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 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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Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Allen Eager, Brew Moore - The Brothers

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:50
Size: 102,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:12) 1. Five Brothers
(3:36) 2. Five Brothers (Alternate Take)
(3:54) 3. Battle Of The Saxes
(3:48) 4. Four And One Moore
(3:33) 5. Four And One Moore (Alternate Take)
(3:23) 6. Battleground
(3:17) 7. Battleground (Alternate Take)
(4:35) 8. The Red Door
(4:22) 9. Zootcase
(4:28) 10. Tangerine
(5:37) 11. Morning Sun

The music on this LP recalls the airy "Four Brothers" sound that tenor saxophonists Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward, and baritone saxophonist Serge Charloff, plied in Woody Herman's band of 1947. For this outing, Steward and Charloff exit, and four become five with the addition of tenor luminaries Al Cohn, Brew Moore, and Allen Eager. The set appropriately kicks off with Gerry Mulligan's "Five Brothers," a tune reminiscent of Jimmy Giuffre's original "Four Brothers" in its fluid and bouncy arrangement.

Three other attractive and similarly disposed originals (one more by Mulligan and two by Cohn) complete the saxophone session from 1949, all featuring swinging statements by each soloist. A 1952 sextet date led by Sims and Cohn is also included, offering up another round of original and buoyantly swinging cuts, bolstered by lively contributions from trombonist Kai Winding and solid rhythmic support by pianist George Wallington, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Art Blakey. A fine release that nicely showcases the cool, proto-West Coast bop forged by both these soloists and Miles Davis.~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-brothers-mw0000652734

Personnel: Piano – George Wallington, Walter Bishop, Bass – Gene Ramey , Percy Heath; Drums – Art Blakey, Charlie Perry; Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, Allen Eager, Brew Moore, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims; Trombone – Kai Winding

The Brothers

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Clifford Brown - Memorial Album (Remastered)

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1953/2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:12
Size: 165,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Bellarosa
(3:56)  2. Carvin' The Rock
(3:14)  3. Cookin'
(3:46)  4. Brownie Speaks
(4:51)  5. De-Dah
(4:19)  6. You Go To My Head
(3:51)  7. Carvin' The Rock (Alternate Take)
(3:08)  8. Cookin' (Alternate Take)
(4:05)  9. Carvin' The Rock (Alternate Take #2)
(4:02) 10. Wail Bait
(4:07) 11. Hymn Of The Orient
(3:56) 12. Brownie Eyes
(3:27) 13. Cherokee
(3:44) 14. Easy Living
(4:34) 15. Minor Mood
(4:07) 16. Wail Bait (Alternate Take)
(3:42) 17. Cherokee (Alternate Take)
(4:01) 18. Hymn Of The Orient (Alternate Take)

Clifford Brown emerged fully formed in 1953, a trumpeter gifted with an ebullient swing and technical skills that added polish and precision to fresh invention. Foregoing both the manic pyrotechnics of Dizzy Gillespie and the laconic introversion of Miles Davis, he also provided a stylistic model for jazz trumpeters that has never gone out of style. This CD combines Brown's first two recording dates as leader, placing him in quintet and sextet settings with some of the core musicians of the New York bop scene. The first nine tracks have Brown in an inspired quintet, prodded by the twisting, off-kilter solos and comping of the brilliant and underrated pianist Elmo Hope and the sparkling complexity of drummer Philly Joe Jones. While altoist Lou Donaldson is deeply in the sway of Charlie Parker, Brown sets his own course, whether it's the boppish "Cookin'" or the standard "You Go to My Head." 

The final nine tracks have Art Blakey's drums driving the sextet, while altoist Gigi Gryce's understated concentration acts as an effective foil to Brown's joyous, dancing lines. Taken at a medium up-tempo, "Cherokee" is one of Brown's most effective vehicles. The alternate takes from each session highlight Brown's spontaneous creativity, while Rudy Van Gelder's remastering adds fresh focus to both his gorgeous tone and the explosive drumming. ~ Stuart Broomer - Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Memorial-Album-Clifford-Brown/dp/B00005MIZ6

Personnel: Tracks 1-9: Clifford Brown - trumpet; Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone; Elmo Hope - piano; Percy Heath - bass; Philly Joe Jones - drums. Tracks 10-18: Clifford Brown - trumpet; John Lewis - piano; Gigi Gryce - alto saxophone, flute; Charlie Rouse - tenor saxophone; Percy Heath - bass; Art Blakey - drums

Memorial Album

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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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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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Cannonball Adderley Quartet - Cannonball Takes Charge

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:53
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. If This Isn't Love
(5:34)  2. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
(4:16)  3. Serenata
(3:39)  4. I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
(7:03)  5. Barefoot Sunday Blues
(5:10)  6. Poor Butterfly
(6:55)  7. I Remember You
(7:48)  8. Barefoot Sunday Blues - Alternate Take
(6:52)  9. I Remember You - Alternate Take

The recording of Cannonball Takes Charge was sandwiched in between two events that would help earn Cannonball Adderley a permanent place in jazz lore. Just the day before the album’s first session, he participated in the completion of Miles Davis’s seminal Kind of Blue. Five months after Cannonball Takes Charge was finished, he had Riverside producer Orrin Keepnews record his newly formed quintet at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco which helped launch his career as one of the leading proponents of “soul jazz.” But what about the album made in between these two momentous occasions? Cannonball Takes Charge ’s concept was a common one: the altoist is the lone horn in a quartet performing a program made up primarily of standards. The results are anything but routine though, and show that 1959 was a very good year for Cannonball Adderley.  The opening tune, “If This Isn’t Love,” kicks off the proceedings on an ebullient note with Adderley playing an infectious solo that can brighten even the gloomiest day. Things reach a more melancholic note only on “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry” which features a fine ballad performance by the alto saxophonist. “Barefoot Sunday Blues,” the lone original composition, points to the gospel and soul-inflected jazz that would become Adderley’s calling card. The final selection, “I Remember You,” produces his finest performance on the album. Adderley is able to coax a five-chorus improvisation out of the standard’s changes that is always interesting and full of romantic lyricism. On the piano bench is Wynton Kelly who plays with the utmost of taste throughout. He makes his best impression when he dips in to a more earthy vibe on his last solo chorus of “Barefoot Sunday Blues” and in his work on “Poor Butterfly.” Joining Adderley and Kelly are Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb on four tracks, and Percy and Albert Heath on the rest. As an added bonus, this 2002 CD reissue adds alternate takes of “Barefoot Sunday Blues” and “I Remember You” that are well worth listening to. Adderley would rarely revisit the territory he covered in Cannonball Takes Charge in the years to come. His subsequent work on Riverside increasingly began to follow a formula: albums recorded live with the altoist’s working band. In 1961 though, Adderley would record another quartet album, Know What I Mean? , in which he managed to surpass the lofty heights achieved on Cannonball Takes Charge. ~ Robert Gilbert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cannonball-takes-charge-julian-cannonball-adderley-capitol-records-review-by-robert-gilbert.php

Personnel: Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone; Wynton Kelly - piano; Paul Chambers, Percy Heath - bass; Jimmy Cobb, Albert Heath - drums

Cannonball Takes Charge

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Art Farmer - Early Art

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Soft Shoe
(3:57)  2. Confab In Tempo
(5:01)  3. I'll Take Romance
(4:06)  4. Wisteria
(4:09)  5. Autumn Nocturne
(3:50)  6. I've Never Been In Love Before
(3:56)  7. I'll Walk Alone
(4:08)  8. Gone With The Wind
(3:59)  9. Alone Together
(3:36) 10. Pre Amp

Two of trumpeter Art Farmer's earlier sessions as a leader are reissued on this CD in the OJC series. Farmer teams up with an all-star quintet (which includes tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke) for four songs and dominates a quartet (with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Herbie Lovelle) on six other tunes. Farmer's sound is lyrical even on the uptempo pieces and he is heard throughout in his early prime. Highlights include "Soft Shoe," "I'll Take Romance," "Autumn Nocturne" and an uptempo "Gone with the Wind." One should note that the programming differs from what is listed, with "Soft Shoe" (which should have been the opener) actually appearing fifth and the songs listed as appearing second through fifth moving up to first through fourth. Despite that flaw, the music is quite enjoyable and a must for 1950s bop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/early-art-mw0000183670

Personnel:  Art Farmer – trumpet; Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-2, 5); Horace Silver (tracks 1-3, 5), Wynton Kelly (tracks 4, 6-10) - piano; Percy Heath (tracks 1-3, 5), Addison Farmer (tracks 4, 6-10) – bass; Kenny Clarke (tracks 1-3, 5), Herbie Lovelle (tracks 4, 6-10) – drums

Early Art

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Elmo Hope Sextet And Trio - Homecoming!

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1961

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:26

Size: 116,6 MB

Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Moe, Jr. (take 4)

(4:41)  2. Moe, Jr. (take 2)

(3:14)  3. La Berthe

(6:33)  4. Eyes So Beautiful As Yours

(5:15)  5. Homecoming

(6:48)  6. One Mo' Blues

(5:33)  7. A Kiss For My Love (take 5)

(5:39)  8. A Kiss For My Love (take 4)

(6:43)  9. Imagination

Homecoming! is a particularly high-spirited record for this stage in Hope's troubled career. Following an extended stay in Los Angeles, a number of the day's top players helped welcome a refreshed Hope back to New York on this session. Tenor saxophonists Frank Foster and Jimmy Heath, as well as trumpeter Blue Mitchell, form the front line on the sextet numbers, while on all tracks Hope is joined by the rhythm section of Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones. Four of the album's (original) seven tracks are sextet performances and the two alternate takes only appear on the Fantasy Original Jazz Classics CD reissue. The Dameron-esque bop numbers sizzle and weave and the tenor work of Frank Foster is especially rewarding on the album's bouncing opener, "Moe, Jr.," take four on the CD. The three ballads are equally fresh and less doom-ridden than comparable performances found elsewhere in his catalog. Expect fine performances by all. This great hard bop record is highly recommended. ~ Brandon Burke https://www.allmusic.com/album/homecoming%21-mw0000093981

Personnel:  Elmo Hope - piano;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8);  Frank Foster, Jimmy Heath - tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8);  Percy Heath - bass;  Philly Joe Jones - drums

Homecoming!

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Clifford Brown - New Star On The Horizon

Styles: Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 23:32
Size: 55,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Cherokee
(3:42)  2. Easy Living
(3:59)  3. Wail Bait
(4:33)  4. Minor Mood
(4:05)  5. Hymn Of The Orient
(3:46)  6. Brownie Eyes

2015 reissue from Blue Note Records' 75th Anniversary Vinyl Initiative series. New Star On The Horizon compiles some of American jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown's best moments for Blue Note. Brown died in a car accident at the age of 25, leaving only four years of recorded material. Within his short career, he managed to influence many future jazz trumpeters, like Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. New Star On The Horizon is a part of Blue Note's 10" reissue series. Originally released in 1953. https://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/brown-clifford-new-star-on-the-horizon-10-/BN.5032LP.html

Personnel:  Trumpet – Clifford Brown;  Alto Saxophone, Flute – Gigi Gryce ;  Bass – Percy Heath ;  Drums – Art Blakey ;  Piano – John Lewis ;  Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Rouse

New Star On The Horizon

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Elmo Hope Quintet - Elmo Hope Quintet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:45
Size: 173.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1954/1991/2015
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. It's A Lovely Day Today
[2:51] 2. Mo Is On
[2:59] 3. Sweet And Lovely
[2:52] 4. Happy Hour
[3:53] 5. Hot Sauce
[3:06] 6. Stars Over Marakesh
[3:05] 7. Freffie
[2:56] 8. Carvin' The Rock
[2:46] 9. I Remember You
[2:52] 10. Mo Is On (Alternate Take)
[4:17] 11. Crazy
[3:48] 12. Abdullah
[3:36] 13. Chips
[4:01] 14. Later For You
[4:12] 15. Low Tide
[4:25] 16. Maybe So
[4:23] 17. Crazy (Alternate Take)
[6:08] 18. So Nice
[5:56] 19. St. Elmo's Fire
[4:45] 20. Vaun-Ex

Bass – Percy Heath; Drums – Art Blakey; Piano – Elmo Hope; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster; Trumpet – Freeman Lee.

Of the collections of Elmo Hope's '50s recordings, Trio and Quintet is the one to get. It includes his prime Blue Note sessions and features a stellar cast of hard bop musicians including Art Blakey, Frank Foster, Philly Joe Jones, and Harold Land. The majority of the tunes are Hope originals which, in their angular introspection, bear the influence of both Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. Things begin with ten mostly hard bop swingers from a trio date in 1953. Prominently featured is Hope's Powell like, single line attack. Solos stay brisk and straightforward on uptempo numbers like "Hot Sauce," but turn a bit mercurial on slower pieces like "Happy Hour." Standout tracks include Hope's "Mo Is On" with its "off to the races" opening statement and "Carvin' the Rock," which falls somewhere between Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare" and "So Sorry Please." Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones provide sympathetic support throughout. The Quintet tracks start with an East Coast session featuring Foster and Blakey. "Crazy"; it causes some problems for trumpeter Freeman Lee, but finds Foster in command with a vigorous solo statement. The remainder of the session impresses with a series of rhythmically rich Hope compositions which, like the majority of Monk's tunes, stay memorable in spite of their complexity. Three more Hope tunes from a West Coast date round out the quintet tracks and close the CD. This Blue Note release is great not only for its cross-section of Hope compositions, but also for the many fertile ideas they've inspired in top-drawer soloists. ~Stephen Cook

Elmo Hope Quintet mc
Elmo Hope Quintet zippy

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The Modern Jazz Quartet - Topsy: This One's For Basie

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:59
Size: 121.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1985/2002
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. Reunion Blues
[5:03] 2. Nature Boy
[4:40] 3. Topsy Ii
[8:27] 4. D And E (Retake 1, Master)
[6:46] 5. Valeria
[5:51] 6. Milano
[8:16] 7. Le Cannet
[9:44] 8. D And E (Alternate Take)

Bass – Percy Heath; Drums – Connie Kay;Piano – John Lewis; Vibraphone – Milt Jackson. Recorded at RCA Recording Studios, New York City, June 3rd & 4th 1985.

Despite the title of this CD, the music on this 1985 studio set from The Modern Jazz Quartet is not a program of Count Basie tunes (with the exception of "Topsy") although Basie apparently liked the John Lewis composition "D and E." The other unrelated music is highlighted by an unaccompanied feature for vibraphonist Milt Jackson ("Nature Boy"), "Reunion Blues" and three more complex pieces from pianist John Lewis. Overall this CD gives listeners a fine example of the music of The MJQ during the 1980s. ~Scott Yanow

Topsy: This One's For Basie mc
Topsy: This One's For Basie zippy

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Dexter Gordon - Gotham City

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:05
Size: 130.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1981/2012
Art: Front

[9:34] 1. Hi Fly
[7:13] 2. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
[8:19] 3. The Blues Walk (Loose Walk)
[9:19] 4. Gotham City
[5:54] 5. A Conversation With Dexter Gordon
[7:04] 6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[9:40] 7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Long Version)

Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was still in pretty good form at the time of this later recording. The veteran great is joined by an all-star rhythm section (pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Art Blakey) along with guest appearances from trumpeter Woody Shaw and guitarist George Benson. Although this boppish set is rather brief, just four songs (3 additional tracks were added on the CD reissue), the quality of the solos is quite high. ~Scott Yanow

Gotham City

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Miles Davis All Stars - Walkin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:27
Size: 85.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1957/2014
Art: Front

[13:21] 1. Walkin'
[ 8:13] 2. Blue 'n' Boogie
[ 4:39] 3. Solar
[ 4:19] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[ 6:52] 5. Love Me Or Leave Me

Alto Saxophone – Davey Schildkraut; Bass – Percy Heath; Drums – Kenny Clarke; Piano – Horace Silver; Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson; Trombone – Jay Jay Johnson; Trumpet – Miles Davis.

The undeniable strength and conviction present in Miles Davis' performance on Walkin', underscores the urgency and passion with which he would rightfully reclaim his status as a primary architect of bop. Davis is supported by his all-stars, consisting of his primary rhythm unit: Horace Silver (piano), Percy Heath (bass), and Kenny Clarke (drums). The sextet featured on the title track, as well as "Blue 'n' Boogie," adds the talents of J.J. Johnson (trombone) and Lucky Thompson (tenor sax). Davis' quintet includes the primary trio and Dave Schildkraut (alto sax). Perhaps not an instantly recognizable name, Schildkraut nonetheless made some notable contributions to Stan Kenton's Kenton Showcase EPs, concurrent with his work with Miles. Walkin' commences with the extended title track, which follows a standard 12-bar blues theme. While the solos from Johnson and Thomson are unique, Miles retains a palpable sense of extrication from the music -- as if the song was an extension of his solo instead of the other way around. The lethargic rhythms reiterate the subtle adornments of the horn section to the basic trio. In direct contrast to "Walkin'" is a full-tilt jumper, "Blue 'n' Boogie." The improvisation yields some truly memorable solos and exchanges between Davis and Johnson -- who can be heard clearly quoting from Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning." "Solar" maintains a healthy tempo while drawing the listener in to the delicate interplay where the solos often dictate the melody. Horace Silver's piano solo is Ellington-esque in it's subdued elegance. The final track, "Love Me or Leave Me," gives the most solid indication of the direction Miles' impending breakthrough would take. So swift and certain is each note of his solo, it reflects the accuracy of someone thinking several notes ahead of what he is playing. Walking is a thoroughly solid effort. ~Lindsay Planer

Walkin'

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Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban

Styles: Trumpet Jazz

Year: 1955

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:45

Size: 107,0 MB

Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Afrodisia

(4:18)  2. Lotus Flower

(4:26)  3. Minor's Holiday

(5:02)  4. Basheer's Dream

(5:32)  5. K.D.'s Motion

(5:19)  6. La Villa

(5:26)  7. Venita's Dance

(6:07)  8. Echo of Spring (aka K.D.'s Cab Ride)

(4:28)  9. Minor's Holiday (Alternate Take)

The fabled Spanish tinge has hovered on the fringes of jazz a lot longer ago that it was known to have been introduced into that idiom. Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton may have been the first to “claim” to have introduced it into the music, but in reality it is neither a proven but for Alan Lomax’s 1938 wax masters in the Library of Congress nor is necessary. Suffice it to say that the phrase Spanish tinge is a reference to the belief that an Afro-Latin rhythmic touch offers a reliable method of spicing the more conventional 4/4 rhythms commonly used in jazz music. The rhythm adaptation came from mimicking the sensuously quick step of the tresillo and shuffling skip of the habanera from Cuba of the day into the 4/4 rhythmic intervals of jazz. This is what is known today as clave, and once Dizzy Gillespie got a hold of it in the 1940s it has been in much greater use and thanks to the plethora of Afro-Caribbean folk forms has been almost completely embraced by musicians playing in the jazz idiom. However, those priceless recordings from the 1940s and 1950s, most precious among them being a 1993 compilation featuring selections by Machito and his orchestra entitled The Original Mambo Kings An Introduction to Afro-Cubop 1948-1954, which seduced such luminaries as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Flip Phillips and Howard McGhee and the ineffable Mario Bauzá as well. Another classic recording was the 1955 recording Afro-Cuban featuring by Kenny Dorham and spotlighting the percussionist Carlos “Patato” Valdés.

Mr. Dorham had a sensationally pristine tone; husky and sensuous and full of forthright humility. His best work bespoke the rapid fire rhythm of bebop coloured in golden bronze. On Afro-Cuban he doffs his proverbial hat to the rhythms of the Afro-Caribbean part of the southern continent with full-blooded and messianic fervour. The album combines five tracks played in this vein and five tracks without the Carlos “Patato” Valdés. The Afro-Cuban music rumbles with the gravitas of the great bassist, Oscar Pettiford and baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne. Mr. Dorham soars over them like a majestic condor, howling on the wing as he mashes triplets with hot arpeggios and buttery glissandi. The group also features the dry warmth of tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley and the legendary trombonist J. J. Johnson. Carlos “Patato” Valdés is not the only crowning glory. That honour also belongs to Art Blakey, who trades “fourths” with Mr. Valdés. All of this makes for memorable charts such as “Afrodisia” the bolero-melded-into-a ballad, “Lotus Blossom.” Mr. Dorham’s playing is absolutely celestial here. The racy “Minor’s Holiday” provides a welcome change of pace for the rhythmists, but Mr. Dorham is utterly cool in his solo. Horace Silver, the pianist on this date is almost too self-effacing as he plays quietly tempered soli whenever he is called upon to do so, both here as well as on the beguiling “Basheer’s Dream.”

The rest of the album features alumni from this session without Mr. Pettiford, who is replaced by Percy Heath. This session begins with the medium fast blues, “K.D’s Motion” in which Mr. Dorham ad-libs for four glorious choruses before handing over to Hank Mobley. Horace Silver also displays splendid form in his solo. “La Villa” features a twisting melody played at great speed. Mr. Dorham solos beautifully and yammers almost endlessly and Mr. Silver chops up a fine solo here too before the song returns to its erudite and gravity-defying unison setting. “Venita’s Dance” features a skipping rhythm swathed in a pensive melodic line. Mr. Dorham is once again brilliant and Hank Mobley is sinewy; but he is matched muscle for muscle by Cecil Payne and Horace Silver. “K.D’s Cab Ride,” another scorching bebop chart completes this unforgettable album, one that ought to make into every true enthusiast’s collection.https://latinjazznet.com/reviews/cds/essential-albums/kenny-dorham-afro-cuban/

Personnel: Kenny Dorham: trumpet; J.J. Johnson: trombone; Hank Mobley: tenor saxophone; Cecil Payne: baritone saxophone; Horace Silver: piano; Oscar Pettiford: bass (1 – 4, 9); Art Blakey: drums; Carlos “Patato” Valdes: congas (1 – 4, 9); Ritchie Goldberg: cowbell (1 – 4, 9); Percy Heath: bass (5 – 8).

Afro-Cuban

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John Lewis - Grand Encounter: 2 Degrees East-3 Degrees West

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:10
Size: 83,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:23)  1. Love Me Or Leave Me
(3:36)  2. I Can't Get Started
(4:19)  3. Easy Living
(6:12)  4. 2 Degrees East - 3 Degrees West
(3:10)  5. Skylark
(9:28)  6. Almost Like Being In Love

Also reissued as 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West and occasionally listed under tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins' name, this classic session is the ultimate in cool jazz. Perkins' mellow tone matches quite well with the quiet but inwardly passionate playing of pianist John Lewis, guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Chico Hamilton. Lewis is featured with the rhythm section on "I Can't Get Started," Hall is added for "Skylark," and the full group plays three standards plus Lewis' memorable (and atmospheric) "2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West."~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/grand-encounter-2-degrees-east-3-degrees-west-mw0000194407

Personnel:  John Lewis – piano;  Bill Perkins - tenor saxophone;  Jim Hall – guitar;  Percy Heath – bass;  Chico Hamilton - drums

Grand Encounter: 2 Degrees East-3 Degrees West

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Tony Scott Quartet - Complete Brunswick Sessions 1953

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:34
Size: 161.6 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. Katz' Meow (A Cannon For Cats)
[5:25] 2. After After Hours
[4:29] 3. I Never Knew
[6:28] 4. Away We Go
[6:17] 5. Cupcake
[3:56] 6. Bob's Blob
[6:54] 7. Milt To The Hilt
[7:49] 8. Homecoming
[3:28] 9. I Cover The Waterfront
[2:51] 10. It's You Or No One
[5:56] 11. Blues For Ava
[2:58] 12. Yesterdays
[2:50] 13. Goodbye
[3:25] 14. Swootie Patootie
[3:14] 15. Sweet Lorraine

Tony Scott (cl), Dick Katz (p), Milt Hinton, Earl May, Percy Heath (b), Philly Joe Jones, Jackie Moffett, Sid Bulkin, Osie Johnson (d).

Tony Scott was arguably the best clarinetist in modern jazz in the 1950s, and these 1953 Quartet recordings for the Brunswick label are among his best. They showcase his warmth, imagination, and complete command of the instrument. Despite this, he won more acclaim from critics and fellow musicians than among jazz audiences, largely because interest in clarinet declined with the advent of bop and faded in popular esteem since the Goodman-Shaw days.

However the music here amply endorses his 1953 recognition as winner of New Star, Clarinet Division, in Down Beats Annual Jazz Critics Poll. It reveals a jazzman with a rare combination of sensitivity, seriousness and an exceptionally sharp sense of humor. Accompanied by a rhythm section with Dick Katzhis sophisticated pianist and arrangerthe veteran and persuasive Milt Hinton on bass, and the forceful Philly Joe Jones on drums on the first session, the group swings superbly. Other talented jazzmen who contributed to Scotts memorable quartet recordings of that year were bassists Earl May and Percy Heath, and drummers Sid Bulkin, Jackie Moffet and Osie Johnson.

Throughout, Scott remained unsurpassed among clarinetists in his astounding ability to improvise linear patterns that build implacably to climaxes that somehow succeed in reconciling surprise with inevitability and always swing brilliantly.

Complete Brunswick Sessions 1953

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The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Last Concert

Styles: Cool Jazz, Bop
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 91:19
Size: 210,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:29)  1. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
(5:31)  2. The Cylinder
(7:53)  3. Summertime
(5:42)  4. Trav'lin'
(7:50)  5. Blues in A Minor
(7:29)  6. One Never Knows
(6:45)  7. Bag's Groove
(4:56)  8. Confirmation
(7:38)  9. 'Round Midnight
(5:24) 10. A Night in Tunisia
(5:30) 11. The Golden Striker
(6:37) 12. Skating in Central Park
(6:16) 13. Django
(7:14) 14. What's New?

Not really the last concert ever from the Modern Jazz Quartet but a set that seemed so at the time, given that the group went their separate ways for a number of years! The record's got the combo in really top form very much back to the basics of their early time on Atlantic Records, with a sublime focus on that unique sound that no other group like this could match. 

Milt Jackson's vibes are chromatically aligned in this amazing way with the piano of John Lewis and somehow the live recording seems to bring out even more tones in the bass of Percy Heath, who feels an even stronger presence here than usual. Connie Kay's work on drums are a masterpiece of percussive understatement and titles include "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Summertime", "The Cylinder", "Blues In A Minor", and "One Never Knows". © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/550655

Personnel:  Bass – Percy Heath;  Drums – Connie Kay;  Piano – John Lewis ;  Vibraphone – Milt Jackson

The Last Concert

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Charlie Parker Quartet - Now's the Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:17
Size: 94,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. The Song is You
(2:49)  2. Laird Baird
(3:03)  3. Kim
(3:02)  4. Kim (Alternate Take)
(3:08)  5. Cosmic Rays
(3:20)  6. Cosmic Rays (Alternate Take)
(3:08)  7. Chi-Chi
(2:45)  8. Chi-Chi (Alternate Take 1)
(2:41)  9. Chi-Chi (Alternate Take 2)
(3:06) 10. Chi-Chi (Alternate Take 3)
(3:07) 11. I Remember You
(3:05) 12. Now's the Time
(2:57) 13. Confirmation

Now's the Time captures Charlie Parker during one of his peak recording periods. The personnel of Hank Jones, Al Haig, Percy Heath, Teddy Kotick, and Max Roach all contribute immeasurably to this classic session. There are numerous outtakes, which offers a fascinating analysis of Parker's improvisations, as well as classics such as "Song Is You," "Laird Baird," "Kim," and "Now's the Time." What makes this session extra special is the excellent recording quality that too many of his early recordings, brilliant as they are, suffered from. Hearing the clarity of each player contributes to one of bebop's best sessions. This is essential music. ~ Robert Taylor http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-genius-of-charlie-parker-vol-3-nows-the-time-mw0000904953

Personnel:  Charlie Parker - Alto Saxophone;  Hank Jones – Piano; Teddy Kotick – Bass; Max Roach – Drums;  Al Haig – Piano;  Percy Heath - Bass

Now's the Time

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