Mingus Big Band - The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:22) 1. Work Song (Break The Chains)
(7:42) 2. The I Of Hurricane Sue
(1:01) 3. Intro To Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(5:46) 4. Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(8:15) 5. Meditations For Moses
(7:43) 6. All The Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother
(6:35) 7. Don’t Let It Happen Here
(6:49) 8. Profile Of Jackie
(8:21) 9. Hobo Ho
(0:22) 10. Intro To Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
(3:29) 11. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting

The legacy of Charles Mingus is continuing to be celebrated this year by his legacy bands. Now the Mingus Big Band has released The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, which marks the 100th anniversary of the bassist and composer’s birth with 22 of his compositions.

The work includes new arrangements of his timeless songs with narrations by Charles’s son Eric Mingus. The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions was recorded with over 30 of the world’s leading musicians, rotating in the Mingus Big Band tradition, they say.

Bass on the album is handled by three men: Boris Kozlov, Andrew McKee, and Mike Richmond. Each has played an important role in the group. Kozlov has been in the band for over two decades and is the current co-leader of the group. McKee spent a decade in the ’90s and is featured on many recordings. When Mingus died in 1979, his widow Sue Mingus (who passed away in September 2022) launched the Legacy band with Mike Richmond in the bass seat.
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/10/20/mingus-big-band-releases-the-charles-mingus-centennial-sessions/

Musicians: Dr. Alex Pope Norris, Tatum Greenblatt, Walter White, Philip Harper, Anthony Fazio, Jack Walrath, Alex Sipiagin - Trumpets; Conrad Herwig, Joe Fiedler, Robin Eubanks, Coleman Hughes - Trombones; David Taylor - Bass Trombone; Earl McIntyre - Bass Trombones & Tuba; Alex Foster (co-leader), Brandon Wright, David Lee Jones, Ron Blake, Alex Terrier - Alto Saxophones - Abraham Burton, Wayne Escoffery, Scott Robinson, Sam Dillon - Tenor Saxophones; Jason Marshall, Lauren Sevian - Baritone Saxophones; David Kikoski, Theo Hill - Piano; Boris Kozlov (co-leader), Andrew McKee, Mike Richmond - Bass; Adam Cruz, Donald Edwards, Johnathan Blake, Tommy Campbell - Drums; Eric Mingus, Renee Manning, Alex Foster - Vocals

The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

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Geri Allen - Open On All Sides In The Middle

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:17
Size: 101,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:49) 1.Open On All Sides / The Glide Was In The Ride...
( 4:26)  2. Forbidden Place
( 2:36)  3. The Dancer
( 4:06)  4. In The Middle
( 4:22)  5. Ray
(12:48) 6. I Sang A Bright Green Tear For All Of Us This Year...
( 2:29)  7. Drummer's Song
( 5:05)  8. In The Morning (For Milton Nascimento)
( 1:34)  9. The Dancer Pt. 2

Electric and acoustic pianist Geri Allen joins with fellow Detroiters for one of her more ambitious projects, offering a large ensemble featuring bassist Jaribu Shahid, drummer Tani Tabbal, soloists David McMurray and trumpeters Rayse Biggs and Marcus Belgrave, and New Yorkers as saxophonist Steve Coleman and trombonist Robin Eubanks. The tour de force "I Sang A Bright Green Tear For All Of Us This Year" is stunning, featuring the wonderful vocals of Shahida Nurullah, insistent rhythm, haunting refrains from Allen's keyboards, and shifting dynamics that are compelling. The rest of the material is not as innovative within a jazz-funk/M-Base framework, but contrasts her piano trio work. Not essential, but still an invigorating session. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/open-on-all-sides-in-the-middle-mw0000196997

Personnel: Geri Allen (piano), Steve Coleman (saxophone), Marcus Belgrave (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Jaribu Shahid (bass), Lloyd Storey (tap dancer), Shahita Nurallah, David McMurray, Racy Biggs, Mino Cinelu.
 

R.I.P.

Open On All Sides In The Middle

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Dr. Lonnie Smith - Breathe

Styles: Hammond b3 Organ
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:52
Size: 148,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:45) 1. Why Can't We Live Together
( 7:25) 2. Bright Eyes - Live
( 7:33) 3. Too Damn Hot - Live
( 9:44) 4. Track 9 - Live
(12:04) 5. World Weeps - Live
( 8:20) 6. Pilgrimage - Live
( 4:22) 7. Epistrophy - Live
( 6:37) 8. Sunshine Superman

A new release by the iconic 78 year old New York organist Dr Lonnie Smith is always keenly anticipated, and this his third since returning to the Blue Note label after nearly 50 years absence is no exception. During his lengthy career the Hammond B 3 specialist has recorded thirty albums as a leader and appeared on very many other recordings, notably with the likes of saxophonist Lou Donaldson, guitarist George Benson and bassist Red Holloway. Now a N.E.A. Jazz Master, he was voted Organist of the year no less than nine times by The Jazz Journalists Association since 2003. A documentary film showcasing the talents of this remarkable and forward thinking musician entitled "Dr B3 The Soul Of The Music" by the award winning Canadian film maker Ed Barreveld was nearing completion as of December last year.

Six of the eight tracks on this almost one hour long, highly entertaining album were recorded during the organists 75th birthday celebrations at The Jazz Standard club in New York City during 2017. That session forms the centre piece of the recording but is top and tailed by two studio takes of the organ, guitar and drums trio with guest vocalist Iggy Pop. Jazz purists should have no concern about the presence of this 73 year old artist from Michigan once known as "The Godfather of Punk" for his time with "The Stooges" and his work with the late great David Bowie, as he fits perfectly into the context of the recording with minimalistic and subdued renderings of the Timmy Thomas tune Why Can't We Live Together and Donovan's 1966 hit Sunshine Superman. It is however the club session that really strikes home, most of the tunes are from the leaders pen and show great originality in both their concepts and execution. The doctor's organ sound is almost always understated and full of intriguing subtle harmonies, the one exception being on the more up-beat Bright Eyes where overtones of the ever popular Jimmy Smith are evident, but even this is somewhat a slow burner and contains one of a number of telling solo passages during the set from the North Carolinian saxophonist John Ellis.

All the numbers have an inbuilt delicacy about them without ever becoming trite or sentimental in any way. A good example of this is the rather strangely titled Track 9, which although intricate in parts has a strong searching quality about it and brings a stratospheric interlude from trumpet man Sean Jones to the fore alongside a telling contribution from the baritone of ex Roy Hargrove Big Band saxophonist Jason Marshall. A key component of the whole ambient sound of the set is the performance throughout of guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg who has now been in the band for over eleven years and supplies both superb single note runs as well as having a strong affinity when exchanging ideas with the leader. This is particularly so when the band reverts to the trio mode, such as on the twelve minute World Weeps, a truly stunning and sensitive piece to begin with that builds layers of tension as the tempo and volume increases to an almost angry level as it progresses before once more dropping down into more calmer waters. Proceedings are further enhanced on one track by the presence of the mezzo soprano Alicia Olatuja, a vocalist more than comfortable in a wide range of settings from The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir to The Julliard Jazz Ensemble, who engrained her reputation considerably with a well publicised performance at Barack Obama's second presidential inauguration. Here she quite obviously brings the house down on Meryl Konenigsberg's poignant lyrics to Lonnie Smiths excellent composition Pilgrimage. In summary this is a very fine album, not just for the performances of the main soloists but also for the tight ensemble sound when the band are in septet mode and the stunning but sensitive drumming of Jonathan Blake from first to last. Although it is only March it is very likely that this disc will at least be pencilled in on some peoples top ten jazz albums of 2021. by Jim Burlong https://www.jazzviews.net/dr-lonnie-smith---breathe.html

Personnel: Dr Lonnie Smith ( Hammond B3 Organ), Sean Jones (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), John Ellis (tenor), Jason Marshall ( baritone), Jonathan Kreisberg (guitar), Johnathan Blake (drums), Guest vocalists, Iggy Pop & Alicia Olatuja.

Breathe

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Robin Eubanks and Mental Images - Get 2 It

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:30
Size: 169,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:02)  1. Metamorphos
(5:32)  2. Get 2 It
(5:23)  3. Essi
(2:16)  4. REM State
(6:38)  5. Blues for Jimi
(8:36)  6. Cross Currents
(5:57)  7. RNB-First Take
(6:26)  8. Sabanna
(8:53)  9. House of Jade
(5:13) 10. Reunion
(5:57) 11. Indo
(4:31) 12. AudioNotes

Robin Eubanks' electronic trombone is something else. Horn players have been trying for decades to create a vocal-like sound on their instruments. The plunger mute helped brass players when jazz was young. The electronic saxophone and EWI have allowed reed players to play harmony and create inspiring effects; yet, neither instrument has allowed sufficiently for vocal effects. Instead, flute players achieve their vocal effects through ' well ' vocalizing. Over the years, creative artists such as Lester Bowie have experimented with natural-sounding vocal sounds expressed through a horn. Eubanks' session comes a long way from early tailgate trombone and the timeless junior high school antics of creating kissing sounds or a horse's holiday neigh through the trumpet. Combining hard core electronic experimentation with down-to-earth trombone artistry, Eubanks brings his latest album to a wider audience. Singing the blues, he works the electronic trombone through "Blues for Jimi," resembling the wordless vocals of scat singing. The fascinating sounds, while somewhat eerie at times, are placed in a tasteful jazz environment. A blues organ trio supports Eubanks as it would any emotional singer. Only the title track contains actual vocal expression. The other vocal-like exhibitions are through the electronic trombone. Several selections place Eubanks' trombone in a sextet format with modern mainstream originals. His brother, Duane, joins on trumpet for some hard bop hitting. A propelling rhythm section drives both brothers forcefully. Samples of two of the album's tracks are available at the trombonist's mp3 site . Showing his true potential, Eubanks performs "Essie," a lovely trombone ballad, with Kevin Eubanks' acoustic guitar accompanying. Having recorded six CDs as a leader, Robin Eubanks has proven that he has an unyielding respect for jazz's traditions. Placed in this context, his highly individualized, singing, electronic trombone makes a warm addition to the jazz world and should encourage others to explore similar new avenues for expression. 

~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/get-2-it-robin-eubanks-rem-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Robin Eubanks (trombone & electric trombone); Duane Eubanks (trumpet); Kevin Eubanks (acoustic guitar); Maya Azucena (vocals); George Colligan, Michael Cain (keyboards); Lonnie Plaxico, Dave Holland (bass); Billy Kilson, Gene Jackson (drums); Mino Cinelu (percussion)

Get 2 It

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Dave Holland Quintet - Points Of View

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:01
Size: 163,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:18)  1. The Balance
(10:54)  2. Mr. B.
( 8:48)  3. Bedouin Trail
( 8:23)  4. Metamorphos
(10:12)  5. Ario
( 9:40)  6. Herbaceous
( 6:53)  7. The Benevolent One
( 6:49)  8. Serenade

The eight compositions which make up Points of View are so varied that this in itself becomes a hallmark of Dave Holland's style here. Consistency instead comes from the interaction of the players, whom Holland's arrangements give ensemble roles during each other's solos; from the unusual instrumentation, used both for frank exoticism ("Bedouin Trail", "Serenade") and to leaven more traditional compositions with surprise. The soloists are imaginative, and swinging on those tunes where swing is part of the picture. Holland and Kilson power the ensemble, Holland with his rich tone, Kilson with clarity and a fine percussionist's melodic sense, both with impeccable time."The balance" seemingly begins with the sound of a bass tuning, as if for a live date, with the other players joining in with an improvised ensemble worthy of Mingus. The tune turns into a characteristic opener, but with a difference: swift and exciting, to be sure, but with a tricky time signature and a restlessness about settling on a major or minor mode."Mr. B" is like one of those great 1950's hard bop tunes seen through a post-modern prism, Holland playing a walking bass line throughout."Bedouin trail," beginning with Eubanks high on the trombone, almost a French horn sound, moves into a medium tempo clave groove. The virtues of Holland's group stand out in this sensous tune, which seems almost to suspend time."Metamorphosis" alternates rapidly between swing and funk, terms that don't do justice either to the edgy composition or the impassioned improvisations.The rhythm section opens "Ario" with an ostinato feel, moving eventually into a Latin groove. As usual on this recording, the horn parts belie the small group size. Likewise the vibes' fills provide a bigger than usual sound in the percussive/chordal instrument's role: richer than a piano, fuller than a guitar. The track shifts between the mellowness of a medium-tempo ballad and a series of climaxes."Herbaceous" has a samba-then-swing feel, opened up by spontaneity and virtuosity of the ensemble, making for a tumultuous ride. "The benevolent one" begins out of tempo as a duet between Nelson's ringing vibes and Holland's bowed bass, before turning into a ballad, with Kilson's brushes shimmering like aspen leaves. The rhythm section is nearly equal in the foreground during the solos, giving the tune a chamber-music intimacy "Serenade" concludes the recording with a taste of Latin folk-music, the marimba trilling a simple melody over the initially unchanging harmony implied by Holland's repetitive bass figure. This track's optimistic serenity, played only by the rhythm section, creates yet another musical world among the several in this unusual and brilliantly realized production. ~ Larry Koenigsberg https://www.allaboutjazz.com/points-of-view-dave-holland-ecm-records-review-by-larry-koenigsberg.php

Personnel: Dave Holland, bass; Robin Eubanks, trombone; Steve Wilson, soprano and alto saxophone; Steve Nelson, vibraphone and marimba; Billy Kilson, drums

Points Of View

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Andrew Hill - But Not Farewell

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:22
Size: 146,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:20)  1. Westbury
( 7:12)  2. But Not Farewell
( 8:28)  3. Nicodemus
(17:19)  4. Georgia Ham
( 5:44)  5. Friends
( 3:44)  6. Sunnyside
(13:32)  7. Gone

This is a recommended set of stimulating post-bop jazz. Andrew Hill's highly distinctive piano playing and unusual compositions hint at the past while following their own rules. The feeling of polyrhythms is present in several of Hill's seven compositions on this CD. The tightness of the bass-drum team (Lonnie Plaxico and Cecil Brooks) is quite impressive, as is the blend of Robin Eubanks' warm trombone and Greg Osby's alto. Osby's angular improvisations, which seem out of place in standard bebop, sound perfectly at home in Andrew Hill's music. "Friends" features the altoist's lyricism in a duet with the pianist. Although the final two numbers (including the 13-and-a-half-minute freely improvised "Gone") are solo piano performances, it is the quintet tracks with Osby and Eubanks that are the main reason to acquire this disc. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/but-not-farewell-mw0000263609

Personnel:  Andrew Hill - piano; Greg Osby - soprano saxophone (tracks 1-3), alto saxophone (tracks 4 & 5); Robin Eubanks - trombone (tracks 1-4); Lonnie Plaxico - bass (tracks 1-4); Cecil Brooks III - drums (tracks 1-4)

But Not Farewell

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Alex Sipiagin - Out of the Circle

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:45
Size: 146,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:47)  1. Wind Dance
(10:29)  2. Afternoon Dreams
( 8:47)  3. Echoes of Thought
(10:41)  4. Out of the Circle
( 7:03)  5. Flash
( 9:07)  6. Syn
( 7:49)  7. Sketches of Myself

Over the course of seven years and six albums for Criss Cross, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has been evolving as a player, writer and bandleader, with Prints (2007) his most fully realized effort to date. Still, the Dutch record label's insistence on short sessions usually only a single day imposes practical limitations on what its artists can accomplish on a larger scale. While Sipiagin continues to record for Criss Cross, the larger ensemble and more ambitious compositional scope of Out of the Circle his first release using the web-based ArtistShare model that's been so successful for artists like Maria Schneider is an album that simply couldn't have been made within Criss Cross' limited timeframe. Sipiagin expands his usual quintet/sextet approach to as large as a ten-piece, featuring players who are part of the same New York cadre bassist Scott Colley, guitarist Adam Rogers, drummer Antonio Sanchez and saxophonist/flautist Donny McCaslin alongside under-appreciated keyboardist Henry Hey, Dave Holland Big Band/Sextet co-conspirator Robin Eubanks on trombone, percussionist Daniel Sadownick, wife/vocalist Monday Michiru and well-known keyboardist/arranger Gil Goldstein on accordion. It's a potent combination, allowing Sipiagin the opportunity to explore more detailed compositional form while, at the same time, having the improvisational prowess available to keep things spontaneous throughout. Sipiagin remains an eminently lyrical writer and soloist, although the contexts on Out of the Circle are his most challenging yet. What's always been a strong suit for the trumpeter, in addition to an inviting tone on whatever horn variant he plays, is his ability to find singable melodies, thread-through-needle-like, over the most difficult of changes. His solo on the relaxed but constantly shifting harmonies of the episodic "Syn" is a perfect example as are the contributions of Goldstein and Rogers. 

Compositionally, Sipiagin explores a broader palette than usual, with a Brazilian undercurrent on more than one of the album's seven tracks, most notably the vocal track "Afternoon Dreams" and adventurous "Wind Dance," where Eubanks delivers the kind of characteristically unpredictable solo on which his reputation has been built over the past two decades. Sipiagin even approaches pop territory with Michiru's "Sketches of Myself" the only non-Sipiagin track although it's still firmly entrenched in the jazz sphere, with richly melodic solos from both Sipiagin and Hey. Michiru, who has her own ArtistShare projects in release, demonstrates, like Sipiagin, a more complex lyricism, and a pure voice focused on melody rather than gymnastics. Sipiagin's writing for a three-horn frontline is outstanding, with the horns-only (and multi-tracked) section following Sadownick's brief but inventive solo on "Syn" a marvel of contrapuntal and harmonic conception. While the inherent spontaneity of his Criss Cross recordings will continue to be an important part of who he is, let's hope that Sipiagin can continue to pursue the more ambitious direction of Out of the Circle. When paired with Prints, it's a potent one-two punch of complex yet accessible writing, beautiful arrangements with a keen attention to detail, and risk-taking solos for which Sipiagin deserves a broader audience. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/out-of-the-circle-alex-sipiagin-artistshare-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet, bass trumpet; Donny McCaslin: tenor and soprano saxophone, flute; Robin Eubanks: trombone; Adam Rogers: guitars; Henry Hey: keyboards; Antonio Sanchez: drums; Daniel Sadownick: percussion; Scott Colley: bass; Gil Goldstein: accordion; Monday Michiru: vocals and programming.

Out of the Circle

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Not Yet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 122.6 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1988/1993
Art: Front

[9:41] 1. Kenji's Mood
[7:25] 2. For Heaven's Sake
[6:48] 3. Not Yet
[3:49] 4. I'll Never Be The Same
[9:29] 5. Uranus
[9:22] 6. Falling In Love With Love
[6:58] 7. Kelo

Bass – Peter Washington; Drums – Art Blakey; Piano – Benny Green; Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson; Trombone – Robin Eubanks; Trumpet – Philip Harper. Recorded March 19, 1988 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano.

The 1988 edition of The Jazz Messengers, which drummer Art Blakey had been leading for 33 years, showed a great deal of promise. Comprised of trumpeter Philip Harper (soon to form The Harper Brothers), trombonist Robin Eubanks, the tenor of Javon Jackson, pianist Benny Green and bassist Peter Washington, this band (whose average age without counting Blakey was around 25) performs one original apiece by Green and Jackson along with five older songs on this enjoyable release. The music may not have contained too many surprises or been startlingly new, but the results are quite pleasing. ~Scott Yanow

Not Yet mc
Not Yet zippy

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Bill Hardman - What's Up

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:33
Size: 154,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:25)  1. Fuller Up
( 9:22)  2. I Should Care
( 8:20)  3. Whisper Not
(10:31)  4. Straight Ahead
( 7:10)  5. P.B.
( 8:57)  6. Like Someone In Love
( 7:42)  7. Yo What's Up
(10:03)  8. Rooms Blues

A reliable hard bop-oriented trumpeter, Bill Hardman never became famous, but he helped out on many sessions. While a teenager, Hardman gigged with Tadd Dameron, and after graduating high school he was with Tiny Bradshaw (1953-1955). He debuted on record with Jackie McLean (1955), played with Charles Mingus (1956), and gained recognition for his work with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1956-1958). 

Hardman worked with Horace Silver (1958), Lou Donaldson (on and off during 1959-1966), re-joined Blakey twice (1966-1969 and in the late '70s), was with Mingus again during parts of 1969-1972, and led a group with Junior Cook (1979-1981). Bill Hardman had an appealing style in the Clifford Brown tradition and recorded as a leader for Savoy (1961) and Muse. 

~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/whats-up/159915066

Personnel:  Bill Hardman - trumpet;  Junior Cook - tenor saxophone;  Robin Eubanks - trombone;  Mickey Tucker - piano;  Paul Brown - bass;  Leroy Williams - drums

What's Up 

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Dave Holland - Pass It On

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:21
Size: 170,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:11)  1. The Sum Of All Parts
( 6:30)  2. Fast Track
(10:07)  3. Lazy Snake
( 8:07)  4. Double Vision
( 9:09)  5. Equality
( 5:58)  6. Modern Times
(13:45)  7. Rivers Run
( 4:33)  8. Processional
( 7:56)  9. Pass It On

Sometimes it's necessary to shake up even a good thing. Dave Holland's decade-old Quintet with vibraphonist Steve Nelson, trombonist Robin Eubanks and saxophonist Chris Potter has garnered multiple awards and significant attention. But while the group has evolved as a standalone unit on albums including Critical Mass (Dare2, 2006), and as the core of Holland's Big Band on Overtime (Dare2, 2005), the overall sonority has become, perhaps, a little too familiar. The debut of Holland's sextet on Pass It On may include members from his Quintet and Big Band saxophonist Antonio Hart, trombonist Robin Eubanks and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin but pianist Mulgrew Miller and drummer Eric Harland make this group unlike any Holland's had before. Still, despite a new complexion and fresh blood, it possesses the various threads that have defined Holland since he began leading groups in the mid-'80s. Pass It On largely revisits material from earlier Holland albums: the evocative ballad "Equality" and dark groove of "Lazy Snake" from Dream of the Elders (ECM, 1996); the rubato freedom that turns into a visceral modal groove in "Rivers Run" from Triplicate (ECM, 1988); the 5/4 ballad "Processional" from Extensions (ECM, 1990); and fiercely swinging "Double Vision" from Seeds of Time (ECM, 1985). There's also a Latin-esque reading of "Modern Times" from Homecoming (ECM, 1995), by Holland's collaborative Gateway trio with guitarist John Abercrombie and drummer Jack DeJohnette.

Most tunes will be familiar to Holland fans and even the sax/trumpet/trombone frontline won't be new to followers of his mid'-80s quintet with Eubanks, altoist Steve Coleman and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. But this is the first time the bassist has used piano in a group a perhaps more conventional complexion that he's intentionally avoided in the past by using vibraphone or guitar as chordal instruments. But with the vibrant Miller, it fits in comfortably with Holland's evolving concept; the sextet clearly dovetails with his other work of the past 25 years.There's a different kind of energy here, with Holland combining the more liberated approach of "Rivers Run," which harkens back to his '80s quintet, with Eubanks' polyrhythmic "The Sum of All Parts." The latter opens the disc with the musicians entering one at a time, ultimately coalescing into the kind of visceral, irregular-metered groove that's been so definitive of Holland's Quintet and Big Band. Everyone's a star here, but Harland and Miller push the group in new and different ways; Miller's distinctive out-of-Tyner harmonic approach and Harland's empathic, elastic playing open the group up to greater freedom and interpretation. Dipping into his past repertoire is a device Holland also used for his Big Band's debut, What Goes Around (ECM, 2002); however, this smaller and more intimate ensemble with a big sound revisits his material with greater flexibility and power. Pass It On is the welcome and long overdue debut from a sextet that's been performing for a couple of years, and possesses the same deep chemistry that has made Holland's other groups and releases such winners. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pass-it-on-dave-holland-dare2-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Dave Holland: bass; Eric Harland: drums; Antonio Hart: alto saxophone; Robin Eubanks: trombone; Mulgrew Miler: piano; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet.

Pass It On

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Bobby Previte's Weather Clear Track Fest - Hue And Cry

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:05)  1. Hubbub
( 5:59)  2. Smack-Dab
( 6:04)  3. Move Heaven And Earth
(14:10)  4. 700 Camels
( 7:03)  5. Valerie
(13:16)  6. Hue And Cry
( 7:15)  7. For John Laughlan And All That We Stood For.

Hue and Cry features an eight-strong, all-star version of Bobby Previte's Weather Clear, Track Fast band and results in one of his finest efforts as a leader. Along with Henry Threadgill, Previte, in the late '80s and early '90s, was one of the leading figures of avant-garde jazz, using mid-sized groups to explore complex compositional ideas more than as solo vehicles. He's also extremely adept at tension-and-release structures, often using what might have been an introductory riff for anyone else as an extended phrase, wringing out every bit of melody from it, and leaving the listener in a juicy state of anticipation for the eventual burst into the central theme. Previte uses an interesting pairing up in this band, with Don Byron and Marty Ehrlich often both playing clarinet, Robin Eubanks and Eddie Allen on brass, and, most prominently, Anthony Davis on piano alongside Larry Goldings' organ. Goldings is particularly out front on many of the pieces here, giving the band a very different cast from their earlier recording. 

Only the ambitious "700 Camels" fails to cohere completely; the remainder of the tracks all have both imaginative writing and (at the least) solid playing and soloing. On the other hand, the similarly lengthy title track pulls all the right switches, layering material in a rich fabric and hurtling toward a satisfying climax. The closing number is an unusual dirge, with Previte playing a martial rhythm, Davis trickling out single notes like rainfall, and Ehrlich keening on soprano. Recommended! ~ Brian Olewnick  https://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1497658/a/hue+and+cry.htm

Personnel: Bobby Previte (drums), Marty Ehrlich (alto & tenor saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet), Don Byron (baritone saxophone, clarinet), Eddie Allen (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Anthony Davis (piano), Larry Goldings (organ), Anthony Cox (bass)

Hue And Cry

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Kevin Eubanks - Spirit Talk

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:13)  1. Landing
(7:21)  2. Contact
(5:02)  3. Union
(6:21)  4. Spirit Talk
(6:24)  5. Earth Party
(4:59)  6. Inside
(5:16)  7. Going Outside
(4:32)  8. Journey
(5:46)  9. Livin'

The first of Kevin Eubanks' Spirit Talk albums is the best, with the guitarist's rolling, syncopated guitar solos blending most naturally with the warm sound of brother Robin's trombone, Kent Jordan's alto flute, and Dave Holland's bass. Drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith provides the music with a good kick in the pants when it needs it, the juxtaposition of his aggressive approach with the rich sounds of the winds working better than would be anticipated. The compositions on Spirit Talk are uniformly strong, with interesting, catchy melodies, odd-metered rhythmic figures, and excellent solos by all parties. Eubanks himself is an oft-overlooked modern master of the guitar, with a funky, percussive approach that is immediately recognizable. However, the mix is slightly odd, favoring Smith's drums at the expense of Eubanks' guitar. This works against the music, but it is not so egregious a miscue that the album as a whole suffers from it. The one exception to the all-acoustic approach on this record is "Inside," where Eubanks swaps his steel string for a darkly colored electric. The melancholy tune, the most straight-ahead on the record, is also one of its strongest moments, with Robin Eubanks' trombone carrying the bittersweet melody. Overall, Spirit Talk is a fine album, well worth owning by fans of modern jazz. ~ Daniel Gioffre http://www.allmusic.com/album/spirit-talk-mw0000620724

Personnel: Kevin Eubanks (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Marvin "Smitty" Smith (vocals, drums, percussion); Kent Jordan (flute, alto flute); Robin Eubanks (trombone); Dave Holland (acoustic bass); Mark Mondesir (drums).

Spirit Talk

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Robin Eubanks - Wake Up Call

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:23
Size: 140,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:24)  1. United
(8:19)  2. Ceora
(7:01)  3. Soliloquy
(8:56)  4. Oriental Folk Song
(7:40)  5. Wake Up Call
(7:18)  6. You Are Too Beautiful
(6:58)  7. Scrapple From The Apple
(6:45)  8. Rush Hour

A former Jazz Messenger who has also performed with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine and the Dave Holland Quintet, trombonist Robin Eubanks' Sirocco Jazz debut is also the first recording for the British label. For this recording Eubanks gathered a group of old friends, alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, and drummer Gene Jackson, plus newcomers pianist Eric Lewis and trumpeter Duane Eubanks, Robin's younger brother, to perform a program of three originals, four jazz classics, two of them by Wayne Shorter, and the standard "You Are Too Beautiful." Eubanks' big sound, improvisational imagination, and genre-crossing versatility have made him one of the busier trombonists on the jazz scene, with Eubanks staying in a modern post-bop vein for this recording. Favorites include the two Shorter compositions, "United," given an Afro-Latin treatment here, and "Oriental Folk Song," staying close to the original, with "Elvinish" feel courtesy of Jackson and the head played by trumpet and trombone. Other favorites include Eubanks' compositions, the beautiful "Soliloquy," the frantic title track, based on a rapid repeating figure played by trombone and alto sax, and the up-tempo blues "Rush Hour." A welcome addition to the Eubanks discography. ~ Greg Turner http://www.allmusic.com/album/wake-up-call-mw0000233373

Personnel: Robin Eubanks (trombone); Antonio Hart (alto saxophone); Duane Eubanks (trumpet); Eric Lewis (piano); Gene Jackson (drums).

Wake Up Call

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Robin Eubanks, Steve Turre - Dedications

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:08
Size: 115,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:22)  1. The New Breed
(6:11)  2. V.O.
(6:33)  3. Red, Black and Green Blues
(6:43)  4. Trance Dance
(5:03)  5. Perpetual Broove
(7:16)  6. Especially for You
(5:02)  7. Koncepts
(6:55)  8. Victory

This CD teams together two of the brightest young trombonists of the period, Robin Eubanks and Steve Turre. The music covers a wide area with "The New Breed" placing the horns over a complex 7/4 funk rhythm (with pianist Mulgrew Miller making his recording debut on synthesizer), "V.O." being a modern Latin original, "Red, Black & Green Blues" featuring the band jamming on a blues reminiscent of the Jazz Messengers and "Trance Dance" evolving from a free form introduction to a nearly impossible-to-play solo section (with 45 beats every four bars). The funky "Perpetual Groove" is succeded by a ballad dedicated to Woody Shaw, the straightahead "Koncepts" (similar to "Giant Steps") and the uptempo "Victory." Eubanks and Turre had worked together on and off for nearly four yaers at this point and their familiarity with each other's playing shows. Add to the two trombones a strong and flexible rhythm section and the result is a stimluating and varied set of modern jazz. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/dedications-mw0000202222

Personnel:  Robin Eubanks - trombone, bass trombone, keyboards, bells;  Steve Turre - trombone, sea shells, synthesizer, bells, claves;  Mulgrew Miller - piano, synthesizers;  Francesca Tanksley – synthesizer;  Charnett Moffett – bass;  Tommy Campbell, Tony Reedus – drums;  Jimmy Delgado - congas, timbales

Dedications

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Branford Marsalis - Scenes In The City

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1984

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 41:04

Size: 95,5 MB

Art: Front

(6:48)  1. No Backstage Pass

(5:51)  2. Scenes In The City

(8:56)  3. Solstice

(6:50)  4. Waiting For Tain

(7:00)  5. No Sidestepping

(5:36)  6. Parable

Branford Marsalis's debut as a leader is ambitious yet consistently successful. On "Scenes of the City," his narrative is in the same spirit of some of Charles Mingus's recordings of the 1950s. Otherwise the music is in the modern mainstream vein with Marsalis (on tenor and soprano) hinting strongly at Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane, along with a touch of Sonny Rollins. The backup crew includes such notable young lions as pianist Mulgrew Miller and Kenny Kirkland, bassist Charnett Moffett, and drummers Jeff "Tain" Watts and Marvin "Smitty" Smith in addition to bassist Ron Carter. It's an impressive start to a notable career. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/scenes-in-the-city-mw0000188339

Personnel: Branford Marsalis (soprano & tenor saxophones); John Longo (trumpet); Robin Eubanks (trombone); Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Kirkland (piano); Ron Carter, Ray Drummond, Charnett Moffett, Phil Bowler (bass); Marvin Smith, Jeffrey Watts (drums).

Scenes In The City

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Steve Turre - One4J

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:26
Size: 140,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Overdrive
(6:50)  2. Wee Dot
(4:52)  3. Lament
(5:07)  4. One 4 J
(4:58)  5. Mr. Johnson
(5:41)  6. Short Cake
(6:22)  7. Kelo
(5:21)  8. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(5:08)  9. El Camino Real
(5:50) 10. Enigma
(6:25) 11. Minor Blues

One4J is the second high profile multi-trombone release this season, after Spirit of the Horn (MCG Jazz, 2003) by Slide Hampton and The World of Trombones. That disc was an implicit hommage to the trombone master J.J. Johnson. This present disc is explicitly dedicated to the Imminent Mr. Johnson, who passed away February 4, 2001. Steve Turre digs deep into the Johnson songbook to pull out compositions by and songs associated with or inspired by Mr. Johnson. For his part, Turre successfully arranged these various trombone anthems for six talented and very different trombonists. He crafts "Overdrive" for himself and Robin Eubanks; "We Dot" for Andre Heyward; and Johnson's most famous composition, "Lament," for Joe Alessi and Steve Davis (with Douglas Purviance blowing the bass trombone). All are carried off with the grace and calm of low brass. Discs like this can be somewhat risky affairs, with their emphasis on a single instrument. An orchestra of trombones might sound as if it will come off as an orchestra of cellos. But in this case, the disc is not terribly trombone heavy. It provides a completely satisfying listening experience while highlighting those keen practitioners of the trombone. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/one4j-paying-homage-to-jj-johnson-steve-turre-telarc-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php?width=1920

Personnel: Steve Turre, Joe Alessi, Steve Davis, Robin Eubanks, Andre Hayward, Douglas Purviance -Trombones;   Stephen Scott,  Renee Rosnes-Piano;  Peter Washington-Bass;  Victor Lewis-Drums;  Abou M'Boup-Percussion.

One4J

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Grover Washington Jr. - All My Tomorrows

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:27
Size: 172,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:57)  1. É Preciso Perdoar
(6:19)  2. When I Fall In Love
(6:58)  3. I'm Glad There Is You
(4:56)  4. Happenstance
(6:18)  5. All My Tomorrows
(8:11)  6. Nature Boy
(4:03)  7. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(7:32)  8. Overjoyed
(5:01)  9. Flamingo
(7:15) 10. For Heaven's Sake
(8:55) 11. Estate ('Ess-Tah-Tay') (In Summer)

Eddie Henderson's lovely flugelhorn colors the opening track, "E Preciso Perdoar (One Must Forgive)," setting the mood for a very mellow set. Washington, accompanied by six pieces, plays the standards straighter than Johnny Mathis sings them; everything is ratcheted down '40s-ish/'50s-ish cozy nightclub style. Freddy Cole resembles his brother, Nat King Cole, on "Overjoyed," while "Happenstance" showcases Henderson's absolute trumpeting skills. But if you expected to exercise your fingers with a few impromptu snaps, these tracks won't take you there. 

Washington's Winelight album, one of his best, was laid-back also but Washington's M.O. was stamped all over it; here you need credits and liner notes for verification, and only the opening tune emits any sparks. An attempt to silence the die-hard jazz critics who considered him a lightweight, but a disappointment for his Mister Magic fans. ~ Andrew Hamilton http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-my-tomorrows-mw0000119244

Personnel: Grover Washington, Jr.(soprano, alto & tenor saxophones); Jeanie Bryson, Freddy Cole (vocals); Bobby Watson (alto saxophone); Bobby LaVell (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Cozier (baritone saxophone); Eddie Henderson, Earl Gardner (trumpet, flugelhorn); Robin Eubanks (trombone); Freddy Cole, Hank Jones (piano); Romero Lubambo (guitar); George Mraz (bass); Billy Hart, Lewis Nash (drums); Steve Berrios (percussion).

All My Tomorrows

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