Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies - Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:41
Size: 134,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:08)  1. Nutville
(7:37)  2. Norwegian Wood
(6:39)  3. New Blues
(6:45)  4. Airegin
(7:02)  5. How Do You Keep The Music Playing
(5:03)  6. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(6:36)  7. Moments Notice
(6:41)  8. Cool
(5:06)  9. Ya Gotta Try

When thinking of drummer Buddy Rich, the first thing that comes to mind is a screaming big band propelled by the master. However, Rich also recorded in small group settings, and it's this facet of the drum legend's musical personality that Steve Smith and his friends explore on this CD. Teaming up with four alumni of the Buddy Rich band from the 1970s and '80s, Smith takes on the difficult task of filling Rich's drum chair for this impressive set. It's great to hear saxophonist Steve Marcus cooking again. He and alto saxophonist Andy Fusco provide the perfect frontline, blending seamlessly on the ensemble passages, then taking off in their distinctive solo styles. Marcus gets out there on his soprano and tenor while Fusco locks in closer, only to rise on "Airegin." Pianist Lee Musiker shows talent that deserves wider recognition, providing a fat chordal underpinning one moment and soaring through an inventive solo the next. Bassist Anthony Jackson brings impressive credentials to the gig and delivers a solid bottom throughout. Steve Smith shines in each setting, never aping Rich directly, yet still conjuring images of Rich (and the great Billy Cobham as well) with his facile, polyrhythmic yet swinging approach. His brushwork will surprise those who think of Smith only as a high-energy rock and fusion drummer. 

The choice of material is good, with a number of mostly familiar pieces mingled among a couple of lesser-known chestnuts. This was one of the best small group jazz recordings of 1999, overlooked perhaps as a mere "tribute" recording. This album actually offers a smoking set of great music by a quintet that sounds like they've been playing together for years. ~ Jim Newsom https://www.allmusic.com/album/steve-smith-buddys-buddies-mw0000246930

Personnel: Steve Smith (drums); Steve Marcus (soprano & tenor saxophones); Andy Fusco (alto saxophone); Lee Musiker (piano); Anthony Jackson (bass).

Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies

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Steve Smith, Tony Monaco, Vinny Valentino - Groove: Blue

Size: 113,8 MB
Time: 49:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. The Brush Off (6:20)
02. On Green Dolphin Street (4:37)
03. Cherokee (5:42)
04. It's Only A Paper Moon (6:00)
05. I Remember Jimmy (4:35)
06. Indonesian Nights (5:31)
07. Bugalulu (5:09)
08. Slingshot Blues (5:29)
09. That's All (5:35)

Personnel:
Tony Monaco: Organ
Vinny Valentino: Guitar
Steve Smith: Drums

We owe the existence of this precious jewel to a chance encounter in Indonesia's capitalJakarta in March, 2011. Drummer Steve Smith and guitarist Vinny Valentino decided to go for a nightcap after playing the Java Jazz Festival with their band Vital Information. As they approached the lounge bar, they heard the sound of a wild swinging electric organ. Wondering “who the hell was swinging that hard on the B3,” they walked in and saw Tony Monaco, an “unsung hero” of the instrument. Few people knew Monaco, though he had been promoted by organ legend Jimmy Smith and had spent two years touring with jazz guitarist Pat Martino. Smith and Valentino made their way through the crowd and asked if they could join in. They proceeded to spend the rest of the night jamming together, later joined by festival greats George Benson and Roy Hargrove. Five months later, fate once again intervened. Smith and Valentino had been booked for Drum Fantasy Camp, an annual drum camp in Cleveland Ohio. Tony Monaco lived close by in Columbus, a modest 230 km drive away. A spontaneous phone call resulted in a car journey and resulted in the three of them playing in Monaco’s small home studio. Steve borrowed a small jazz drum kit from a friend of Tony as his own didn’t fit in the car. Valentino plugged his guitar into the only available amplifier and they were off. They worked so well together that they decided to record an album. One and a half days later, the recording was in the can! To get a sense of the style of this album, think of the classic Blue Note organ trios of the '60s. These true musos effortlessly inject a 50-year-old sound into their own compositions, adding a few specially arranged jazz standards along the way. Those standards include the legendary 1958 Miles Davis version of "On Green Dolphin Street," where Smith’s zestful drumming gives a distinct Latin feeling. The group also covers Ray Nobles' "Cherokee," gently modernised with a funky groove. Nat King Cole’s immortal "It's Only A Paper Moon," from the Broadway musical "The Great Magoo," retains a timeless swing but with a walking pedal bass from the Hammond organ. The album winds down with a gentle version of "That's All,"an unforgettable ballad from the Great American Songbook. Although Smith, Monaco and Valentino had virtually no time for rehearsals, they harmonise on "Groove: Blue" as if they’d known each other all their lives.

Groove: Blues

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