Bob Wilber, Kenny Davern - Soprano Summit-1975 (2 -Disc Set)

Bass – George Duvivier (tracks: A1, A2, A5, A6, B2 to B5), Milton Hinton (tracks: A3, A4, B1, B6); Drums – Bob Rosengarden; Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli; Piano – Dick Hyman; Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet – Bob Wilber, Kenny Davern. Recorded December 17th, 21st, 22nd, 1973 at Vanguard Studios, N.Y.C. on two-inch sixteen track tape using Dolby noise reduction equipment. Mixed down to a four track quadraphonic tape.

While clarinetist/soprano saxophonists Kenny Davern and Bob Wilber are of the generation that produced the first wave of bebop and hard bop players, both favor earlier jazz modes of small-group swing and New Orleans-inspired hot jazz. From 1972 to 1979, Davern and Wilbur co-led Soprano Summit, a hard-swinging quintet dedicated to pre-bop styles. Recorded live in 1975 and backed by simpatico fellow travelers Marty Grosz (acoustic guitar) and George Duvivier (bass) plus inspired guest Connie Kay (drummer for the MJQ), this Summit combo goes to town on New Orleans standards and Jelly Roll Morton gems. To fill out this double-disc set, there are fine live tracks by other small groups featuring Davern and Wilber (along with trombonist Dick Wellstood and cornetist Ruby Braff, no less). ~Mark Keresman

Album: Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:13
Size: 147.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1977/2008

[ 4:53] 1. Nagasaki
[ 3:45] 2. Chalumeau Blue
[ 5:12] 3. Black And Tan Fantasy
[ 5:16] 4. Grenadilla Stomp
[ 1:42] 5. Danny Boy
[ 5:55] 6. Everybody Loves My Baby
[ 3:31] 7. Linger Awhile
[ 4:24] 8. Slightly Under The Weather
[ 3:50] 9. Wake Up Chillen'
[ 4:04] 10. Ole Miss
[ 2:46] 11. Debut
[ 5:52] 12. Some Of These Days
[12:56] 13. Jazzspeak

Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 1)

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Album: Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:27
Size: 163.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1977/2008
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Prince Of Wails
[3:30] 2. Netcha's Dream
[4:54] 3. Oh, Daddy!
[4:44] 4. When Day Is Done
[5:17] 5. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
[4:59] 6. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[3:30] 7. If You Were The Only Girl In The World
[2:43] 8. I'd Climb The Highest Mountain
[2:38] 9. Wequassett Wail
[3:36] 10. Arkansas Lullaby
[4:02] 11. Crazy Rhythm
[5:22] 12. Lover, Come Back To Me
[6:31] 13. Nagasaki
[7:52] 14. Everybody Loves My Baby
[3:09] 15. Georgia Cabin
[4:45] 16. Song Of The Wanderer

Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 2)

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Roland Kirk - Domino

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:47
Size: 189,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Domino
(3:41)  2. Meeting On Termini's Corner
(3:13)  3. Time
(3:40)  4. Lament
(5:06)  5. A Stritch In Time
(2:35)  6. 3-In-1 Without The Oil
(4:50)  7. Get Out Of Town
(3:47)  8. Rolando
(4:26)  9. I Believe In You
(2:36) 10. E.D.
(4:12) 11. Where Monk And Mingus Live / Let's Call This
(4:07) 12. Domino
(3:15) 13. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(2:18) 14. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(2:21) 15. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(2:37) 16. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:38) 17. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:35) 18. Termini's Corner
(2:28) 19. Termini's Corner
(2:45) 20. Termini's Corner
(4:10) 21. Termini's Corner
(2:48) 22. When The Sun Comes Out
(2:05) 23. When The Sun Comes Out
(2:44) 24. When The Sun Comes Out
(0:22) 25. Time Races With Emit

When Roland Kirk (pre-Rahsaan) issued Domino in 1962, the album contained 10 tracks, which amounted to just over half an hour of music. On this reissue there are 25 tracks and nearly 80 minutes of music. What’s more, the 15 bonus tracks feature a 22-year-old Herbie Hancock, who did not appear on the original Domino at all. (Getting left on the cutting-room floor must not have thrilled the young pianist.) Bassist Vernon Martin is featured throughout all the sessions. Six of the original 10 tracks feature Andrew Hill on piano and Henry Duncan on drums, both of whom are replaced on the remaing four by Wynton Kelly and Roy Haynes, respectively. Haynes stays on for the tracks that feature Hancock. (No other Hancock/Haynes collaborations come to mind.) So in addition to what this reissue says about Kirk’s enormous talents, it is also of historical interest for its stellar cast of supporting players. Kirk’s arsenal includes two unusual instruments, the manzello (sort of like a soprano sax) and the stritch (like a mellow alto), in addition to tenor, flute, and the occasional siren whistle, usually to introduce a piano solo. His simultaneous two- and three-horn work led some to dismiss him as a gimmick player, which was absurd, for what’s astonishing about the technique is its sheer musicality in Kirk’s hands. Need to ratchet up the intensity over a pedal point or during a solo? Add another horn or two and you’ve got an instant one-man shout chorus. (Check out his faster-than-usual reading of J.J. Johnson’s "Lament" for a good example of this.) And mind you, this is not mere noisemaking  his note choices, whether unisons or two- and three-part harmonies, make perfect sense. Indeed, for a musician often thought of as incurably odd and left-of-center, Kirk’s rootedness in tradition couldn’t be clearer on Domino. On tenor he sounds not unlike Sonny Rollins; his flute work surely influenced Thomas Chapin. On the fast minor blues "Rolando" he plays a stritch solo full of exemplary post-bop lines. "E.D.," the last of the original 10 tracks, is a furiously fast reworking of "Tea for Two." At least at this stage, Kirk’s playing was far more inside than Ornette Coleman’s, for instance.

Perhaps this reissue will prompt a reappraisal of Kirk’s importance. As someone who took the tradition seriously and yet created something entirely new from it, he has a great deal to say to today’s like-minded younger generation of players. ~ David Adler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/domino-roland-kirk-verve-music-group-review-by-david-adler.php
 

Personnel: Roland Kirk, tenor saxophone, manzello, stritch, flute, nose flute, siren whistle;  Vernon Martin, bass;  Andrew Hill, piano (tracks 1-6, celeste on track 3);  Wynton Kelly, piano (tracks 7-10);  Herbie Hancock, piano (tracks 11-25);  Henry Duncan, drums (tracks 1-6);  Roy Haynes, drums (tracks 7-25)

Domino

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Greetje Kauffeld - Dutch Jazz Giants Vol 1

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 137,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Route 66
(3:26)  2. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:10)  3. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(3:47)  4. It Might As Well Be Spring
(2:36)  5. I'm gonna Sit Right Down
(3:53)  6. So Many Stars
(2:42)  7. When You Wish Upon A Star
(6:31)  8. All The Things You Are
(3:58)  9. Nice 'n' Easy
(3:51) 10. Smile
(3:32) 11. Fly Me To The Moon
(4:01) 12. Tenderly
(4:06) 13. It Had To Be You
(2:51) 14. Poor Buttefly
(4:01) 15. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(3:30) 16. I Wish You Love

Born. 26 November 1940, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. As a very small child Kauffeld would sing along with records by artists such as Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. When she was aged 13 she sang on radio and also with a local band, the Raindrops. Her professional career was launched early in 1957 with an appearance on a national radio programme with the Skymasters big band. Not long after this, she sang in Berlin as a guest with Werner Müller and the RIAS Big Band. Her career developed in the Netherlands and Germany and in these years she appeared with many artists, including Toots Thielemans, Kurt Edelhagen, and Svend Asmussen. A move to the USA found her working in Los Angeles and Las Vegas with jazz musicians such as Ray Brown and Herb Ellis. Back in the Netherlands, through her new husband, producer Joop de Roo, she met and sometimes sang with many visiting jazz luminaries, among them Thad Jones, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pederson, Jiggs Whigham and Phil Woods. She also recorded My Favorite Ballads with the Metropole Orchestra under the direction of Rob Pronk and Fernand Terby; one track thereon, ‘Yesterday I Heard The Rain’, features a guest appearance by Stan Getz. In addition to working with large orchestras and small groups, such as Cees Slinger’s Diamond Five, Kauffeld has also sometimes worked in unusual formats as she did on sets with a guitar-tenor saxophone duo: The Song Is You and I’m On My Way To You. Kauffeld continued to tour internationally, meanwhile also teaching at the Hilversum Conservatory of Music, an activity she ceased in the early 00s to allow more time for performing. During her career, Kauffeld has received many awards, including, in the 80s, Best Soloist at the Euro-Nordring Radio Festival and the Rotterdam Golden Heart culture prize; in the 90s, De Gouden Notenkraker and Hertogenbosch Duke of Duketown Award; and in the 00s, she received the Bird Award at the North Sea Jazz Festival, and her 40th anniversary as a professional musician was celebrated when she was honoured with a Dutch knighthood, the Ridder In De Orde Van De Nederlandse Leeuw. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/greetje-kauffeld-mn0000155934

Dutch Jazz Giants Vol 1

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Kenny Burrell - Guitar Soul

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:29
Size: 80,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:03)  1. Billie's Bounce
( 7:05)  2. Prelude To A Kiss
( 4:13)  3. It Don't Mean A Thing
( 3:50)  4. It's Alvin Again
(10:53)  5. Lost Weekend
( 5:23)  6. Dood I Did

One of the leading exponents of straight-ahead jazz guitar, Kenny Burrell is a highly influential artist whose understated and melodic style, grounded in bebop and blues, made him in an in-demand sideman from the mid-'50s onward and a standard by which many jazz guitarists gauge themselves to this day. Born in Detroit in 1931, Burrell grew up in a musical family in which his mother played piano and sang in the Second Baptist Church choir, while his father favored the banjo and ukulele. Burrell began playing guitar at age 12 and quickly fell under the influence of such artists as Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Oscar Moore, T-Bone Walker, and Muddy Waters. Surrounded by the vibrant jazz and blues scene of Detroit, Burrell began to play gigs around town and counted among his friends and bandmates pianist Tommy Flanagan, saxophonists Pepper Adams and Yusef Lateef, drummer Elvin Jones, and others. In 1951, Burrell made his recording debut on a combo session that featured trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie as well as saxophonist John Coltrane, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, and bassist Percy Heath. Although his talent ranked among the best of the professional jazz players at the time, Burrell continued to study privately with renowned classical guitarist Joe Fava, and enrolled in the music program at Wayne State University. Upon graduating in 1955 with a B.A. in music composition and theory, Burrell was hired for a six-month stint touring with pianist Oscar Peterson's trio. Then, in 1956, Burrell and Flanagan moved to New York City and immediately became two of the most sought-after sidemen in town, performing in gigs with such luminaries as singers Tony Bennett and Lena Horne, playing in Broadway pit orchestras, and recording with an array of legendary musicians including Coltrane, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, organist Jimmy Smith, vocalist Billie Holiday, and many others. Burrell made his recorded debut as a leader on the 1956 Blue Note session Introducing Kenny Burrell technically his second session for the label, but the first to see release. From the late '50s onward, Burrell continued to record by himself and with others, and has appeared on countless albums over the years including such notable albums as 1957's The Cats featuring Coltrane, 1963's Midnight Blue featuring saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, 1965's Guitar Forms with arrangements by Gil Evans, and 1968's Blues -- The Common Ground.

Beginning in 1971, Burrell started leading various college seminars including the first regular course to be held in the United States on the music of composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington. He continued performing, recording, and teaching throughout the '80s and '90s, releasing several albums including 1989's Guiding Spirit, 1991's Sunup to Sundown, 1994's Collaboration with pianist LaMont Johnson, 1995's Primal Blue, and 1998's church music-inspired Love Is the Answer. In 2001, Burrell released the relaxed quartet date A Lucky So and So on Concord and followed it up in 2003 with Blue Muse. He celebrated turning 75 years old in 2006 by recording a live date, released a year later as 75th Birthday Bash Live! In 2010, Burrell released the live album Be Yourself: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, recorded at Lincoln Center's smaller club-like venue, followed two years later by Special Requests (And Other Favorites): Live at Catalina's. In 2015, Burrell released The Road to Love, recorded live at Catalina's Jazz Club in Hollywood. Another Catalina's live date, Unlimited 1, appeared in 2016 and featured Burrell backed by the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra. Besides continuing to perform, Burrell is the founder and director of the Jazz Studies Program at UCLA, as well as president emeritus of the Jazz Heritage Foundation. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kenny-burrell-mn0000068780/biography

Personnel:  Kenny Burrell – Guitar;  Barry Galbraith – Guitar;  Leonard Gaskin – Bass;  Bobby Donaldson – Drums;  Bill Jennings – Guitar;  Jack McDuff – Organ;  Wendell Marshall – Bass;  Tiny Grimes – Guitar;  Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Tenor Sax;  J.C. Higginbotham – Trombone;  Ray Bryant – Piano;  Osie Johnson - Drums

Guitar Soul

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Johnny Griffin - Legendary Bop, Rhythm And Blues Classics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:42
Size: 58.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. I Cried For You
[3:00] 2. Satin Wrap
[2:26] 3. Yesterdays
[3:06] 4. Riff Raff
[3:48] 5. Bee-Ees
[3:14] 6. The Boy Next Door
[3:31] 7. These Foolish Things
[3:01] 8. Lollypop

These rare Chicago jazz sessions for the Parrot label featuring tenor sax great and Chicago native Johnny "Little Giant" Griffin are believed to have taken place in late 1953, although the resulting LP wasn't released until 1958. Griffin was developing a reputation as "fastest tenor in the west", for the ease with which he could execute fast note runs with excellent intonation, and eventually signed with Blue Note Records in 1956. Accompanying Griffin's tenor sax are Junior Mance piano; Wilbur Ware bass; and Wilbert "Buddy" Smith drums. All selections newly remastered.

Legendary Bop, Rhythm And Blues Classics

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Rosa Passos - Canta Ary, Tom E Caymmi

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:19
Size: 110.6 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. O Samba Da Minha Terra
[3:45] 2. Inutil Paisagem
[3:02] 3. Un Vestido De Bolero
[2:47] 4. Garota De Ipanema
[5:42] 5. Marina
[3:52] 6. Morena Boca De Ouro
[4:11] 7. So Louco
[2:50] 8. Vivo Sonhando
[6:14] 9. Pra Machucar Meu Coracao
[2:26] 10. Vatapa
[2:38] 11. Samba De Um Nota Só
[4:14] 12. Camisa Amarela
[3:57] 13. Isto Aqui O Que

Three of the greatest Brazilian composers of all time performed by one of the nicest voices in bossa nova. Here’s Canta Ary, Tom e Caymmi, an album that highlights the unique qualities of the Brazilian music culture. Singer, guitarist and composer Rosa Passos (Salvador de Bahia, 1952) is highly respected and loved among musicians and audience. Her soft, warm voice seems to reflect an unpretentious and kind person. By having performed in more than 35 countries, Rosa Passos is a true international star; the perfect ambassador of the music from her homeland. Although she feels it as an honor that she was given the nickname “the female João Gilberto“, Rosa does prefer to be recognized by her own musical identity. It wasn’t only João Gilberto, Rosa also listened to Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn and other jazz divas. A perfect mix for beautiful music. As we can hear on Canta Ary, Tom e Caymmi.

The music from this album comes from three songbook albums Rosa recorded for the respected Lumiar Discos & Editoria in Brazil. Letra & Música Ary Barroso (1997), Rosa Passos canta Antônio Carlos Jobim – 40 anos de Bossa Nova (1998) and Rosa Passos canta Caymmi (2000). After noticing that singer/composer Caetano Veloso sometimes couldn’t even remember the lyrics and chord settings of his own songs, Lumiar founder Aldir Chediak (1950-2003) started to transcribe and record the Brazilian songbook. The only way to preserve the music for the future. He edited 18 songbooks among which the three above mentioned ones. When Mr. Chediak was killed during a robbery in his home in Petrópolis (near Rio), Brazil was in shock. Recent negotiations with the Chediak estate earned Rosa Passos the master matrixes of her records. From those, she chose thirteen songs to be released again on a brand new album, Canta Ary, Tom e Caymmi. She asked her sound engineer Alberto Ranellucci to remaster the tapes. They’ve been working together for almost a decade, so he knows exactly how to adjust the sound to Rosa’s taste. ~Kees Schoof

Canta Ary, Tom E Caymmi

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The Spitfire Band - Big Band Swing Things

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:13
Size: 89.8 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Skyliner
[3:02] 2. It Happened In Monterey
[3:04] 3. Thou Swell
[3:00] 4. Days Of Wine And Roses
[2:46] 5. Caravan
[3:03] 6. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[3:46] 7. If I Were A Bell
[2:53] 8. Marie
[2:48] 9. Brazil
[3:02] 10. One
[3:07] 11. Something's Gotta Give
[3:06] 12. Chattanooga Choo Choo
[2:32] 13. By Myself

This is a partial reissue of a disc the Canadian-based Spitfire Band did for Columbia several years ago called In Flight; it's a partial reissue because not all the tunes from the original session have been included, thus providing a meager 39 minutes of music. It's a bit misleading not to include this information on the back cover of the album so that prospective purchasers are aware they are in a sense buying a used car. The good news is that Alanna Records has remastered the album, as it has done for other Spitfire Band releases. As a result, the sound is wonderfully clear and crisp, just right for big band music. And the arrangements are all familiar. Charlie Barnet is honored with "Skyliner," Xavier Cugat with "Brazil," and Tommy Dorsey with

"Marie," although the trombone solo here is not nearly as smooth as Dorsey's. There is also a vocal solo, with the band helping out, as they did when Jack Leonard sang the original. And the train still pulls out of the station like it did on Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo Choo," which was number one on the pop charts in 1941. But there's no Tex Beneke and Modernaires' vocal like there was way back then. The Laurie Bell Singers do a credible job on "If I Were a Bell." Not all cuts are from the 1940s big band era. The Count Basie Orchestra's 1966 arrangement of "Days of Wine and Roses" is given a reworking.

The Spitfire Band is made up of excellent musicians, several of whom are also part of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass aggregation. This is a great album to play in the car while on a trip and you need something to keep the adrenaline flowing so you don't fall asleep (or to drown out the kids). ~Dave Nathan

Big Band Swing Things

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Cedar Walton - Live Sides

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:29
Size: 133.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[11:53] 1. Relaxin' At Camarillo
[ 9:02] 2. Django
[ 5:42] 3. Hindsight
[ 8:39] 4. I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face
[13:48] 5. Strayhorn Medley: Daydream/Lush Life/Rain Check
[ 9:22] 6. Firm Roots

'LIVE Sides' is a series of live performances captured by San Francisco radio personality, Bud Spangler - himself a well-known jazz musician who after 20 years, has decided to revive these exquisite recordings for music lovers to enjoy the timeless essence of these tracks.

Cedar Walton, a member of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters, is one of the great hard bop pianists whose numerous compositions have become jazz standards. "Cedar has done it all in his career, playing with John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson and others." reports Jazz Depot, "He has written charts for Roy Hargrove, backed up vocalists, written scores of original compositions and has proven himself to be a consummate all-around musician. It is therefore a special occasion when an artist such as Cedar Walton, who can express himself via any medium he chooses, returns to his pianistic roots and gives free reign to his musical thoughts through the 88 keys of the piano." ~ATrainEnt

Live Sides

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Dave Ballou - Insistence

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:29
Size: 150,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Restraint
(8:56)  2. MF
(7:36)  3. Insistence
(7:51)  4. Upon Reflection
(8:30)  5. Randy Starts
(9:27)  6. Once Round
(8:45)  7. Silly Dance and Coda
(6:49)  8. Finale

For his eighth recording for the SteepleChase label, trumpeter Ballou chose to take on perhaps the greatest challenge of all spontaneous collective improvisation with two musicians he has performed and recorded with before: bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Randy Peterson. Ballou came to the studio armed with written compositions just in case, but as he writes in his liner notes, “during the fourth take of the session…we found ourselves.” That fourth take is the first cut on Insistence, which presents takes four through eleven as recorded. Ballou gave titles to seven of the eight tracks after the session, “Once Round” being the exception only as it related to the predetermined structure, not content, of the piece. Listening to this lucid, well-conceived, flowing music, one comes away amazed that it is indeed freely improvised. “Restraint” features an attractive loping and bluesy melody line from Ballou, who even briefly quotes “It Ain’t Necessarily So” during his delightful solo. “MF,” with its tense, staccato theme, produces a strong, variegated Ballou solo, mixing vocalized bursts and low long-held notes. “Insistence” nearly swings in spots, and Formanek contributes a riveting fleet-fingered solo. “Upon Reflection” has a hymnlike melodic exposition by Ballou, as well as Peterson’s complementary cymbal-dominated support, and builds to a fulfilling climax and release. Formanek’s arco solo and supporting lines elevate “Randy Starts,” as does Ballou’s almost-braying, declarative improv, which never loses melodic substance. A highlight of “Once Round” is Ballou’s re-entry with an almost bagpipe-like sound quality, before bursting out with fat held-notes and then delicate, prodding tones. “Silly Dance and Coda” presents a theme reminiscent of an Ornette Coleman composition, with Ballou making like Don Cherry in his overtones and eerie breathiness. Peterson’s cymbal and drum work during “Finale” are exceptional; his multifaceted approach (check out his marvelous bass-drum accents) is an integral element to the overall success of this piece and the entire CD. This is stimulating, very accessible free jazz by three superb musicians in perfect rapport. ~ Scott Albin http://jazztimes.com/articles/19564-insistence-dave-ballou

Personnel:  Bass – Michael Formanek;  Drums – Randy Peterson;  Trumpet, Composed By – Dave Ballou

Insistence

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Nancy King, Steve Christofferson - Straight Into Your Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:21
Size: 93,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Moonray
(5:41)  2. Blue Beach
(3:27)  3. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(6:55)  4. Moonlight To You
(4:05)  5. Zanzibar
(4:43)  6. Waltz For Debby
(4:59)  7. Love Is What Makes Us All One
(5:23)  8. Straight Into Your Heart

An adventurous singer with an intriguing sense of humor, Nancy King stretches and extends the bebop tradition. After high school, she worked in San Francisco with Pharoah Sanders, Pony Poindexter, and a variety of local players. Resettling in the Pacific Northwest, the underrated vocalist has had an underground reputation among jazz singers. King released her first album, Impending Bloom, in 1991, followed five years later by Straight Into Your Heart. She also recorded two live dates, Moon Ray and Live at Jazz Standard, with pianist Fred Hersch; the latter was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2006. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nancy-king-mn0000366565/biography

Personnel: Nancy King (vocals); Steve Christofferson (melodica, piano).

Straight Into Your Heart

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Stan Getz - Dynasty Disc 1 And Disc 2

Verve's Originals series, which in late 2008 brought us tenor saxophonist Stan Getz's wonderful box set The Bossa Nova Albums (Verve, 2008), follows through with a remastered reissue of Dynasty, a double album recorded in 1971, a decade or so after Getz gave jazz its final, sustained hurrah in the pop charts with bossa nova. Relatively little known in the US, in part because the quartet which made it was refused permission to perform in the country, Dynasty is an enduring one-off deserving of attention by any discerning Getz fan.  The admirable Originals series is a no-frills affair which doesn't run to newly written liner notes, so a little background on Dynasty, and the group which recorded it, is in order. The album features Getz accompanied by the Paris-based trio of organist Eddy Louiss, guitarist Rene Thomas and drummer Bernard Lubat. Getz had heard the group perform at the city's Blue Note club in summer 1970 (he was in France to watch a tennis tournament), was knocked out by their "hard, swinging jazz" and invited them to record with him. Rehearsals took place in Paris in the autumn and the quartet debuted at the Le Chat Qui Peche club in December. 

In January 1971, the quartet travelled to London and began recording Dynasty. After the first few sessions, Getz's father died, and the saxophonist returned to New York for the funeral. Back in London a week later, Getz decided to complete the album during a residency at Ronnie Scott's club in March. It's likely Dynasty became a double album after the decision was made to record it live (though it's possible a couple of the shorter tracks come from the January studio sessions). The quartet toured Europe extensively during 1971, but was prevented from appearing in the US by the American Musicians Union's refusal to allow the three European musicians to perform in the country. Produced by George Martin, with superb sound and presence, and very little extraneous audience noise, Dynasty is a red-blooded, muscular set in which Getz once again defies the ill-conceived notion that he was ever an effete or passionless player. He solos with transporting lyricism and at full throttle throughout, propelled onward by the superb accompanying trio. Louiss and Thomas each make memorable use of the generous solo time they're given. The exuberant Louiss has the drive of Jimmy Smith combined with a touch of contemporary acid-rock organ (check Brian Auger Trinity's "Season Of The Witch" for resonance). He's also a sensitive accompanist with a finely tuned feel for dynamics, who never overpowers a soloist. Thomas' cascading, cleanly articulated, single-note runs are in a clear line of descent from Getz's one-time colleague Jimmy Raney, with a dash of gypsy jazz thrown in.  Together or separately, Louiss and Thomas wrote all the tunes bar Albert Mangelsdorf's "Mona" and Bronislau Kaper's "Invitation." There are two fast swingers, a brisk bossa nova, a funky near-blues, two Latin numbers and just three, relatively brief ballads. Dynasty cooks. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dynasty-stan-getz-verve-music-group-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel:  Stan Getz: tenor saxophone;  Eddy Louiss: organ;  Rene Thomas: guitar;  Bernard Lubat: drums.

Album: Dynasty Disc 1

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1971

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:13

Size: 111,4 MB

Art: Front

(13:18)  1. Dum! Dum! Dum!

( 9:15)  2. Ballad for Leo

(17:08)  3. Our Kind of Sabi

( 8:30)  4. Mona

Dynasty Disc 1

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Album: Dynasty Disc 2

Time: 39:52

Size: 92,6 MB

(11:25)  1. Theme for Emmanuel

( 4:37)  2. Invitation

( 3:12)  3. Ballad for My Dad

(10:52)  4. Song for Martine

( 9:42)  5. Dynasty

Dynasty Disc 2

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Ari Ambrose - Early Song

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:02)  1. Waiting
(10:38)  2. What Is the Meaning of This
( 8:05)  3. Useless Landscape
( 7:56)  4. The Song Is You
( 5:49)  5. Venus
(10:28)  6. Early Song
(10:27)  7. Twins

On his fourth CD for Steeplechase, tenor saxophonist Ari Ambrose who was just 27 years old at the time of the sessions displays a surprising maturity as both a player and composer. Ambrose is joined by pianist George Colligan, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Rick Montalbano, and the musicians play with the finesse of a regular working band while tackling an ambitious program. The saxophonist really wails in his striking opener, the twisting yet hard-driving "Waiting." Colligan's atonal "What Is the Meaning of This" keeps the musicians on their toes as they navigate this difficult post-bop chart. Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Useless Landscape" is hardly one of the Brazilian master's better-known compositions, yet this young quartet devours it, even adding a touch of boogaloo. Their brisk rendition of Jerome Kern's "The Song Is You" suggests the influence of Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins. "Early Song" is another original by Ambrose, a cheerful number with a bit of a Latin feeling. It gets tiresome to say, but European jazz labels (along with small American independents) seem far more interested in discovering talented artists like Ari Ambrose and George Colligan; the majors in the U.S. seem to remain clueless. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/early-song-mw0000968468

Personnel: Ari Ambrose (saxophone); George Colligan (piano).

Early Song

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The Benny Goodman Sextet - Featuring Charlie Christian

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:28

Size: 124.7 MB

Styles: Big Band, Swing, Guitar jazz

Year: 1989

Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Flying Home

[3:14] 2. Stardust

[3:10] 3. Memories Of You

[2:27] 4. Soft Winds

[2:48] 5. Shivers

[2:47] 6. Ac Dc Current

[2:57] 7. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)

[3:15] 8. The Sheik Of Araby

[2:49] 9. Poor Butterfly

[2:58] 10. I Surrender, Dear

[3:11] 11. These Foolish Things

[2:52] 12. Good Enough To Keep (Air Mail Special)

[3:14] 13. Breakfast Feud

[3:22] 14. I Can't Give You Anything But Love

[2:34] 15. Gilly

[3:30] 16. On The Alamo

[2:41] 17. Gone With What Draft

[3:16] 18. A Smo-O-O-Oth One

Clarinet, Leader – Benny Goodman; Electric Guitar – Charlie Christian; Georgie Auld - Sax (Tenor); Artie Bernstein - Bass; Dudley Brooks, Johnny Guarnieri, Fletcher Henderson, Ken Kersey - Piano; Nick Fatool, Harry Jaeger, Jo Jones, Dave Tough - Drums; Lionel Hampton (Guest Artist) - Vibraphone; Cootie Williams - Trumpet. All tracks recorded in New York, from October 1939 to March 1941.

Over the course of Benny Goodman's career, the stars often lined up right and he found himself working in tandem with someone every bit as talented as he, whether it was Bunny Berigan, Fletcher Henderson, Harry James, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton or Teddy Wilson. For a brief period after most of the above had left his employ, Goodman hooked up with guitarist Charlie Christian and the jazz world was never the same. Christian played in the big band and his "Solo Flight" was one of the first big-band staples built around the then new electric guitar, but his best work came with a handful of finely wrought gems as a member of Goodman's sextet. Sharing solo space with Goodman and Hampton, Christian gave the electric guitar a place in the music on sides like "Flying Home," "Air Mail Special," "Stardust" and "AC-DC Current," where his instrument seems to be bursting with ideas and ceaseless invention. Along with sides by Eddie Lang and Django Reinhardt's Hot Club of France, these are the recordings that made jazz guitar history. ~Cub Koda

Featuring Charlie Christian

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Etta Jones - The Complete 1944-1960 (2-Disc Set)

Etta Jones' Early Srudio Recordings In Their Entirety Include Two Original Albums As Well As 27 Rare Titels Including 25 Which Were First Released As 78/45 Rpm Records. Both CD's Have Been Remastered With The Greatest Care.

Album: The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:29

Size: 156.8 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

[4:21] 1. Yes Sir, That's My Baby

[3:50] 2. Don't Go To Strangers

[4:03] 3. I Love Paris

[5:53] 4. Fine And Mellow

[3:42] 5. Where Or When

[3:51] 6. If I Had You

[3:44] 7. On The Street Where You Live

[3:45] 8. Something To Remember You By

[3:15] 9. Bye Bye Blackbird

[4:40] 10. All The Way

[2:40] 11. Sweethearts On Parade

[2:29] 12. You Call It Madness But I Call It Love

[2:44] 13. Mountain Greenery

[2:15] 14. Don't Worry 'bout Me

[1:51] 15. S'posin

[2:22] 16. I Thought About You

[2:48] 17. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart And Throw Away The Key

[1:54] 18. Since I Fell For You

[2:21] 19. When I Fall In Love

[2:52] 20. White Cliffs Of Dover

[2:59] 21. People Will Say We're In Love

The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 1)

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Album: The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 74:25

Size: 170.4 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Salty Papa Blues

[2:57] 2. Evil Gal Blues

[2:34] 3. Blow Top Blues

[2:48] 4. Long, Long Journey

[2:46] 5. You Ain't Nothin' Daddy

[2:47] 6. So Tired

[2:49] 7. Solitude

[2:44] 8. I May Be Wonderful (But I Think You're Wrong)

[2:39] 9. Man Wanted

[2:58] 10. Blues To End All Blues

[2:36] 11. Among My Souvenirs

[2:42] 12. Mean To Me

[2:28] 13. Osculate Me, Daddy

[2:45] 14. My Sleepy Head

[2:46] 15. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman

[2:59] 16. The Richest Guy In The Graveyard

[2:34] 17. Ain't No Hurry Baby

[3:15] 18. What Ev'ry Woman Knows

[2:57] 19. Overwork Blues

[2:51] 20. Misery Is A Thing Called Moe

[2:25] 21. This Is A Fine Time

[2:36] 22. One Night In Trinidad

[3:01] 23. Stop

[2:52] 24. One O'clock Jump

[2:26] 25. Kisses All Night Long

[2:11] 26. I Got A Feeling

[2:50] 27. Moolah! Moolah!

The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 2)

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Roberto Magris Europlane - Check-In

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:41
Size: 132.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[ 7:15] 1. I Remember You
[12:26] 2. Blues For My Sleeping Baby
[ 9:32] 3. African Mood
[ 6:17] 4. Luci Lontane
[ 5:23] 5. What Blues
[ 5:57] 6. Why Did I Choose You
[ 7:23] 7. I Concentrate On You
[ 3:24] 8. Che Cosa C'e'

Tony Lakatos--Saxophones; Michael Erian--Saxophones; Roberto Magris; Robert Balzar--Bass; Gabriele Centis--Drums; Fulvio Zarfet--Congas.

Roberto Magris's Check-in began its life as a self-produced recording reviewed earlier in these pages. Now with a new label sponsorship and distribution, this fine recording may find its larger audience. Magris is a pianist born in Trieste, Italy in 1959. Beginning his professional career in the late '70s, Magris went on to front several notable jazz combos, including Europlane (the jazz project from Central European Countries under the sponsorship of INCE-CEI Central European Initiative), the Roberto Magris quartet/quintet/orchestra, Dma Urban Jazz Funk and Alfabeats Nu Jazz.

Check-in finds the versatile Magris leading a nominal quintet fronted by saxophonists Tony Lakatos and Michael Erian. The two saxophonists kick off the festivities with a swinging contrapuntal duet introducing the Schertzinger/Mercer standard, "I Remember You. For almost two blissful minutes, the two saxists weave around one another in brilliantly traded eights, hinting at the melody, but never giving it away until closing the introduction in unison before the entire band comes in. Magris proves the superb comping pianist as he allows the reeds full reign. At least until the pianist solos and Magris spins out Monk notes without the dissonance. His time is quirky and never allows the listener's attention to wander elsewhere.

Conveniently positioned after this introductory salvo is the lengthiest piece on the disc, the minor blues, "Blues for My Sleeping Baby, which is a darkly lilting lullaby. All soloists turn introspective and the results are a light, flowing perfume of melody; this is no "Birk's Works. This highlights the impression that the Italian brand of jazz is always spiced con brio. Magris's approach for the remainder of the disc is seated firmly in the mainstream, while exerting a heady free spirit. His solos are always a surprise, with no predictability whatsoever. The pianist proves to be the most provocative soloist, throwing serrated lines through the expert comping of his rhythm section. He illustrates this best on the original compositions, such as, "African Mood and "What Blues.

The sonics have also improved with Magris's move to a label. The piano is sharp and well-defined. The cymbals are crisp and sharply demarcated. The bass is expansive. This is a thrilling release that, from start to finish, should satisfy the stingiest of listeners! I heartily recommend Check-In. ~C. Michael Bailey

Check-In

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Gil Evans - Priceless Jazz Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 130.0 MB
Styles: Progressive jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[ 5:09] 1. Where Flamingos Fly
[ 5:49] 2. Push De Button
[ 3:10] 3. Cheek To Cheek
[15:31] 4. La Nevada
[ 2:58] 5. Trav'lin' Light
[ 4:04] 6. Cocoanut Sweet
[ 4:10] 7. The Bilbao Song
[ 2:51] 8. Aren't You Glad You're You
[ 3:49] 9. Savannah
[ 4:16] 10. Sunken Treasure
[ 4:54] 11. Napolean

One of the most significant arrangers in jazz history, Gil Evans' three album-length collaborations with Miles Davis (Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, and Sketches of Spain) are all considered classics. Evans had a lengthy and wide-ranging career that sometimes ran parallel to the trumpeter. Like Davis, Gil became involved in utilizing electronics in the '70s and preferred not to look back and re-create the past. He led his own band in California (1933-1938) which eventually became the backup group for Skinnay Ennis; Evans stayed on for a time as arranger. He gained recognition for his somewhat futuristic charts for Claude Thornhill's Orchestra (1941-1942 and 1946-1948) which took advantage of the ensemble's cool tones, utilized French horns and a tuba as frontline instruments, and, by 1946, incorporated the influence of bop. He met Miles Davis (who admired his work with Thornhill) during this time and contributed arrangements of "Moon Dreams" and "Boplicity" to Davis' "Birth of the Cool" nonet. After a period in obscurity, Evans wrote for a Helen Merrill session and then collaborated with Davis on Miles Ahead. In addition to his work with Davis (which also included a 1961-recorded Carnegie Hall concert and the half-album Quiet Nights), Evans recorded several superb and highly original sets as a leader (including Gil Evans & Ten, New Bottle Old Wine, and Great Jazz Standards) during the era. Among the albums he worked on in the '60s for other artists were notable efforts with Kenny Burrell and Astrud Gilberto. After his own sessions for Verve during 1963-1964, Evans waited until 1969 until recording again as a leader. That year's Blues in Orbit was his first successful effort at combining acoustic and electric instruments; it would be followed by dates for Artists House, Atlantic (Svengali), and a notable tribute to Jimi Hendrix in 1974. After 1975's There Comes a Time (which features among its sidemen David Sanborn), most of Evans' recordings were taken from live performances. Starting in 1970 he began playing with his large ensemble on a weekly basis in New York clubs. Filled with such all-star players as George Adams, Lew Soloff, Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, Chris Hunter, Howard Johnson, Pete Levin, Hiram Bullock, Hamiet Bluiett, and Arthur Blythe among others, Evans' later bands were top-heavy in talent but tended to ramble on too long. Gil Evans, other than sketching out a framework and contributing his keyboard, seemed to let the orchestra largely run itself, inspiring rather than closely directing the music. There were some worthwhile recordings from the '80s (when the band had a long string of Monday night gigs at Sweet Basil in New York) but in general they do not often live up to their potential. Prior to his death, Gil Evans recorded with his "arranger's piano" on duets with Lee Konitz and Steve Lacy and his body of work on a whole ranks with the top jazz arrangers. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Priceless Jazz is a good midline sampler of highlights from Gil Evans' recordings for MCA and GRP. Although this isn't a definitive collection, it offers representative material to make this a good introduction to these recordings for curious listeners on a budget. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Priceless Jazz Collection

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Larry Coryell, Paolo Morello, Andreas Dombert, Helmut Kagerer - Night Of Jazz Guitars

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:02
Size: 153.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:59] 1. Cookin' At The Continental
[4:31] 2. Koala
[6:03] 3. They Loved You More In Paris
[6:38] 4. Like Someone In Love
[4:40] 5. Jailbreak
[7:03] 6. Tender Tears Theme & Variations
[3:59] 7. Noites Cariocas
[4:51] 8. Blue In Green
[4:12] 9. Blues For Bireli
[5:53] 10. I Think It Is Too Late Now
[4:13] 11. Tadd's Delight
[7:50] 12. Bolero
[3:04] 13. All The Things You Are

Chamber music? Without any doubt! Consciousness of tradition? Definitely! Courage to be innovative? Yes, indeed! Team spirit? Of course! Soloist individuality? Can’t do without it! Thus, same procedure as any time when guitarists get together in a jazz context? Under no circumstances! For Helmut Kagerer, Paulo Morello, Andreas Dombert and guest star Larry Coryell their teamwork means much more than a blue print of the formula “Great Guitars”. These gentlemen define the pure distillation of their stringed work, the intermingling of ideas and chords in a completely new way. Not only in terms of the line-up. Since in modern jazz you have to examine the scene with a fine-tooth comb if you look for a guitaristic quartet. Here four excellent virtuoso and visionary players unify their strength for a fearless highwire act, for exiting and electrifying dialogues. They built an elaborated dramaturgy with plenty of space to improvise. These "four musketeers“ know each other, also know their limits and how to gain more possibilities beyond these limits with every live show they play. When they act on stage you witness adventures which captivate musicians as well as audience. Never before has jazz guitar experienced such a mighty renaissance. Four individualists with distinct personalities melt together for a creative power station and provide new steam for the often cited magic of the strings. These are four outstanding instrumentalists, representing four generations rooted in four different directions. They find a common grounding in standards and original compositions, and they create a very special, warm and breathtaking music which is seldom found in these days.

Night Of Jazz Guitars

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Aaron Neville - My True Story

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:22
Size: 87.9 MB
Styles: R&B, Adult Contemporary
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Money Honey
[2:59] 2. My True Story
[2:30] 3. Ruby Baby
[3:28] 4. Gypsy Woman
[2:47] 5. Ting A Ling
[3:48] 6. Be My Baby
[2:39] 7. Little Bitty Pretty One
[3:30] 8. Tears On My Pillow
[2:53] 9. Under The Boardwalk
[3:05] 10. Work With Me Annie
[4:30] 11. This Magic Moment True Love
[3:16] 12. Goodnight My Love (Pleasant Dreams)

Back in 1985, Aaron Neville offered fans a glimpse of his love of doo wop with the EP Orchid in the Storm. Over a quarter-century later, he returns to it on My True Story. Doo wop pre-dates rock & roll. Its reliance on the human voice in group harmony communicates not only melody but rhythm, and influenced the sounds of Motown, Stax, and early rock & roll. Even Frank Zappa claimed it as a prime influence. Co-produced by Keith Richards and Blue Note label boss Don Was, the dozen tunes here make prime use of Neville's voice, placing his high, smooth, vulnerable tenor way up front; he is backed by vintage-era doo wop singers and an all-star band that includes Richards and Greg Leisz on guitars, Benmont Tench on keyboards, bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer George R. Receli. Lenny Pickett helps out on horns and winds on a number of tracks as well. The production is clean, the musical backing used more as texture and color than as real support -- Neville and his vocalists offer all the impetus needed to pull this off (indeed one wonders what this set might have sounded like a cappella). The tunes are all classics. Standouts include Lieber & Stoller's "Ruby Baby," a medley of Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman's "This Magic Moment" and "True Love," Hank Ballard's "Work with Me Annie" (featuring a guest appearance from Art Neville on B-3), Sylvester Bradford's and Al Lewis' "Tears on My Pillow," and Curtis Mayfield's "Gypsy Woman." The latter marries doo wop to early Chicago soul, and Neville celebrates this in his reading. "Be My Baby," which will forever be associated with the Ronettes and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, is stripped back to the source music that inspired its authors, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Spector -- even when adding a Pickett flute solo to the chart. Ultimately, My True Story is a smooth, mostly laid-back, and soulful recording by Neville. He provides a healthy -- sometimes overly -- reverential respect for the original material. Coupled with his vocals, these restrained yet imaginative arrangements offer some surprising twists and turns. ~Thom Jurek

My True Story

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Sandra King, Richard Rodney Bennett - Making Beautiful Music Together

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:10
Size: 126.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Love Of My Life
[4:19] 2. Blame It On My Youth
[3:04] 3. Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me
[2:53] 4. There Is No Music
[2:54] 5. A Beautiful Friendship/We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together
[3:27] 6. Second Chance
[3:37] 7. I'm Way Ahead Of The Game
[3:07] 8. On Second Thought
[3:50] 9. I Never Know When
[3:58] 10. I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do
[3:09] 11. Early To Bed
[3:41] 12. Empty Space
[3:21] 13. Boy Wanted
[4:03] 14. If You Never Come To Me
[3:20] 15. I Have The Feeling I've Been Here Before
[3:41] 16. I'll Always Leave The Door A Little Open

Sandra King vocals, Richard Rodney Bennett piano, Greg Cohen bass.

Sandra King treasures the memory of a day in the mid-1970s when she came to Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London to rehearse for an engagement. As she and her accompanist Pat Smythe ran through Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood," King noticed a man watching her from the back. He came closer, and she found herself face to face with Stan Getz. He proceeded to tell her how much he admired her singing. "Stan was finishing a two-week booking there that night," she recalls. "He asked me if I'd like to join him on stage to sing a couple of songs. I was terrified, but I went down there and sang while he played behind me. It's an experience I'll never forget."

Making Beautiful Music Together

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Sonny Criss Quartet - Featuring Wynton Kelly

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:37
Size: 79.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Sweet Lorraine
[3:59] 2. You Don't Know What Love Is
[5:35] 3. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[4:02] 4. Butts Delight
[3:49] 5. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[7:39] 6. Sylvia
[5:51] 7. (Back Home Again In) Indiana

Sonny Criss (as), Wynton Kelly (p), Bob Cranshaw (b), Walter Perkins (d), Ole Hansen (tb). Recorded in Chicago, 1959.

Recorded in Chicago in 1959, this date places the great underappreciated altoist Sonny Criss in the company of Miles Davis' pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Walter Perkins, with some help from Norway's Ole Hansen on trombone. The program consists of straight late-'50s ballads and hard bop. Most of the program belongs to standards, such as "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" (a staple of Criss' live set throughout his life), and Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad." But the real surprises here are the originals. Criss' crew really rocks it on "Butts Delight," playing stellar sprinting hard bop with incredible soloing by the leader. "Sylvia," his other number, is a strolling blues with requisite swing and beautifully articulated interplay between the saxophone and trombone. For the all too few Criss lovers out there, these sessions are essential. In addition to the material, the presentation and sound are excellent -- something rather uncharacteristic for Fresh Sounds as a label. ~Thom Jurek

Featuring Wynton Kelly

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