multi-instrumentalist David Amram on various projects that materialized throughout the 1970s.

Adams demonstrated terrific adaptability as he assisted Felix Cavaliere and the Rascals with their jazz-rock crossover Peaceful World and even signed on with comedian Martin Mull, appearing on his 1974 album, Normal, where he lent ballast to a tidy big-band arrangement of "Flexible" with Phil Bodner, Thad Jones, Jimmy Knepper, and Joe Farrell. Further engagements during the 1970s (including tours of the U.K. and Europe) involved pianists Arif Mardin, Ben Sidran, and Mickey Tucker; guitarist Eric Gale; saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr.; and Lalo Schifrin's disco album Black Widow. A return to jazzier turf came about on Nick Brignola's Baritone Madness, on sessions with pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., and on Charles Mingus' last albums Me, Myself an Eye and Something Like a Bird in 1978. Pepper's Urban Dreams came out in 1981, ushering in what would be his last five years of artistic productivity. He assisted with Teo Macero's Impressions of Charles Mingus and recorded with pianist Bess Bonnier, guitarist Peter Leitch, pianists Hank Jones and Hod O'Brien, and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. Pepper's last recording, The Adams Effect, brought him together with saxophonist Frank Foster and a rhythm section of Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter, and Billy Hart. A lifelong tobacco addict, Pepper Adams died of lung cancer in Brooklyn, NY, on September 10, 1986. By arwulf arwulf https://www.iheart.com/artist/pepper-adams-43860/

Any Day Now - Where or When

---

The Duke Pearson Big Band - Baltimore 1969

Styles: Piano Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:23
Size: 182,4 MB
Art: Front

(12:41)  1. Hi-Fly
( 8:18)  2. New Girl
( 7:10)  3. Eldorado
( 9:17)  4. In the Still of the Night
( 9:57)  5. Tones for Joan's Bones
(13:08)  6. Straight up and Down
( 7:17)  7. Ready When You Are C.B.
(11:35)  8. Night Song (Theme from Golden Boy)

The Duke Pearson Big Band of the late 1960s featured great soloists Donald Byrd, Burt Collins, Lew Tabackin, Frank Foster and Pepper Adams. Drummer Mickey Roker propelled the 16 piece band with fire. All this is on display at the April 1969 Baltimore concert issued for the first time on this CD. 

Where the studio recordings featured relatively short pieces, this concert presents the band stretching out in full force. Even 44 years later, this is big band jazz at its finest and a clear demonstration of Duke Pearson's great talents as a leader, pianist, composer and arranger.~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Baltimore-1969-Duke-Pearson-Band/dp/B00EKJRYNS

Personnel: Duke Pearson (piano); Jerry Dodgion, Al Gibbons (flute, alto saxophone); Frank Foster , Lew Tabackin (tenor saxophone); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Jim Bossy, Donald Byrd, Joe Shepley, Burt Collins (trumpet, flugelhorn); Eddie Bert, Julian Priester, Joe Forst (trombone); Kenny Rupp (bass trombone); Bob Cranshaw (acoustic bass, electric bass); Mickey Roker (drums).

Baltimore 1969

---

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  

---

Curtis Fuller - Four On The Outside

Styles: Trombone Jazz

Year: 2008

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 46:27

Size: 106,5 MB

Art: Front

( 4:49)  1. Four on the Outside

(12:58)  2. Suite Kathy

( 5:06)  3. Hello Young Lovers

( 7:44)  4. Little Dreams

( 8:14)  5. Ballad For Gabe-Wells

( 7:33)  6. Corrida Del Torro

While Curtis Fuller may have reached his peak in the 1960s, he continued to be an important voice well into the 1970s and beyond. This delightful set features him in a front line with Pepper Adams, and the trombone-baritone saxophone combination was a natural. (Curiously, few others have followed this intriguing coupling.) While there is no new ground broken, Adams and Fuller negotiate tunes mostly written by Fuller, with simple, yet elegant heads. The version of "Hello Young Lovers" is characteristically conservative, yet sharp and well rehearsed. Fuller's nasal tone, machine gun-like spurts, and focus on the middle range on his horn complements Adams' angular, boppish lines. The fine rhythm section of pianist James Williams, bassist Dennis Irwin, and drummer John Yarling never gets in the way, but lets the horns spread their wings. ~ Steve Loewy  http://www.allmusic.com/album/four-on-the-outside-mw0000464545

Personnel: Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams;  Bass – Dennis Irwin;  Drums – John Yarling;  Piano – James Williams;  Trombone – Curtis Fuller

Four On The Outside

---

Dave Pell - A Pell Of A Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:41
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Jazz Goes To Siwash
(3:07)  2. Suze Blues
(6:41)  3. Grey Flannel
(5:38)  4. Angel Eyes
(2:42)  5. G Tune
(5:18)  6. Sandy Shoes
(4:11)  7. Cameo
(7:14)  8. Love Me Or Leave Me
(5:19)  9. Them There Eyes

The Dave Pell Octet was one of the great cool jazz bands of the mid- to late '50s. This fairly rare LP found Pell altering the personnel greatly, with Pell and pianist/arranger Marty Paich being the only holdovers. In addition, the arrangements of Paich, Bill Holman, Paul Moer (who, like trombonist Ray Sims, is a substitute on three songs), and Jack Montrose are opened up, and the musicians take much longer solos than on Pell's earlier albums. With trumpeter Jack Sheldon often starring and there being some excellent spots for baritonist Pepper Adams, this is a rather different album by the Dave Pell Octet, a bit harder-charging and more hard bop-oriented while still retaining the identity of the original group. Worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-pell-of-a-time-mw0000314352

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Leader – Dave Pell;   Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams;  Bass – Tom Kelly;  Drums – Mel Lewis;  Guitar – Tommy Tedesco;  Piano – Marty Paich, Paul Moer;  Trombone – Bobby Burgess, Ray Sims;  Trumpet – Jack Sheldon

R.I.P.
Born: February 26, 1925
Died:  May 8, 2017

A Pell Of A Time

---

Duke Pearson - Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:17
Size: 172.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Big band, Piano jazz
Year: 1968/2000
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Ground Hog
[6:01] 2. New Girl
[5:28] 3. Bedouin
[7:00] 4. Straight Up And Down
[2:56] 5. Ready When You Are C.B
[5:34] 6. New Time Shuffle
[2:32] 7. Mississippi Dip
[5:27] 8. A Taste Of Honey
[4:08] 9. Time After Time
[5:50] 10. Disapproachment
[5:30] 11. Tone's For Joan's Bones
[6:38] 12. Minor League
[4:24] 13. Here's That Rainy Day
[4:38] 14. Make It Good
[6:00] 15. Days Of Wine And Roses

Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet – Al Gibbons; Alto Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute – Jerry Dodgion; Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet – Pepper Adams; Bass – Bob Cranshaw; Bass Trombone – Kenny Rupp; Drums – Mickey Roker; Piano – Duke Pearson; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin; Trombone – Benny Powell, Garnett Brown, Julian Priester; Trumpet – Burt Collins, Joe Shepley, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker. Recorded At – Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Duke Pearson had always displayed a flair for arranging, even on small combo albums, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that he would attempt his own big band record. What is a surprise is how successful Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band actually is. Pearson leads 13 other musicians through a selection of nine songs, including four originals, two contemporary jazz tunes by Chick Corea and Joe Sample, and three standards. His originals are continually unpredictable and memorable, and his arrangements, especially of the standards, are provocative and intriguing. While it might not appeal to fans of Pearson's wonderful small-group hard bop sessions, it is unquestionably an experiment that works, and one that confirms his remarkable skills and talents. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band

---

George Benson - Giblet Gravy

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:31
Size: 133,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:02) 1. Along Comes Mary
(2:56) 2. Sunny
(5:32) 3. What's New?
(4:50) 4. Giblet Gravy
(3:26) 5. Walk On By
(4:42) 6. Thunder Walk
(3:08) 7. Sack Of Woe
(2:46) 8. Groovin'
(8:40) 9. Low Down and Dirty
(6:14) 10. Billie's Bounce
(5:41) 11. What's New? - alternative take 1
(5:28) 12. What's New? - alternative take 2

Simply one of the greatest guitarists in jazz history, George Benson is an amazingly versatile musician whose adept skills find him crossing easily between straight-ahead jazz, smooth jazz, and contemporary R&B. Blessed with supreme taste, a beautiful, rounded guitar tone, terrific speed, a marvelous sense of logic in building solos, and, as always, an unquenchable urge to swing, Benson's inspirations may have been Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery, but his style is completely his own. Not only can he play lead brilliantly, he is also one of the best rhythm guitarists around, supportive to soloists and a dangerous swinger, particularly in a soul-jazz format; skills he first garnered attention for as a member of Brother Jack McDuff's band in the early '60s. Benson can also sing in a lush, soulful tenor with mannerisms similar to those of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. In a sense, he is the guitar-playing equivalent of Nat King Cole, a fantastic instrumentalist whose smooth way with a pop vocal helped solidify his prowess in the marketplace. It is this combination of singing and guitar playing that has garnered him numerous accolades and chart success, including most notably his 1976 breakthrough Breezin', which topped the pop, R&B, and jazz charts and took home Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Record of the Year. Benson has remained a chart and awards season favorite, releasing more Top Ten jazz albums, including 1980's Grammy-winning Give Me the Night, 1993's Love Remembers, and 2006's Grammy-winning Givin' It Up with Al Jarreau. Along with his original studio albums, Benson has paid tribute to his idols, releasing 2013's Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole and 2019's Fats Domino- and Chuck Berry-inspired Walking to New Orleans.

Born in 1943 in Pittsburgh, Benson actually started out professionally as a singer, performing in nightclubs at the age of eight, recording four sides for RCA's X label in 1954, and forming a rock band at 17 while using a guitar that his stepfather made for him. Exposure to records by Christian, Montgomery, and Charlie Parker got him interested in jazz, and by 1962, the teenage Benson was playing in Brother Jack McDuff's band. After forming his own group in 1965, Benson became another of talent scout John Hammond's major discoveries, recording two highly regarded albums of soul-jazz and hard bop for Columbia and turning up on several records by others, including Miles Davis' Miles in the Sky. He switched to Verve in 1967, and, shortly after the death of Montgomery in June 1968, producer Creed Taylor began recording him with larger ensembles on A&M (between 1968 and 1969) and big groups and all-star combos on CTI (from 1971 to 1976).

While the A&M and CTI albums certainly earned their keep and made Benson a guitar star in the jazz world, he gained yet more commercial acclaim after signing with Warner Bros. in 1976. His first album for Warner Bros., Breezin', became a Top Ten hit on the strength of its sole vocal track, "This Masquerade," and this led to a string of hit albums in an R&B-flavored pop mode, culminating with the Quincy Jones-produced Give Me the Night. However, jazz remained at the core of his sound, as showcased on 1989's standards album Tenderly, as well as 1990's Big Boss Band with the Basie band, the latter of which featured his guitar more prominently. In 1993, he scored another number one contemporary jazz album with Love Remembers, and followed with several more chart-topping albums, including 1996's That's Right and 1998's Standing Together. The Latin-infused Absolute Benson arrived in 2000 debuting at number one on the Billboard Jazz chart, and was followed by 2004's number five-charting Irreplaceable. He then paired with vocalist Al Jarreau for 2006's Givin' It Up, which topped the contemporary jazz chart and took home Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. In 2009, Benson signed to Concord and released Songs and Stories for the label; he followed it with his first primarily instrumental album in 35 years, Guitar Man, in 2011. Two years later, Benson released Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, featuring arrangements by Nelson Riddle and Randy Waldman. In 2019, he returned with a second tribute album, Walking to New Orleans: Remembering Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. A concert album, Weekend in London, arrived in 2020.~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-benson-mn0000201760/biography

Personnel: Guitar – Carl Lynch (tracks: 1), Eric Gale (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 7), George Benson; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8); Bass – Bob Cranshaw (tracks: 2, 4, 5), Ron Carter (tracks: 1, 3, 6 to 12); Bass Trombone – Alan Ralph (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8; Congas, Tambourine – Johnny Pacheco; Drums – Billy Cobham; Piano – Herbie Hancock (tracks: 3, 6, 9 to 12); Trumpet – Ernie Royal (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8), Snooky Young* (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8); Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jimmy Owens (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8)

Giblet Gravy

---

Thad Jones, The Mel Lewis Orchestra - All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Live)

Album: All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Live)  Disc 1

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop 

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:36

Size: 112,0 MB

Art: Front

(13:22)  1. Back Bone

( 4:22)  2. All My Yesterdays

( 5:51)  3. Big Dipper

( 4:49)  4. Mornin' Reverend

(14:25)  5. The Little Pixie

( 5:45)  6. Big Dipper

---

Album: All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Live) Disc 2

Time: 76:51

Size: 177,2 MB

( 4:38)  1. Low Down

( 5:25)  2. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)

(10:08)  3. Ah, That's Freedom

( 4:28)  4. Don't Ever Leave Me

( 6:15)  5. Willow Weep for Me

( 5:51)  6. Mean What You Say

(12:45)  7. Once Around

( 4:02)  8. Polka Dots & Moonbeams

( 5:49)  9. Mornin' Reverend

( 4:25) 10. All My Yesterdays

(12:59) 11. Back Bone

Offering: Live at Temple University (Resonance Records, 2014), Getz/Gilberto '76 (Resonance Records, 2016), Moments in Time (Resonance Records, 2016)...and these are just the most recent (not to forget several Wes Montgomery) releases. Resonance Records steps up (again) and releases what can only be considered the apotheosis of live jazz performance, All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard. Before even considering the music, there is the captured ambiance. Recorded by a then 19-year old amateur engineer, George Klaban, the period technology may be lacking by today's standards. Maybe even Klaban's amateur status could call things into question. However, the results provide the listener with a very intimate listening experience that only lacks the smell of just-lit Lucky Strikes and Cutty Sark on the rocks. Klaban's gig pack included a Crown Professional two Track stereo tape recorder, an Ampex four-input mixer and six mics (Neumann U67, Bayer and AKG professional mics and an Electro Voice 654 Dynamic, the last used for the bass). Klaban details that he placed one mic each for the reeds, trombones, and trumpets, the fourth for the bass, the fifth for the piano and the last for the leader, Thad Jones. The result of this alchemic paradigm is a presence, not in the audience, but up over the middle of the band looking (hearing) down (a physical impossibility given the compressed confines of the Village Vanguard).

Nonetheless, the sound and atmosphere is electrically charged and immediate. The sound is spacious enough to get up and walk around in, passing through all of the sections. It is musical arrangement as subatomic metaphor...each musical element interacting with and against one another to produce a compounded product of rare substance and beauty. It is immediately evident that there is something special taking place. Queue up the first performance of the Thad Jones composition and arrangement "Back Bone" and listen. Alto saxophonist Jerry Dodgion spits out an unaccompanied blues chorus of spurred on with shouts and encouragement from the band with Thad Jones himself anticipating the entry of the whole band with a grand, "Yeah!" This is unbridled joy in music making. Evidence of Bill Basie is all over the charts, in both the riffing and solos. Altoist Jerome Richardson introduces "Little Dipper" twice and pianist (and Thad Jones' brother) Hank Jones channel the spirit of the still living Count Basie. This is, simply, what live music is all about: invention, spontaneity, improvisation, and spring freshness. Hear from where all big band since has come. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/all-my-yesterdays-the-debut-1966-recordings-at-the-village-vanguard-thad-jones-resonance-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Thad Jones – flugelhorn; Mel Lewis – drums; Hank Jones – piano; Richard Davis – bass; Sam Herman – guitar; Jerome Richardson – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute; Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone; Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Eddie Daniels – tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone; Snooky Young – trumpet; Jimmy Owens – trumpet; Bill Berry – trumpet; Jimmy Nottingham – trumpet; Bob Brookmeyer – trombone; Jack Rains – trombone; Garnett Brown – trombone; Cliff Heather – trombone

All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard(Live)Disc1,Disc2

---

Donald Byrd - At The Half Note Café Vol 1 And Vol 2

Album: At The Half Note Café Vol 1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1960/1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:34
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

( 1:20)  1. Introduction By Ruth Mason Lion
(10:34)  2. My Girl Shirl
( 9:57)  3. Soulful Kiddy
( 8:46)  4. Child's Play
(11:18)  5. Chant
( 6:49)  6. A Portrait Of Jennie
(14:47)  7. Cecile

---

Album: At The Half Note Café Vol 2

Time: 58:12

Size: 134,4 MB

(12:52)  1. Jeannine

( 6:11)  2. Pure D. Funk

( 9:55)  3. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

(10:53)  4. Theme From Mr. Lucky

(12:01)  5. Kimyas

( 6:18)  6. When Sunny Gets Blue

This 2004 remastered Rudy Van Gelder edition of Donald Byrd's At the Half Note Cafe (the original double-disc version was only issued for the first time in 2000) appears to add one extra track  "Theme (Pure D. Funk)," which clocks in at 1:51 and is also on the second volume in its full form, and a slightly shorter version of "Cecille." Here it clocks it at 12:52; on the 2000 issue it was 14:46. The sequence has also been altered slightly. The real deal is that, while this is the live date showcasing the Byrd quintet with Pepper Adams (and with Duke Pearson, Lex Humphries, and Laymon Jackson in the rhythm section), there is little here to make this worth purchasing yet again if you have the previous set. The sound is only marginally better and is likely only to be noticed by audiophiles. However, if you don't have the originals, this is one of the most essential hard bop purchases in the canon. 

The performances of Pearson of his own four tunes, five by Byrd, and the standards showcase his improvisational acumen at its height. His soloing on studio records pales in comparison. This was a hot quintet, one that not only swung hard, but possessed a deep lyricism and an astonishing sense of timing, and one need only this set by them to feel the full measure of their worth. Forget the Riverside date that caught them live early on; this is the one. ~ Thom Zurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/donald-byrd-at-the-half-note-cafe-vols-1-2-mw0000594775

Personnel: Trumpet – Donald Byrd;  Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Laymon Jackson; Drums – Lex Humphries; Piano – Duke Pearson

At The Half Note Café Vol 1 And Vol 2

---

Pepper Adams - Urban Dreams

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:21
Size: 91,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Dexter Rides Again
(4:44)  2. Urban Dreams
(7:18)  3. Three Little Words
(6:55)  4. Time on My Hands
(7:04)  5. Pent Up House
(6:51)  6. Trentino

Musicians frequently become associated with the attributes of their instruments. Charles Mingus was hulking and imposing, just like his bass. Art Blakey had the propulsive, authoritative personality of his drums. Paul Desmond was urbane and laidback, just like the sound of his sweet-toned alto. There are, of course, exceptions to these sorts of correlations. Take Pepper Adams for instance. Slight of frame, particularly in his later years, Adams physical presence was the apotheosis of his chosen axe. Hefting his baritone horn with rail-thin arms, he coaxed out growling guttural lines seemingly at odds with his stature and appearance. Like a lion tamer subjugating a savage beast, he made the weighty sax a complete instrument of his bidding. His tone and phrasing, muscular and blues-based, were far removed from his generation's other skinny guy with a big horn, Gerry Mulligan. Sadly, for whatever reason, Adams' opportunities to record as a leader were far less frequent than those afforded Mulligan. The situation likely has a lot to do his willingness to lend his talents to the causes of other colleagues. Even the quintet he co-led with Donald Byrd at the dawn of the '60s found him taking a second slot on the marquee. The '70s and '80s weren't much better, but Adams did find the occasional resources to record. This reissued Palo Alto date comes from relatively late in his career, but his abilities are hardly diminished. A blue chip rhythm section fronted by pianist Jimmy Rowles, an Adams associate since the '50s, does more than simply supply support, and each member of the quartet has room to solo. The six chosen tunes are all fine blowing vehicles and Adams makes certain that there's space for amicable improvisation. "Dexter Rides Again" finds the band at rollicking gallop with clocking a brisk pace through the changes beside Rowles' light comping and the steady bobbing bass line of George Mraz. Billy Hart stokes the aggressive beat further with steady snare accents. "Urban Dreams," the brief original ballad of the set, rolls out the leader's romantic side. His throaty tone braids through the melody as Hart's brushes further embellish on the amorous implications. Two standards arrive next "Three Little Words" voiced velociously and "Time is on My Hands" taken at another slow drawl tempo each one showing off the band's consummate skill with repertory material. Adams can't resist packing an ample amount of blues punch into both. Rollins' racetrack worthy "Pent Up House" proves even better terrain for the band's high-speed inclinations. Adams once again burns through the changes leaving a smoldering melodic trail in his wake. His lush Latin burner "Trentino" takes the session out. No alternate takes or unreleased tunes, just the original album served up with warm 24 bit mastering. Pepper Adams' memory lives on in this immensely enjoyable and easily recommendable album. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/urban-dreams-pepper-adams-palo-alto-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Pepper Adams: baritone saxophone; Jimmy Rowles: piano; George Mraz: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

Urban Dreams

---

Pepper Adams - Walk with Me

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 103:53
Size: 240,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. My One and Only Love
(5:55)  2. Muezzin
(6:26)  3. Minor Mishap
(4:58)  4. Blackout Blues
(6:23)  5. Unforgettable
(5:27)  6. Apothegm
(8:12)  7. 5-0-2-1
(6:03)  8. Freddie Froo
(5:50)  9. Alone Together
(8:30) 10. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
(5:21) 11. Your Host
(4:45) 12. You Turned the Table on Me
(8:42) 13. High Step
(5:36) 14. Cottontail
(6:40) 15. Yourna
(5:57) 16. Afternoon in Paris
(5:09) 17. You're My Thrill

Pepper Adams was one of hard bop's most significant baritone saxophonists. His dark, hearty tone on the horn and driving rhythmic sense provided the antithesis to the lighter, floating (and consequently more popular) styles of Gerry Mulligan. His family moved to Rochester, New York when he was young and in that city he began his musical efforts. That said his family's later move to Detroit, Michigan, a suburb of which was his birthplace, would be more important to his career. This occurred when he was sixteen and in Detroit he met several musicians who would later be important to his career, one example being Donald Byrd. He also became interested in Wardell Gray's approach to the baritone saxophone and indicates he and Harry Carney were his baritone influences. 

He also spent time in a United States Army band and briefly had a tour of duty in Korea. He later moved to New York City where he briefly worked in 1958 with Benny Goodman and for a much longer, if sporadic, period with Charles Mingus. He later became a member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band from 1965 to 1978. He also co-led a quintet with trumpeter Donald Byrd with whom he recorded a live date, 10 to 4 at the 5 Spot featuring Elvin Jones. He died of lung cancer in 1986. Adams has influenced many notable jazz baritone sax players, including Scott Robinson and Vanguard Jazz Orchestra bari chair holder Gary Smulyan. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/pepperadams

Walk with Me

---

Donald Byrd - The Chant

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:15
Size: 103,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:39)  1. I'm An Old Cowhand
(7:25)  2. You're Next
(8:55)  3. Chant
(9:37)  4. That's All
(7:01)  5. Great God
(4:35)  6. Sophisticated Lady

Not released until 1979, this excellent quintet session features the always formidable team of trumpeter Donald Byrd and baritonist Pepper Adams. The accompanying rhythm section includes pianist Herbie Hancock shortly before he joined Miles Davis. The repertoire consists of six likable tunes including an uptempo "I'm an Old Cowhand," "That's All," "Sophisticated Lady," two Byrd originals and Duke Pearson's "Chant." This is superior hard bop from the early '60s. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/chant-mw0000898045

Personnel: Donald Byrd – trumpet; Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone; Herbie Hancock – piano; Doug Watkins – bass; Teddy Robinson – drums

The Chant

---

Pepper Adams, Donald Byrd - Motor City Scene

Styles: Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961/2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:46
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:12)  1. Stardust
(10:42)  2. Philson
( 8:03)  3. Trio
( 8:34)  4. Libeccio
( 5:12)  5. Bitty Ditty

A reissue of a session originally released in 1961, Motor City Scene is an excellent example of the wealth of talent in the Detroit area during the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Co-led by trumpeter Donald Byrd and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, the cast includes a veritable who’s who of jazzmen on their respective instruments: pianist Tommy Flanagan, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Paul Chambers, and the drums of Louis Hayes. The opening cut, Hoagy Carmichael’s ballad “Star Dust,” is music to get lost in. With Adams and Burrell laying out, we’re treated to Byrd’s majestic tone, reverence for the song’s melody, and exquisite sense of drama. Not to be outdone, Flanagan makes a lovely statement of his own before Byrd enters for a second solo and takes the tune out. Adams shines on his own composition “Philson,” when he begins lazily and then develops lines with his customary bite and precision. Chambers’ rock solid walking bass and Hayes’ crackling snare drum accents ignite an up-tempo version of Errol Garner’s “Trio,” in which Burrell takes three striking choruses of single note lines. The highlight of the session is another Adams’ tune, “Libeccio.” The alternating Latin and straight jazz sections seem to bring out the best in all of the soloists who are clearly inspired by Hayes’ fills. The session ends with “Bitty Ditty,” a memorable composition by another Detroit area jazzman, Thad Jones, which features some of Flanagan’s best playing on the date. The five cuts and (by today’s standards) short playing time of Motor City Scene left me wanting more.~ David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/motor-city-scene-donald-byrd-rhino-records-review-by-david-a-orthmann.php?width=1920

Personnel: Trumpet – Donald Byrd; Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Drums – "Hey" Lewis;  Bass – Paul Chambers ; Guitar – Kenny Burrell; Piano – Tommy Flanagan

Motor City Scene

---

Donald Byrd & Booker Little - The Third World

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:11
Size: 76,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:49)  1. Chasing the Bird
(3:47)  2. Prophecy
(6:11)  3. Ping Pong Beer
(2:23)  4. Construction
(4:42)  5. Quiet Temple
(2:51)  6. November Afternoon
(4:20)  7. Call to Arms
(5:03)  8. Wee Tina

There is more and less than meets the eye with this hard bop collection from 1960: less Booker Little and more performers than are listed on the CD. A little research corroborates what the ear suspects: the eight tracks come from three sessions, only one of which has trumpeters Little and Donald Byrd together (three tracks). The other sessions feature, respectively, Little and trombonist Curtis Fuller (two tracks) and Byrd and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams (three tracks). Adams is one of a half-dozen performers not credited on the CD. To further confuse matters, both the session with Little and Byrd and the one with Little and Fuller have uncredited additional trumpeters Marcus Belgrave and Don Ellis, respectively. Suffice to say, sorting out who plays the trumpet solos is not easy. It seems, though, that Little solos only on one, possibly two, numbers. Originally, these tracks came out on a Warwick LP called Soul of Jazz Percussion. This explains the additional percussion parts some integrated more effectively than others on each of the tracks. Overall, the Byrd/Adams tracks are the most consistent. "November Afternoon" from the Little/Fuller set and "Chasing the Bird" and "Wee Tina" from the Little/Byrd set are also okay. Even so, factor in a couple of poorly handled fadeout endings along with some mixing and editing gaffes and there is not enough here to rate a recommendation, except, perhaps, to the ardent Booker Little completist. ~ Jim Todd https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-third-world-mw0000603542

Personnel: Donald Byrd, Booker Little - trumpet; Bill Evans, Mal Waldron - piano; Pepper Adams - baritone saxophone; Marcus Belgrave, Don Ellis - trumpet; Curtis Fuller - trombone; Paul Chambers, Adison Farmer - bass; Armando Peraza - congas; Willie Rodriguez, Earl Zindars - perc. Philly Joe Jones Ed Shaughnessy - drums.

Third World

---

Thad Jones, Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra - Presenting Thad Jones, Mel Lewis & The Jazz Orchestra

Styles: Flugelhorn Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:06
Size: 104,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:29)  1. Once Around
( 5:37)  2. Willow Weep For Me
( 5:01)  3. Balanced Scales = Justice
( 5:48)  4. Three In One
( 5:32)  5. Mean What You Say
( 4:37)  6. Don't Ever Leave Me
(12:59)  7. ABC Blues

The debut recording of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra launched a mighty (if part-time) all-star big band. With arrangements by Jones, Bob Brookmeyer, and Tom McIntosh and such soloists as baritonist Pepper Adams, pianist Hank Jones, valve trombonist Brookmeyer, Jerome Richardson on various reeds, altoist Jerry Dodgion, and Joe Farrell and Eddie Daniels on tenors (in addition to flügelhornist Jones), it is not surprising that the orchestra was soon rated near the top. Among the seven selections are four Thad Jones originals (including "Mean What You Say"), "Willow Weep for Me," and Brookmeyer's lengthy "ABC Blues." ~ Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/presenting-thad-jones-mel-lewis-the-jazz-orchestra-mw0000877905

Personnel:  Thad Jones – flugelhorn;  Mel Lewis – drums;  Hank Jones – piano;  Richard Davis – bass;  Pepper Adams, Eddie Daniels, Joe Farrell, Jerry Dodgion,  Jerome Richardson – saxophone;  Jimmy Nottingham,  Bill Berry, Danny Stiles , Richard Williams – trumpet;  Jack Rains, Bob Brookmeyer – trombone, Tom McIntosh, Cliff Heather.

Presenting Thad Jones-Mel Lewis & The Jazz Orchestra

---

Monica Zetterlund - It Only Happens Every Time

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:53
Size: 85,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. It Only Happens Every Time
(3:38)  2. Long Daddy Green
(4:37)  3. Silhouette
(5:06)  4. He Was Too Good To Me
(4:07)  5. The Groove Merchant
(4:14)  6. Love To One Is One To Love
(4:16)  7. Happy Again
(5:40)  8. The Second Time Around

Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund is backed by the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra on the Inner City LP It Only Happens Every Time. Her phrasing is precise, but her vocal style doesn't always blend well with the big band. Jones' "It Only Happens Every Time" comes off under-rehearsed, as if the chart is still in a state of flux, a similar problem that occurs during "The Second Time Around." Better is the swinging treatment of "Long Daddy Green" and the tearjerker ballad "He Was Too Good to Me." Sadly, none of the instrumental soloists is identified, though Pepper Adams shines on baritone sax in two compositions by the late Lars Gullin, one of Europe's best players of the instrument; this was also Adams' final recording with the band. Overall, this is a good, though hardly essential record. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/it-only-happens-every-time-mw0000852532

Personnel:  Monica Zetterlund – vocals; Thad Jones – flugelhorn; Mel Lewis – drums; Harold Danko – piano; Rufus Reid – bass; Jerry Dodgion – saxophone, flute; Ed Xiques – saxophone, flute, clarinet; Rich Perry – saxophone, flute, clarinet; Dick Oatts – saxophone, flute, clarinet; Pepper Adams – saxophone; Frank Gordon – trumpet; Earl Gardner – trumpet; Jeff Davis – trumpet; Larry Moses – trumpet; Earl McIntyre – trombone; John Mosca – trombone; Clifford Adams – trombone; Billy Campbell – trombone

It Only Happens Every Time

---