Benny Carter - Montreux '77

Styles: Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz

Year: 1977
Time: 45:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 106,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:46) 1. Three Little Words
(8:34) 2. In A Mellow Tone
(6:20) 3. Wave
(5:42) 4. Undecided
(7:04) 5. Body And Soul
(6:28) 6. On Green Dolphin Street
(6:03) 7. Here's That Rainy Day

For this concert at the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival, Benny Carter was in his musical prime, a condition he has thus far stayed at for over 65 years. Joined by the Ray Bryant Trio, the altoist romps through seven standards and plays some tasteful trumpet on "Body and Soul," proving once again that he is really is ageless; Carter was nearly 70 years old at the time. By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/benny-carter-4-montreux-1977-mw0000902087#review

Personnel: Benny Carter – alto saxophone, trumpet; Ray Bryant – piano; Niels Pedersen – bass; Jimmie Smith – drums

Montreux '77

---

Oliver Nelson - Meet Oliver Nelson / Main Stem

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:25

Size: 165.8 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[7:02] 1. Jams And Jellies

[6:51] 2. Passion Flower

[3:44] 3. Don't Stand Up

[5:30] 4. Ostinato

[6:52] 5. What's New

[6:34] 6. Booze Blues Baby

[6:50] 7. Main Stem

[5:50] 8. J & B

[4:33] 9. Ho!

[6:11] 10. Latino

[5:18] 11. Tipsy

[7:03] 12. Tangerine

Kenny Dorham, Joe Newman (tp), Oliver Nelson (ts), Ray Bryant, Hank Jones (p), Wendell Marshall, George Duvivier (b), Charlie Persip, Art Taylor (d).

”Meet Oliver Nelson” marked the leader recording debut of a considerable talent in tenor saxophonist Oliver Nelson (1932-1975). He was to win even greater acclaim later as a composer and arranger, but at 27 he was already a vastly experienced performer and a notably imaginative soloist, affectingly sensitive on ballads like Passion Flower and What’s New, with a voluminous sound, full and fiery, on more driving material.

For his debut he had simpatico company in trumpeter Kenny Dorham, so lyrical on Booze Baby Blues, and a shrewdly chosen rhythm section in pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Art Taylor. It was a noteworthy beginning.

Recorded almost two years later, “Main Stem” was much more like a typical Prestige blowing session of the time, heavily dependant on the wit and invention of the participants. Fortunately, Nelson again chose his colleagues well. Trumpeter Joe Newman is particularly good and pianist Hank Jones is his usual lucidly impeccable self in a swinging rhythm section with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Charlie Persip, while the leader, on both alto and tenor, produces an abundance of melodic, well-constructed solos over a satisfying session.

Meet Oliver Nelson/Main Stem  

---

Jo Jones - The Essential Jo Jones

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:28
Size: 180,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Shoe Shine Boy (first take)
(6:33)  2. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
(4:50)  3. Georgia Mae
(4:01)  4. Caravan
(7:50)  5. Lincoln Heights
(6:44)  6. Embraceable You
(5:54)  7. Satin Doll
(5:22)  8. Little Susie
(4:48)  9. Spider Kelly's Blues
(4:03) 10. Cubano Chant
(4:55) 11. Splittin'
(4:42) 12. Sweet Lorraine
(2:40) 13. Bicycle for Two
(6:44) 14. Old Man River
(3:26) 15. Sometimes I'm Happy

Jo Jones, one of the most influential drummers of the swing era, did not lead that many recording sessions of his own during his career. Producer John Hammond gave him his first two dates when he was working for Vanguard and, with the exception of a second take of "Shoe Shine Boy," all of the music from the two LPs is on this single-CD reissue. The first session is very much in the spirit of Count Basie's band; in fact, Basie himself makes a guest appearance on "Shoe Shine Boy." The other swing-oriented players include trumpeter Emmett Berry, guitarist Freddie Green, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson, and (on one song apiece) trombonist Lawrence Brown and clarinetist Rudy Powell. The later date is quite a bit different: a trio session with pianist Ray Bryant and bassist Tommy Bryant. There is a liberal amount of drum soloing but the early versions of Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant" and "Little Susie" are of greatest interest. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-essential-jo-jones-mw0000644547

Personnel:  Drums – Jo Jones;  Bass – Tommy Bryant, Walter Page;  Clarinet – Rudy Powell;  Guitar – Freddie Green;  Piano – Count Basie, Nat Pierce, Ray Bryant;  Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson;  Trombone – Benny Green, Lawrence Brown;  Trumpet – Emmett Berry    

The Essential Jo Jones

---

Tiny Grimes With Coleman Hawkins - Blues Groove

Styles: Guitar And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:59
Size: 103,2 MB
Art: Front

(17:40)  1. Marchin' Along
( 5:59)  2. A Smooth One
( 6:48)  3. Blues Wail
( 6:43)  4. April In Paris
( 7:47)  5. Soul Station

True to its title, the focus here is the blues, as played by a group with an encyclopedic mastery of the genre and an equally impressive depth in swing styles. Leader Tiny Grimes may be playing a four-string guitar, but his Charlie Christian-influenced sound is big, fluid, and expressive. Teamed with Coleman Hawkins' timeless tenor, Grimes performs with passion, skill, and down-home joy. The impressive lineup also includes pianist Ray Bryant, whose supple technique and easygoing virtuosity fuel the music with relentless drive and eloquent, bluesy solos. Four of the five tracks include Musa Kaleem on flute.

Kaleem, known as Gonga Musa when he worked as a tenor player with Art Blakey in the late '40s, contributes an effective counter to Hawkins' smoky tone. Bassist Earl Wormack and drummer Teagle Fleming Jr. are the well-recorded heartbeat in these blues grooves. The set opens with the leader's 17-minute-plus "Marchin' Along," a mid-tempo blues that affords Grimes, Hawkins, and Bryant each a lengthy stretch of choruses on the tune's basic riff structure. The performances are rounded out by two more good blues from Grimes, Benny Goodman's "A Smooth One" and a memorable version of "April in Paris" that is executed with a light, swinging touch. This music will appeal to fans of Grimes' vintage electric guitar and to those interested in an opportunity to hear Hawkins take an extended foray into the blues. ~ Jim Todd https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-groove-tiny-grimes-with-coleman-hawkins-mw0000119526

Personnel :  Tiny Grimes – guitar;  Coleman Hawkins – tenor saxophone;  Musa Kaleem – flute;  Ray Bryant – piano;  Earl Womack – double bass;  Teagle Fleming Jr. – drums

Blues Groove

---

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  

---

Jo Jones - Jo Jones Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:02
Size: 91.7 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1959/2009
Art: Front

[2:37] 1. Sweet Georgia Brown
[2:49] 2. My Blue Heaven
[3:46] 3. Jive At Five
[2:51] 4. Greensleeves
[3:17] 5. When Your Lover Has Gone
[3:20] 6. Philadelphia Bound
[3:24] 7. Close Your Eyes
[3:12] 8. I Got Rhythm (Part I)
[3:01] 9. I Got Rhythm (Part Ii)
[3:46] 10. Embraceable You
[3:53] 11. Bebop Irishman
[4:01] 12. Little Susie

Jo Jones on drums, Ray Bryant on piano, and Tommy Bryant on bass.

Jo Jones is probably best known for his work with Count Basie, but his small-group dates as a leader, though overlooked, are also very rewarding. The veteran drummer is joined by pianist Ray Bryant and his brother, bassist Tommy Bryant, who both worked with Jones between 1957 and 1960. The trio is effortlessly swinging through two contrasting interpretations of "I Got Rhythm," and a version of "Jive at Five" features Jones drumming with just his hands. Equally enjoyable are the trio's treatments of "Greensleeves" and standards like "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Embraceable You," which they could have likely played in their sleep. The pulsating closing blues "Little Susie" is a collaborative effort. While Everest developed a reputation as a budget label in the 1970s due to poor packaging and its frequent omission credits for the musicians and composers, this 1959 LP treats the musicians with the respect they deserve, adding warm liner notes by Nat Hentoff. This long-unavailable album will be somewhat difficult to find. ~Ken Dryden

Jo Jones Trio

---

Ray Bryant - In the Back Room

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:41
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:06) 1. Lullaby
(4:22) 2. Keepin' out of Mischief Now
(7:16) 3. Black and Blue
(1:45) 4. The Impossible Rag
(6:55) 5. Jitterbug Waltz
(4:38) 6. In the Back Room
(3:04) 7. Little Girl
(6:01) 8. Ain't Misbehavin
(5:09) 9. If I Could Be with You
(4:41) 10. Honeysuckle Rose
(6:00) 11. Easy to Love
(6:38) 12. St. Louis Blues

Solos done live in performance are nothing new for Ray Bryant, but stylistically, this recording does have the masterful, blues-based pianist digging into some new material of his own, along with the music of Fats Waller. Recorded live on two separate dates at Rutgers University, Bryant hints at his blues background on these tracks, but concentrates more on carefully and lovingly constructing Waller's famous melodies. Four of his originals are tacked on as he wends his way through a mostly laid-back set of music that shows he's mellowed with age and wisdom through decades of playing jazz to its professional hilt. He's actually a bit polite on songs like "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" and patient for "Ain't Misbehavin'," but jumps into some witty and classic stride piano, especially on the two-fisted chords of "St. Louis Blues." Originals like the rhapsodic "Lullaby," the active, boogie-styled title track, or the rip-snorting, under-two-minute jam "The Impossible Rag" show Bryant still has chops to burn at an advanced age. Yet the program overall has a relaxed, laid-back feel, best exemplified during the lighthearted Waller number "Black & Blue," or the yearning, slow "If I Could Be with You." Fans of Ray Bryant will be very pleased with this effort, as recent recordings have come few and far between, but this one reinforces his legendary stature as one of the giants of American-based piano jazz music.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-back-room-mw0001709253

In the Back Room

---

Charlie Shavers - Complete Recordings Vol. 2

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:36
Size: 176,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:31)  1. Girl Of My Dreams
(2:33)  2. September In The Rain
(2:40)  3. What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry
(2:27)  4. Lover
(2:15)  5. I'll Get By
(2:45)  6. Out Of Nowhere
(2:38)  7. Dream
(2:35)  8. Bye Bye Blackbird
(2:48)  9. Pennies From Heaven
(2:18) 10. Frenesi
(2:34) 11. Green Eyes
(3:00) 12. Let's Fall In Love
(2:21) 13. All Of Me
(2:57) 14. Makin' Whoopee
(3:18) 15. Russian Lullaby
(2:57) 16. Taboo
(4:09) 17. You've Changed
(3:21) 18. It's All Right With Me
(2:34) 19. Loch Lomond
(2:33) 20. I Want A Little Girl
(2:40) 21. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(3:10) 22. On The Alamo
(3:15) 23. Undecided
(3:08) 24. All Of You
(3:00) 25. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
(2:26) 26. I've Got The World On A String
(2:29) 27. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby

Sublime work from trumpeter Charlie Shavers  a player with a wonderful tone, and a clear, straightforward sound that was often sadly overlooked! The CD brings together the full tracks from 2 albums that Shavers recorded with pianist Ray Bryant Memorial, from 1959, and Here Comes Charlie, from 1960  both of them well-crafted sets that are a great example of Shaver's understated genius. 

The rhythms on both records are surprisingly complex  thanks to free drum work on the kit from Roy Burns, modern bass tones from Aaron Bell, and always-soulful work on piano from Ray Bryant and if we had to pick one album as our favorite, we'd say that we're especially flored by the Here Comes Charlie set as it goves far beyond even our already high opinion of Shaver's talents. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/charlie-shavers-ray-bryant-albums/3991-complete-recordings-vol2.html

Personnel: Charlie Shavers (tp), Roy Burns (p), Tommy Bryant or Aaron Bell (b), Ray Bryant (d)

Complete Recordings  Vol. 2

---

Charlie Shavers - Complete Recordings Vol.1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:18
Size: 173,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:04)  1. C'est Si Bon
(2:29)  2. Domino
(2:19)  3. Mam'selle
(2:36)  4. The Last Time I Saw Paris
(1:54)  5. Pigalle
(2:29)  6. Song From "Moulin Rouge"
(2:06)  7. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
(2:54)  8. Petite Fleur
(2:21)  9. My Man
(3:24) 10. I Kiss Your Hand, Madame
(2:27) 11. Comme Si, Comme CA
(3:21) 12. I Love Paris
(1:57) 13. Alexander's Ragtime Band
(3:20) 14. Basin Street Blues
(3:31) 15. Jazz Me Blues
(3:06) 16. Beale Street Blues
(2:41) 17. If I Could Be With You
(3:03) 18. Royal Garden Blues
(2:26) 19. At The Jazz Band Ball
(2:42) 20. Muskrat Ramble
(2:27) 21. Margie
(2:38) 22. St. Louis Blues
(3:16) 23. Daddy's Got The Gleeks
(3:00) 24. When The Saints Go Marching In
(2:35) 25. One O Clock Jump
(2:39) 26. Man With A Horn
(2:27) 27. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis
(1:52) 28. Back Home Again In Indiana

Charlie Shavers was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. He had brilliant technique, a very wide range, his own sound, a witty and swinging style, and gave the impression that he could play anything. Over five CDs, the Lone Hill label has reissued most of Shavers' recordings as a leader from 1954-1964, just skipping an album for Capitol, live sets put out by Hep and Spotlight, a Storyville date and two albums released by Vogue. Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 is a perfect place to start, because this CD reissues a set of French-associated songs (from the album Charlie Digs Paree), an exciting and successful program of Dixieland tunes (from Charlie Digs Dixie) and four numbers from the trumpeter's At Le Crazy Horse Saloon, an album whose contents are split between three CDs in this series. Shavers is heard throughout as the only horn in a quartet, with pianist Ray Bryant on all but the Crazy Horse selections. Sometimes the rhythm section provides a shuffle rhythm (à la Jonah Jones) while at other times they swing conventionally. It is particularly fun to hear the trumpeter tear into the Dixieland repertoire. Shavers is the star throughout and was at the peak of his remarkable powers during this period. It is a pity that he is largely forgotten today, for he was a truly remarkable player.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/complete-recordings-vol-1-charlie-shavers-ray-bryant-quartet-mw0000704042

Personnel: Charlie Shavers (tp), Oliver Jackson (d), Aaron Bell or Tommy Bryant (b), Ray Bryant (p)

Complete Recordings Vol.1

---

Max Roach - Jazz In 3/4 Time

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:41
Size: 100,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:31)  1. Blues Waltz
(14:21)  2. Valse Hot
( 4:31)  3. I'll Take Romance
( 5:36)  4. Little Folks
( 5:35)  5. Lover
( 7:05)  6. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

At the time of its appearance in 1957, this album, currently part of the limited EmArcy reissue series, was considered somewhat revolutionary due to its all-waltz program. That's become a moot point after all of the triple-meter jazz material that would follow from "All Blues" to "Waltz for Debby" to "Someday My Prince Will Come." What makes this session essential listening is the masterful solo work, and not simply by Sonny Rollins. With Clifford Brown gone, trumpeter Kenny Dorham makes each of his turns, as usual, an adventure in melodic and rhythmic surprises, deliberately getting himself into trouble and always finding a way out. And whereas Rollins almost overcompensates for the absence of Brown, playing these tunes with broad and ballsy, aria-like bravado, Dorham takes the tunes inward, not afraid of the empty spaces where the poetry often resides, and in the process looking forward to a more subtle, implicit rhythmic approach to jazz waltzes, such as Freddy Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring."

The enigmatic pianist Billy Wallace, who made this single auspicious recorded appearance then disappeared into various urban lounge scenes, is one of the few truly ambidextrous bop pianists. On the opening "Blues Waltz" his solo sounds like Monk playing counterpoint with himself; on his remaining solo spots his interdependent melodies and rapid, two-handed octaves are reminiscent of Phineas Newborn, Jr. Whether or not his saucy, copy-cat rejoinder to Dorham's complex solo on "Lover" was appreciated by its originator, Wallace can't help but impress the listener with his ear and quick instincts. He's a far stronger player than his predecessor, Richie Powell, who perished in the same car crash that took Brown's life. Besides the pop standards, Rollins' "Valse Hot" is a lovely composition, an extended 3/4 melodic equivalent of Brown's "Joy Spring." During each of his solos he clearly exudes a Viennese spirit, bringing to his deliberative, assured melodic constructions the singing bravura of a great tenor, legit or otherwise. It's a performance that clearly ranks with his work on the revered, almost contemporaneous Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2 (Blue Note, 1957).

Roach catches the lilting dancing spirit with heavily accented downbeats on his own "Little Folks, prompting both Rollins and Wallace to go for the gold on their solo turns. And for a change the relatively unfamiliar triple-meter holds down the tempos just sufficiently to allow Roach's bassist, George Morrow, to play some melodic lines during his solos. There seems little doubt that this is the best post-Clifford Brown, Roach-led session on record demonstrating that the fall of the drummer's ensembles from the visibility they once shared with Blakey's and Silver's groups cannot be entirely blamed on the loss of Clifford Brown (though nothing can detract from the luster of this musician's favorite). Consequently, as the only recording by this particular cast (there would be one sequel but without Billy Wallace), Jazz in 3/4 Time is a session that brings with its pleasures no small amount of regret about what might have been. ~ Samuel Chell https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-in-3-4-time-max-roach-emarcy-review-by-samuel-chell.php

Personnel: Max Roach: drums; Kenny Dorham: trumpet; Sonny Rollins: tenor saxophone; Billy Wallace: piano; Ray Bryant: piano (on "The Most Beautiful Girl"); George Morrow: bass.

Jazz In 3/4 Time

---

Sonny Rollins - On Impulse

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:31
Size: 79,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:07)  1. On Green Dolphin Street
(11:14)  2. Every Thing Happens To Me
( 5:29)  3. Hold'Em Joe
( 3:44)  4. Blue Room
( 6:56)  5. Three Little Words

In 1965 and 1966 tenor giant Sonny Rollins issued three albums for the Impulse label. They would be his last until 1972 when he re-emerged on the scene from a self-imposed retirement. This date is significant for the manner in which Rollins attacks five standards with a quartet that included pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Walter Booker and drummer Mickey Roker. Rollins, who's been recording for RCA and its Bluebird subsidiary, had spent the previous three years (after emerging from his first retirement) concentrating on standards and focusing deeply on intimate, intricate aspects of melody and harmony. He inverts the approach here, and digs deeply into pulse and rhythm and leaving melody to take care of itself. This is not a "new thing" date but instead focuses on playing according to the dictates of the rhythm section and on interchanging with Booker and Roker, leaving much of the melodic aspect of these tunes to Bryant. Rollins could never quite leave the melody out of anything he played because of his intense gift as a lyrical improviser; he nonetheless stripped his approach back and played tunes like "On Green Dolphin Street" by improvising according to theme rather than strict melody, where his interplay with the rhythm section becomes based on the dynamic and shifting times played by Roker. While things are more intimate and straight on "Everything Happens to Me," he nonetheless plays the edges, filling the space like a drummer. Melody happens throughout, the tune is recognizable, but it is stretched in his solo to a theme set by the shimmering cymbals and brushed snare work of Roker. The oddest cuts in the set are the last two; spaced out readings of "Blue Room," and "Three Little Words"; they sound as if he were preparing the listener for a true change in his approach. Melody gets inverted, with spaces and syncopation taking the place of notes. The swing is inherent in everything here, but it's clear that the saxophonist was hearing something else in his head, the way he squeezes notes tightly into some phrases where they might be placed elsewhere, and substitutes small, lithe lines inside Bryant's solos which dictate the harmonic intervals more conventionally with his singing approach. And speaking of rhythm, the album's hinge piece is the burning calypso "Hold "Em Joe." Here again, as Bryant's changes play it straight, Rollins shoves his horn inside them and draws out the beat on his horn over and over again. As strange and beautiful as this record sounds, it would have been wonderful if he had chosen to explore this track on his later records, but that restless spirit was already moving onto something else, as evidenced by his next offering, which were his original compositions for the film Alfie with arrangements by Oliver Nelson. If anything, Sonny Rollins on Impulse! feels as if it were a recording Rollins had to get out of his system. But thank goodness for us because it's a winner through and through. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-impulse-mw0000188710

Personnel: Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone; Ray Bryant – piano; Walter Booker – bass; Mickey Roker – drums

On Impulse

---

Bud Freeman - Chicago

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:04
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. Saturday Night Fish Fry
(4:06)  2. Meet As In San Juan
(6:11)  3. Basin Street Blues
(2:05)  4. Chicago
(5:02)  5. Schooldays
(3:20)  6. All By Myself
(5:35)  7. Loveless Love
(5:48)  8. One For The Money

Three of the selections on this LP are taken from a January 15, 1962 session reissued in full on a Black Lion CD. The great veteran tenor Bud Freeman is in fine form fronting a quartet also including pianist Dave Frishberg, bassist Bob Haggart and drummer Don Lamond. The other five numbers are part of a lesser date actually led by guitarist Elmer Snowden and featuring trumpeter Roy Eldridge, who takes a couple of vocals. Freeman is actually a bit out of place on the spirited if erratic set, which also includes pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Tommy Bryant and drummer Jo Jones. Get the Black Lion CD instead. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/chicago-mw0000913151

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Bud Freeman,  Trumpet, Vocals – Roy Eldridge;  Bass – Bob Haggart, Tommy Bryant ; Drums – Don Lamond, Jo Jones; Guitar – Elmer Snowden; Piano – Dave Frishberg, Ray Bryant .

Chicago

---

Lionel Hampton All Star Band - At Newport '78

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:21
Size: 86,9 MB
Art: Front

( 4:51)  1. Stompin' At The Savoy
( 4:49)  2. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(10:05)  3. Hamp's The Champ
( 7:18)  4. Carnegie Hall Blues
(10:16)  5. Flying Home

Good / It sounds as a masterpiece symbolizing the swing era, a luxury board that recorded the concerts in '78 in New York, high in the Lionel • Hampton All Star B band! https://www.jetsetrecords.net/lionel-hampton-lionel-hampton-all-star-band-at-newport-78/i/162512626001/

Personnel:  Conductor, Vibraphone – Lionel Hampton;  Alto Saxophone – Charles McPherson;  Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Earle Warren;  Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams;  Bass – Chubby Jackson;  Clarinet – Bob Wilber;  Drums – Panama Francis;  Guitar – Billy Mackel;  Piano – Ray Bryant; Tenor Saxophone – Arnett Cobb, Paul Moen;  Trombone – Benny Powell, Eddie Bert, John Gordon;  Trumpet – Doc Cheatham;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Cat Anderson, Jimmy Maxwell, Joe Newman

At Newport '78

---

Ray Bryant - Cry Me River

Size: 92,8 MB
Time: 40:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Cry Me A River (3:47)
02. In A Mellow Tone (4:18)
03. Pawn Ticket (2:44)
04. Off Shore (3:52)
05. You're My Thrill (4:17)
06. Night In Tunisia (2:36)
07. Cubano Chant (3:02)
08. Goodbye (3:52)
09. Philadelphia Bound (2:32)
10. The Breeze And I (3:24)
11. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight (2:21)
12. Well You Needn't (3:18)

Although he could always play bop, Ray Bryant's playing combined together older elements (including blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, and even stride) into a distinctive, soulful, and swinging style; no one played "After Hours" quite like him. The younger brother of bassist Tommy Bryant and the uncle of Kevin and Robin Eubanks (his sister is their mother), Bryant started his career playing with Tiny Grimes in the late '40s. He became the house pianist at The Blue Note in Philadelphia in 1953, where he backed classic jazz greats (including Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Lester Young) and made important contacts. He accompanied Carmen McRae (1956-1957), recorded with Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival (taking a brilliant solo on an exciting version of "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me"), and played with Jo Jones' trio (1958). Bryant settled in New York in 1959; played with Sonny Rollins, Charlie Shavers, and Curtis Fuller; and soon had his own trio. He had a few funky commercial hits (including "Little Susie" and "Cubano Chant") that kept him working for decades. Bryant recorded often throughout his career (most notably for Epic, Prestige, Columbia, Sue, Cadet, Atlantic, Pablo, and Emarcy), and even his dates on electric piano in the '70s are generally rewarding. However, Bryant was heard at his best when playing the blues on unaccompanied acoustic piano. After a lengthy illness, Ray Bryant died in Queens, New York on June 2, 2011; he was 79 years old. ~by Scott Yanow

Cry Me River

---

Yusef Lateef - The Gentle Giant

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:33
Size: 88,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:39)  1. Nubian Lady
(2:23)  2. Lowland Lullabye
(9:01)  3. Hey Jude
(4:33)  4. Jungle Plum
(3:41)  5. The Poor Fishermen
(3:50)  6. African Song
(2:13)  7. Queen of the Night
(5:10)  8. Below Yellow Bell

Yusef Lateef's music from the early '70s commands large doses of both appeal and skepticism. At a time when funk and fusion were merging with the intensely volatile and distrustful mood of the U.S., Lateef's brand of Detroit soul garnered new fans, and turned away those who preferred his earlier hard bop jazz or world music innovations. Thus The Gentle Giant is an appropriate title, as Lateef's levitational flute looms large over the rhythm & blues beats central to the equation. Kenny Barron's Fender Rhodes electric piano is also a sign of the times, an entry point introducing him to the contemporary jazz scene, and on that point alone is historically relevant. The post-Bitches Brew, pre-Weather Report/Headhunters time period is to be considered, and how this music put Lateef in many respects to the forefront of the movement. While inconsistent and at times uneven, there's more to praise than damn in the grooves and unique musicianship he offers with this small ensemble of focused and singular-minded players. At once funky and cool, Barron's "Nubian Lady" sets the tone out of the gate, the tune totally trumping Herbie Mann's Memphis Underground/Push Push style. The similar-sounding "Jungle Plum" is more danceable, simpler, and less attractive. While "Aftican Song" is also in this vein, it is less about the continent in the title as it is reflective of the era, and a slower number. Perhaps that actual title and the sleigh bell-driven "Below Yellow Bell" could have been reversed, for it is more Afrocentric, with Lateef's wordless vocal counterpoint closer to sounds of the savanna over a baroque rhythm & blues. "Hey Jude," under-produced to the point of inaudibility at the outset (the caveat given is "do not adjust the playback level on your audio equipment, readjust your mind"), busts out on the incessantly repeated "na na" chorus with the Sweet Inspirations doing the honors. The other tracks lay low, as Lateef and Al "Tootie" Heath's flutes and Kermit Moore's cello go into late-night mode for "Lowland Lullabye," "The Poor Fisherman" explores the leader's interest in Asian sounds with call and response, and "Queen of the Night" is a two-minute shortie with Eric Gale's modulated guitar mixing up meters of 4/4 and 3/4 in a slightly macabre way. This recording was produced in the middle of Lateef's commercial crossroads phase that started with the Atlantic label issue Yusef Lateef's Detroit in 1969 and ended in 1977 with the CTI release Autophysiopsychic. Though these tracks are potent reminders of how jazz was willfully being manipulated by the record companies Creed Taylor in particular this album is clear evidence of how great a musician Yusef Lateef was, but not in the context of his best music. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-gentle-giant-mw0000193408

Personnel:  Yusef Lateef - tenor saxophone, flute, bamboo flute, pneumatic bamboo flute, oboe, bells, tambourine;  Eric Gale - guitar (tracks 3 & 7);  Neal Boyar - vibraphone, chimes (track 3);  Chuck Rainey - electric bass (tracks 3 & 7);  Albert Heath - drums, flute (tracks 1, 2, 4-6 & 8);  Jimmy Johnson - drums (tracks 3 & 7);  The Sweet Inspirations - backing vocals (track 3);  Kermit Moore - cello (track 2);  Kenny Barron, Ray Bryant - piano, electric piano (tracks 1, 4, 6 & 8);  Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones - bass (tracks 1, 4, 6 & 8);  Bill Salter - electric bass (tracks 1, 4, 6 & 8);  Ladji Camara - African percussion (track 1, 4, 6 & 8)

The Gentle Giant

---

Ray Bryant Trio - Play The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:50
Size: 153.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2000/2013
Art: Front

[4:58] 1. Gotta Travel On
[7:54] 2. I'm A Just Lucky So & So
[7:56] 3. Slow Freight
[5:00] 4. C Jam Blues
[6:48] 5. Stick With It
[6:06] 6. St. Louis Blues
[8:27] 7. C. C. Rider
[6:49] 8. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[6:29] 9. After Hours
[6:17] 10. Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Bass – Ray Drummond; Drums – Kenny Washington; Harmonica, Guest – Hugh McCracken; Piano – Ray Bryant. Recorded on September 13th and 14th 1999.

Ray Bryant came from a musical family and became known to fellow musicians as the house pianist at the Philadelphia Blue Note Club, he later worked and recorded with many of the giants in the jazz world including Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis and Coleman Hawkins. He is also an accomplished accompanist working with singers like Carmen McRae. He is at his best working in a trio or even as a solo pianist where he excels with his blues and gospel laden playing.

Play The Blues mc
Play The Blues zippy

---

Arnett Cobb - Party Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:22
Size: 85,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. When My Dream Boat Comes Home
(3:57)  2. Lonesome Road
(4:20)  3. Blues In The Closet
(5:55)  4. PartyTime
(5:14)  5. Flying Home
(6:52)  6. The Slow Poke
(5:14)  7. Cocktails For Two

Tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb, who was inactive between 1957 and 1958 due to a serious auto accident, recorded three strong albums for Prestige during the first half of 1959. This CD reissue is the only one of the trio that features Cobb as the only horn and backed by a pianist (Ray Bryant) instead of an organ player. 

With bassist Wendell Marshall, drummer Art Taylor and Ray Barretto on conga completing the group, most of the focus is on Cobb's tough yet flexible tenor. Such songs as "When My Dreamboat Comes Home," "Blues in the Closet" and a remake of "Flying Home" make this the definitive Arnett Cobb album from the era. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/party-time-mw0000177104

Personnel:  Arnett Cobb - tenor saxophone;  Ray Bryant - piano;  Wendell Marshall - bass;  Art Taylor - drums;  Ray Barretto - congas

Party Time

---

Benny Golson - Gone With Golson

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:35
Size: 92.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1960/1994
Art: Front

[4:49] 1. Stacatto Swing
[6:48] 2. Autumn Leaves
[6:37] 3. Soul Me
[8:35] 4. Blues After Dark
[9:22] 5. Jam For Bobbie
[4:21] 6. A Bit Of Heaven

Bass – Tom Bryant; Drums – Al Harewood; Piano – Ray Bryant; Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson; Trombone – Curtis Fuller. Recorded in Hackensack, NJ; June 20, 1959.

Shortly before the formation of The Jazztet, tenor-saxophonist Benny Golson and trombonist Curtis Fuller teamed up for this quintet set with pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Tommy Bryant and drummer Al Harewood. Although Golson contributed three of the six songs ("Blues After Dark" is the best-known one), the emphasis is on his playing; the tenor is quite heated on the uptempo blues "Jam for Bobbie." The CD reissue adds "A Bit of Heaven" (originally on a sampler but part of the same session) to the original program, a fine example of hard bop of the late '50s. ~Scott Yanow

Gone With Golson mc
Gone With Golson zippy

---

Lee Morgan - City Lights

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:09
Size: 85.1 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1957/2006
Art: Front

[5:42] 1. City Lights
[6:23] 2. Tempo De Waltz
[5:59] 3. You're Mine You
[9:22] 4. Just By Myself
[9:41] 5. Kin Folks

Lee Morgan: trumpet; Curtis Fuller: trombone; George Coleman: tenor and alto sax; Ray Bryant: piano; Paul Chambers: bass; Art Taylor: drums.

This album may not enjoy the same status as Charlie Chaplin's revered movie of the same title, but it's a session that evokes similar feelings. Like the beloved Tramp, Lee Morgan wins our respect with a performance of exceptional warmth and dignity, grace and beauty, sprinkled with moments of gentle humor. His playing on this session anticipates, more than do his immediately subsequent recordings, the composer of the sublimely poetic "Ceora" (Cornbread, 1965).

Also credit Benny Golson, who provided three of the five tunes and the arrangements for the sextet on this date. Beginning with Lee Morgan Sextet (December, 1956) to City Lights (August, 1957), Golson supplied four consecutive recordings' worth of material for the developing session leader— compositions and textures that would showcase the young artist while lending form and focus to his creative energies. Clifford Brown had much the same in mind with a very "West Coast-sounding" eponymous septet date featuring the trumpet giant playing Jack Montrose arrangements (Pacific Jazz, 1954).

After City Lights, Morgan would continue his prolific recording output but increasingly shoulder the burden—as one of only two horns on The Cooker (September, 1957) and the sole horn on Candy (November, 1957). As much latitude as the gifted trumpeter is given on these last two dates, the formal constraints of City Lights prove no less rewarding—if anything, they serve as a luminous foil, setting off the artist's inventions and magnifying his unique talent. ~Samuel Chell

City Lights

---

Coleman Hawkins - Soul

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:49
Size: 104,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:56)  1. Soul Blues
(4:38)  2. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(5:47)  3. Groovin'
(3:16)  4. Greensleeves
(6:33)  5. Sunday Mornin'
(4:46)  6. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
(6:50)  7. Sweetnin'

This is a decent but not very exciting outing. Then 52, Hawkins uses a typically young rhythm section (including guitarist Kenny Burrell and pianist Ray Bryant) and plays melodically on a variety of originals and standards. This insipid version of "Greensleeves" is difficult to sit through but the rest of this CD is enjoyable if not overly inspiring. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-mw0000203528

Personnel: Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ray Bryant (piano); Osie Johnson (drums).

Soul

---