Don Byas - Jazz In Paris: Laura

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1952
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:23
Size: 127,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Summertime
(2:36)  2. Night And Day
(2:58)  3. Easy To Love
(2:38)  4. Where Or When
(2:58)  5. Flamingo
(3:19)  6. Stardust
(2:50)  7. Old Man River
(2:45)  8. The Man I Love
(2:54)  9. Georgia On My Mind
(2:51) 10. Over The Rainbow
(4:16) 11. Laura
(2:54) 12. Somebody Loves Me
(3:20) 13. Old Folks At Home
(2:38) 14. Riviera Blues
(2:59) 15. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(4:07) 16. I Cover The Waterfront
(3:27) 17. It's The Talk Of The Town
(2:56) 18. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody

Don Byas was clearly a rising star when he walked away from fame. He was the first to hold the Lester Young chair in the Count Basie, before his 30th birthday. After two years with Basie he moved to New York City, where he played and recorded with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Coleman Hawkins. In 1946 Byas toured Europe and decided France was the place he wanted to live, and so he did.  Laura is a compilation of several recordings made by Byas between 1950 and 1952. This is Byas in a swing mode, playing slow to moderate tempo standards and ballads, and he is nothing short of magnificent. His playing is lavishly creative and sensual, with a background strain of melancholy. This is romantic swing music with Byas's sax front and center, singing out line after line of beautifully constructed tenor solos.  All three bands play capable, supportive roles, with the drummers consistently demonstrating a light touch. Occasionally, a pianist contributes a concise solo, with Art Simmons offering sensitive accompaniment and intelligent solo work throughout. But these are polite bands that graciously leave the spotlight to the saxophone. The gorgeous opener, "Summertime," sets the after-hours feel of the recording, and Byas never lets up. Laura is one of French label Gitane's Jazz in Paris series, notable not only for the quality of its releases but also for its handsome cover photos. Not since the old Blue Note covers from the 1950s and '60s has there been such an attractive presentation of jazz. Perhaps a few up-tempo tunes would have provided more variety to this recording, but for those in the mood for a master saxophonist playing some of the best laid back swing saxophone you're ever likely to hear, then Laura just might be the one. ~ Mike Neely https://www.allaboutjazz.com/laura-don-byas-gitanes-review-by-mike-neely.php
 

Personnel: Don Byas: tenor sax; Art Simmons: piano; Jean-Jacques Tiche: guitar; Roger Grasset: bass; Claude Marty: drums. (tracks 1,5,7,18). Don Byas: tenor sax; Maurice Vander: piano; Jean-Pierre Sasson: guitar; Jacques Medvedko: bass; Benny Bennett: drums. (tracks 2-4, 8-10). Don Byas: tenor sax; Art Simmons: piano; Joe Benjamin: bass; Bill Clark: drums. (tracks 11-18).

Jazz In Paris: Laura

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Jack Teagarden Sextet - Jack Teagarden At The Roundtable

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:51
Size: 91,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. South Rampart Street Parade
(6:26)  2. St. James Infirmary
(3:33)  3. Big Noise From Winetka
(3:28)  4. When
(5:52)  5. St Louis Blues
(4:23)  6. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:15)  7. Stardust
(6:47)  8. When The Saints Go Marching In

Recorded at the Roundtable nightclub in New York City on July 1, 1959, this performance marked the beginning of a new, penultimate phase of Jack Teagarden's recording career. His Capitol Records contract having ended the previous spring, he then performed for the portable recording equipment of Roulette Records, which would release some of the sides recorded at this gig as a live album, and which would, for a time, revive his fortunes. Although he's a little less agile and powerful, having reached his late 50s after a career's worth of constant work, and some health problems (later resolved), the cohesiveness of the band makes this release well-worth hearing. The group, in a typical live set, plays seven Dixieland warhorses and the obscure "When" (which was written by the King of Thailand). Teagarden, trumpeter Don Goldie, clarinetist Henry Cuesta, the great stride pianist Don Ewell, bassist Stan Puls, and drummer Ronnie Greb put on a lively, crowd-pleasing show highlighted by "South Rampart Street Parade," "St. James Infirmary" (sung by Teagarden), "St. Louis Blues," and Ewell's feature on "Honeysuckle Rose." [Note: as of 2005, At the Roundtable has never been reissued on its own, but is part of Mosaic's Complete Roulette Jack Teagarden Sessions, augmented with a significant body of unreleased track from this same performance.] ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-roundtable-mw0000908714

Personnel:  Jack Teagarden - trombone, vocals;  Don Goldie - trumpet, vocals;  Henry Cuesta – clarinet;  Don Ewell – piano;  Stan Puls – bass;  Ronnie Greb - drums

Jack Teagarden At The Roundtable

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Irene Schweizer - Many and One Direction

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:01
Size: 133,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:43)  1. Contours
(5:17)  2. Hüben wie drüben
(5:55)  3. May Day
(5:34)  4. Jungle Beats (dedicated to D. C.)
(5:00)  5. Nobile
(2:42)  6. Ictus
(2:34)  7. Last Call
(7:47)  8. Im Zwielicht
(3:56)  9. Sisyphos
(3:41) 10. Saitenpfade
(3:52) 11. Heat Flushes
(3:44) 12. Bleu foncé
(2:15) 13. Chordially

The great Swiss pianist Irene Schweizer goes it alone on her latest release, Piano Solo – Many and One Direction. Here, the critically acclaimed pianist pursues various angles via her noteworthy affinity for rhythmic movement and altogether penetrating execution as each piece is strikingly unique. On “Huben Wie Druben”, Ms Schweizer constructs Bill Evans-type harmonics and melodies while featuring her rhythmically active left hand, that at times conveys somewhat of a classical outlook. Here, the pianist creates enticing melodies along with shifting meter and acute improvisation, which equates to superb invention! The piece titled, “Jungle Beats. Dedicated to D.C.”, features themes performed in various octaves supplemented by furious right hand single note leads in tandem with a tempestuous pulse. Ms Schweizer is also a master at integrating sonorous themes and melodies with on-the-fly improvisation and rapid development. On “Last Call”, the pianist settles into some free-jazz motifs while delicately strumming the piano strings as she furthers that concept with an exhilarating rhythmic sequence on the piece titled, “Saitenpfade”. Ms Schweizer also performs a brief, yet playful rendition of Carla Bley’s “Ictus” as she closes out this diverse affair with a straightforward and affable version of Monk’s “Chordially”.Simply stated, Many And One Direction offers the listener a truly rousing glimpse of this remarkable musician. Don’t let this one slip by.......Highly recommended!

Personnel:  Irene Schweizer - Solo Piano

Many and One Direction

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Dr. John - In A Sentimental Mood

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 40:31

Size: 92.8 MB

Styles: R&B

Year: 1989

Art: Front

[4:07] 1. Makin' Whoopee! (With Rickie Lee Jones)

[5:33] 2. Candy

[3:53] 3. Accentuate The Positive

[3:50] 4. My Buddy

[4:05] 5. In A Sentimental Mood

[4:12] 6. Black Night

[4:53] 7. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'

[5:15] 8. Love For Sale

[4:41] 9. More Than You Know

On Dr. John's first major-label effort, and first vocal studio album in ten years, he performs a set of pop standards including Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" and Johnny Mercer's "Accentuate the Positive." After starting out with a wild stage act and unusual costumes, Dr. John has evolved into a vocal stylist and piano virtuoso, which makes the idea of doing this sort of material appealing. And he does it well, turning out a leisurely duet with Rickie Lee Jones on "Makin' Whoopee" that won a Grammy (Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group), and giving sad feeling to "My Buddy." Maybe he has changed since the Gris Gris days, but even a mellowed Dr. John is a tasty one. ~William Ruhlmann

In A Sentimental Mood 

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Carmen McRae - Lover Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:17
Size: 105.9 MB
Styles: Vocal, Standards
Year: 1962
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Them There Eyes
[4:51] 2. Yesterdays
[2:31] 3. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart (And Throw Away The Key)
[2:46] 4. Strange Fruit
[2:26] 5. Miss Brown to You
[4:05] 6. My Man
[2:51] 7. I Cried for You
[4:18] 8. Lover Man
[2:19] 9. Trav'lin' Light
[3:02] 10. Some Other Spring
[3:30] 11. What a Little Moonlight Can Do
[3:23] 12. God Bless the Child
[3:27] 13. If the Moon Turns Green
[3:55] 14. The Christmas Song

Carmen McRae is definitely one of jazz's underrated vocalists as this tribute to her idol, Lady Day clearly shows. Carmen proves she is a mean swinger on tracks like Them There Eyes, I Cried For You & especially Miss Brown To You, where her response at the end of the horn solo is just a slice of jazz heaven. On the ballads, Carmen is mellow & tender on numbers like Lover Man and has that bittersweet cynicism on torch songs like Yesterdays. Carmen never tries to imitate Lady Day but leaves her own unique stamp on each & every one of these Holiday classics. An album easily recommended for any Carmen fanatic or someone looking for the ideal place to start one's love affair with one of jazz's top songbirds or vocal jazz in general. ~Le Real Luc Ow

Lover Man

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Leroy Holmes - Bossa Nova

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:39
Size: 70.2 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 1962/2009
Art: Front

[3:06] 1. Samba De Uma Nota
[3:43] 2. Desafinado
[2:53] 3. Morena
[3:00] 4. Baia
[2:54] 5. Recado
[2:32] 6. Tabatinga
[3:14] 7. The Jazz Samba
[3:23] 8. Perfidia
[2:49] 9. Poinciana
[3:00] 10. O Pato (The Duck)

Holmes graduated from Hollywood High School, studied music at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and the Juilliard School in New York, before working with a number of bandleaders during the 1930s and early 1940s. These included Ernst Toch, Vincent Lopez, and Harry James, for whose band, he wrote "The Mole".

After serving as a pilot and flying instructor, a lieutenant in the US Navy during the Second World War, he moved to Hollywood, where he was hired by MGM Music Studios as a house arranger and conductor. In 1950, he relocated to New York and continued as a record producer for MGM, and later moved to United Artists. During his time with MGM, he backed numerous vocalists, including Judy Garland, and in 1954 made what is possibly his best known recording, a version of the theme to the film The High and the Mighty. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song is known for its distinctive accompanying whistling, which was provided by Fred Lowery. Holmes provided the orchestration for Tommy Edwards epic 1958 hit "It's All In The Game", and tried rock and R&B with his backing to the Impalas "Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home)". Holmes also wrote the theme song to the television series International Detective.

He moved to United Artists Records in the early 1960s, where he contributed to many compilations of movie themes, released albums under his own name and backed a succession of singers, notably Connie Francis, Gloria Lynne, Shirley Bassey and Puerto Rican singers like Tito Rodríguez and Chucho Avellanet. In addition, he produced albums for a number of United Artists acts, including the Briarwood Singers. He also worked on the music for the 1977 film The Chicken Chronicles. Holmes died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California at the age of 72

Bossa Nova

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Trini Lopez - The Love Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:38

Size: 81.6 MB

Styles: Vocal

Year: 1965/2005

Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Are You Sincere

[2:17] 2. Our Day Will Come

[2:56] 3. Laura

[3:25] 4. Dear Heart

[3:19] 5. People

[2:32] 6. You'll Be Sorry

[2:54] 7. Blue Velvet

[2:49] 8. Moon River

[3:06] 9. Return To Me

[2:49] 10. Sad Tomorrows

[2:51] 11. Tammy

[3:10] 12. A Taste Of Honey

In his continuing quest to be all things to all record-buyers, Trini Lopez added The Love Album to his previous records The Latin Album and The Folk Album (one more was yet to come: The Rhythm and Blues Album). With arrangements from Don Costa -- whose blend of flutes and strings smoothened many a Sinatra chart of the '60s (and who had actually discovered Lopez a few years earlier) -- the LP certainly had potential, but the misses outweigh the hits. Lopez's voice was deep and friendly enough to appeal to most pop listeners of the era, and the material appears to have been selected well ("Blue Velvet," "Moon River," "People," "Our Day Will Come"). Still, Lopez doesn't have the same ease of delivery he'd shown on his previous work. With his pop singles ("Lemon Tree," "If I Had a Hammer") or with his Latin material, he always had energy to spare, but here he appears unsure of how to treat the type of vocal pop that gets a performer into a supper club. ~John Bush

The Love Album

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Tommy Flanagan - Tommy Flanagan Plays The Music of Harold Arlen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:53
Size: 111.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:46] 1. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[4:20] 2. Over The Rainbow
[6:01] 3. Sleepin' Bee
[6:34] 4. Ill Wind
[6:31] 5. Out Of This World
[3:17] 6. One For My Baby
[5:12] 7. Get Happy
[5:15] 8. My Shining Hour
[5:52] 9. Last Night When We Were Young

Originally released by the Japanese Trio label and reissued on a DIW CD in that country, this Tommy Flanagan session has only appeared in the U.S. thus far on an Inner City LP. The very consistent pianist performs nine Harold Arlen tunes with bassist George Mraz and drummer Connie Kay. Highlights include "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," "Sleepin' Bee," "One for My Baby" and "My Shining Hour." Producer Helen Merrill takes a sensitive vocal on "Last Night When We Were Young." Excellent music, but this one will be difficult to locate. ~Scott Yanow

Tommy Flanagan Plays The Music Of Harold Arlen

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David Kikoski - Mostly Standards

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:00
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

( 9:02)  1. Grey Areas
( 8:39)  2. Blues On The Corner
( 6:47)  3. Old Folks
( 8:53)  4. Chance
( 7:41)  5. Doxy
( 6:28)  6. TBS
(12:42)  7. Autumn Leaves
( 7:45)  8. Leaves

David Kikoski's ninth CD is titled Mostly Standards, barely a half-truth when you peruse the titles of the selections. Only two of them are actual American popular songs, adapted as the brilliant pianist and his able trio can do them. They also tap on the familiar repertoire of McCoy Tyner, Sonny Rollins, and to an extent Miles Davis, while offering two originals and an adaptation of a classic. Bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jeff Watts have been in the mainstream post-bop jazz game long enough to fully understand how this music works, and add their estimable talents to Kikoski's consistently wondrous and inventive piano musings. The opener "Grey Areas" is a compelling and accessible original of the pianist, combining funk with mysterious dark bass ostinato. Kikoski's true romantic and nostalgic solo piano piece "Leaves" follows a lengthy, extemporaneous, ad infinitum hard bop stretching of "Autumn Leaves," where the changes of the latter standard are only slightly hinted at in the former modification. Tunes like the easygoing Rollins chestnut "Doxy" and Tyner's emerging standard "Blues on the Corner" seem simplistic, even nonchalant in the hands of these three great jazzmen. There's peace, reverence, and repast on "Old Folks," Kenny Kirkland's "Chance," and the Watts penned waltz "TBS," which displays his atypically languid mood. In fact, Watts is much more restrained throughout this entire date. Tasteful, in control, and technically perfect, Kikoski always delivers finely wrought mainstream jazz music that should please anyone with common sense about the music's core values, and this effort is no different. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/mostly-standards-mw0000808577

Personnel: Dave Kikoski (piano); Eric Revis (upright bass); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums).

Mostly Standards

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Dennis Coffey - Back Home

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:57
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Funk Connection
(5:33)  2. Back Home
(5:49)  3. Free Spirit
(5:59)  4. Our Love Goes On Forever
(6:40)  5. High On Love
(5:50)  6. Boogie Magic
(7:41)  7. Wings Of Fire

With each successive effort for the Westbound label, Dennis Coffey moved further away from the heady funk-rock of his earliest LPs and towards a glossy, unapologetically commercial approach informed by the growing popularity of disco. With Back Home, he essentially abandons funk for good, in the process scoring a major disco hit with "Wings of Fire." But disco is about production, not virtuoso playing, and too much of Back Home stifles Coffey's innovative fretwork in favor of overbaked arrangements and repetitive rhythms. The end result smoothes away the rough edges that made Coffey such an exciting and singular guitarist. ~ Jason Ankeny http://www.allmusic.com/album/back-home-mw0000909827

Personnel:  Guitar – Dennis Coffey;  Alto Saxophone, Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Larry Nozero;  Bass – Roderick Chandler (Penut);  Drums – Lee Nathan Marcus;  Piano – Garry Schunk, Rudy Robinson;  Rhythm Guitar – Bruce Nazarian, Eddie Willis;  Trombone – Stu Sanders;  Trumpet – Johnny Trudell, Marcus Belgraves, Maurice Davis;  Vocals – Brandy

Back Home

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Lionel Hampton - You Better Know It

Styles: Vocal And Vibraphone Jazz 
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:49
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Ring Dem Bells
(5:08)  2. Vibraphone Blues
(3:59)  3. Tempo's Birthday
(3:12)  4. Sweethearts on Parade
(5:34)  5. Moon over My Annie
(3:34)  6. Pick-A-Rib
(6:03)  7. Trick or Treat
(3:06)  8. Cute
(2:44)  9. A Taste of Honey
(2:55) 10. Swingle Jingle

Vibist Lionel Hampton's rhythmic abilities haven't been dulled by age, and he displayed his proficiency on this date, which includes the enjoyable bonus track "Moon Over My Annie." There was no wasted energy or unnecessary or exaggerated solos; just bluesy, assertive, muscular arrangements, accompaniment, and ensemble segments. Highlights included "Vibraphone Blues," "Trick or Treat" and "Swingle Jingle," in which Hampton shifted from vibes to piano. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/you-better-know-it%21%21%21-mw0000623627

Personnel: Lionel Hampton (vocals, vibraphone, piano); Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet); Hank Jones (piano); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).

You Better Know It

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Irene Schweizer & Han Bennink - Welcome Back

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:03
Size: 110,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. Welcome Back
(3:04)  2. Kit 4
(3:56)  3. Trap 5
(4:43)  4. Free for All
(2:14)  5. Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland
(2:42)  6. Verflixt
(2:52)  7. Rag
(3:42)  8. Bleu Foncé
(4:42)  9. Apus Melba
(3:25) 10. Ntyilo, Ntyilo
(3:05) 11. Firewood
(3:21) 12. To Misha with Love
(2:16) 13. I Surrender, Dear
(1:54) 14. Eronel

For such an assuredly rhythmic player Swiss pianist Irene Schweizer shows an unexpected affinity to drummers, who feature disproportionately as partners in her discography. But even so Welcome Back constitutes only the second entry to pair Schweizer with maverick Dutch drummer Han Bennink, following their eponymous debut (Intakt, 1996), which was itself preceded by years of engagement stretching back further still. In spite of their impeccable avant-garde credentials (both have been at the forefront of European improv for the last five decades) they have crafted a surprisingly accessible album which fizzes with joie de vivre. Two days in the studio generated sufficient material from which to select a diverse yet well-rounded program. Among the 14 short cuts are those which reflect a fondness for tradition (a gentle "Meet me tonight in dreamland" on which Bennink's airy accompaniment brings a smile to the face), the influence of South African expatriates (Johnny Dyani's richly voiced "Ntyilo, Ntyilo") and their regard for Monk (the concluding sunny rendition of "Eronel"). Though credited to one or other of the two principals, many of the remaining cuts sound spontaneous with an unforced freewheeling feel. They conjure outbreaks of irrepressible swing from even the seemingly most abstract surroundings -the opening title track in which Schweizer initially hints at Cecil Taylor is a good example. A relaxed vibe pervades the set, stemming from a perception that each can explore in whatever direction they choose no matter what the starting point.

Although largely held in check, Bennink's sense of mischief manifests in the occasional irreverent thump -as on ballad stylings of "Free for all." Tenderness comes out on the lilting stroll of "I surrender, dear." But glorious extemporized syncopation proves their strongest suit, notably evident in the pianist's "Rag" and the jointly apportioned "To Misha with love." In the end, it's two people having fun in a way which everyone can share. ~ John Sharpe https://www.allaboutjazz.com/welcome-back-irene-schweizer-intakt-records-review-by-john-sharpe.php

Personnel: Irene Schweizer: piano; Han Bennink: drums.

Welcome Back

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Sax Gordon & Vince Vallicelli Band - Live At La Casa Del Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:47
Size: 141.5 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz saxophone
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:14] 1. Rock On
[8:06] 2. Dd Rider
[5:28] 3. Melancholy Serenade
[4:04] 4. The Hold Up
[3:32] 5. Fla
[5:11] 6. Hot Cha
[7:31] 7. Talking Blues
[7:26] 8. Missy
[5:03] 9. Tino's Dream
[5:27] 10. I Got That Feeling
[4:40] 11. Soul Serenade

Practicing the honking, jump blues style of jazz, saxophonist Sax Gordon appeared alongside numerous well-known artists and even recorded albums of his own. Born Gordon Beadle, the Boston-based musician performed on albums by such artists as Champion Jack Dupree, Luther "Guitar Jr" Johnson, Duke Robillard, and many more during the 1990s. He began recording solo albums with Have Horn Will Travel, which Bullseye Blues released in 1998, followed by a second album, You Knock Me Out, in 2000. On his solo releases, Gordon leads his bandmates through a variety of styles that variably fall somewhere between jazz and blues. He writes many of his own songs and carefully selects a few covers as well for his albums. In 2001 and again in 2002, he received W.C. Handy Award nominations. ~bio by Jason Birchmeier

Live At La Casa Del Blues

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George Masso Sextet - Still Burning!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:51
Size: 139.3 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[9:43] 1. Get Out Of Town
[8:46] 2. Dream Dancing
[4:51] 3. Night And Day
[4:25] 4. Easy To Love
[8:25] 5. C'est Magnifique
[7:16] 6. Just One Of Those Thimgs
[4:28] 7. Ballad For A Friend
[7:05] 8. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:47] 9. I Love You, Samantha

George Masso - trombone; Lou Colombo – trumpet, flugelhorn; Harry Allen – tenor sax; Johnny Varro - piano; Phil Flanigan - bass; Jake Hanna - drums. Recorded live on March 6, 1999 at the Hanse Merkur Auditorium, Hamburg.

An excellent trombonist who records for Arbors, George Masso has had a long if somewhat underrated career. Other than some early gigs (including a 1948 association with Jimmy Dorsey), Masso made his living from teaching in schools up until 1973. However, he always played trombone on the side and, soon after becoming a full-time musician, he toured with the Benny Goodman Sextet (1973). Masso worked with Bobby Hackett, Bobby Rosengarden, and the World's Greatest Jazz Band (the latter starting in 1975) and recorded with Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, and Woody Herman. He led sessions for Famous Door, World Jazz, and Dreamstreet during 1978-1983, frequently sharing the front line with tenor saxophonist Al Klink and trumpeter Glenn Zottola. Since then, George Masso has recorded for Sackville and Arbors and become a reliable fixture at jazz parties and classic jazz festivals. ~ bio by Scott Yanow

Still Burning!

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Ron Jackson, Nicki Parrott - Concrete Jungle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:34
Size: 150.1 MB
Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:58] 1. Feed The Fire
[6:20] 2. Old Country
[3:54] 3. People Make The World Go Round
[6:20] 4. Bondi
[6:41] 5. For Rachel
[6:45] 6. To Us
[7:25] 7. Concrete Jungle
[4:25] 8. Felicidade
[6:51] 9. Back In The Islands
[5:21] 10. C Minor Jam Blues
[6:30] 11. People Make The World Go Round (long vers.)

Taking on a play list of mostly their individual originals, guitarist Ron Jackson and bassist Nicki Parrott joined other seasoned jazz professionals to put together an album designed for long lasting listening. A bass and guitar duo might be dubbed the "Odd Couple". But the combination works because these two obviously want it to. Jackson's guitar is pitched high and he avoids for the most part smeary chordal attacks allowing Parrott's low pitched instrument to be heard. The Australian based bassist gets a tremendous amount of melody out of that sometimes unwieldy instrument. She's not here just to pluck in order to lay a foundation for everyone else as she demonstrates on a rhythmic "Bondi" which she composed. The album has a Carribean, Latin, Salsa mien to it. Tunes like "Bondi" and "People Make the World Go Round" all have that jaunty Latin beat. "Back in the Islands" is where this song will bring you, down to Jamaica or somewhere like it. This is one of the three tracks where Sam Newsome shows up with his soprano saxophone. The whining instrument seems out of place on this jaunty tune. A flute might have been more appropriate. But there's some dazzling fingering by Jackson here to compensate for the soprano's out of place intrusion. Moreover, there are other delights on this session which will engage the listener. Lafayette Harris' piano joins the fray on the bop blues with "C Minor Jam Blues". Parrott is masterful as she stays right in there on this fast paced tune, making a strong walking bass statement to boot. This track is special and one of the album's high spots. Nat Adderley's jazz classic "Old Country" is another vehicle for Parrott to display her virtuosity on the bass as the first chorus belongs to her with Jackson playing rhythm and Dion Parson's tapping sticks, punctuating at the right spots.

A well conceived, well played outing is captured on this recommended CD.

Concrete Jungle

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Bruce Katz Band - Transformation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:03
Size: 126.0 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues/R&B
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[5:44] 1. Chicago Tranformation
[6:07] 2. Boppin' Out Of The Abyss
[5:55] 3. The Sweeper
[6:15] 4. What Might Have Been
[4:17] 5. Larry The Spinning Poodle
[4:42] 6. Circular Notion
[5:54] 7. Deep Pockets
[4:11] 8. Crime Novel
[5:04] 9. Window Of Soul
[6:49] 10. But Now I See

Recorded two years after the Bruce Katz Band debut CD Crescent Crawl, Transformation is more of the same great instrumental blues/jazz, although a bit harder to get your arms around. Consisting of all originals, Katz plays piano on seven of the tracks and Hammond B-3 organ on the other three. It has more of an avant-garde approach than its predecessor, Crescent Crawl, and its successor, Mississippi Moan. It has everything from a stride shuffle ("Larry the Spinning Poodle") to New Orleans grooves ("But Now I See") to deep jazzy blues ("The Sweeper" and "Deep Pockets"). "Deep Pockets" was later recorded by Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, of which Katz was a member. ~Ann Wickstrom

Transformation

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Cedar Walton Trio - Midnight Waltz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:26
Size: 154.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[ 5:16] 1. Bremond's Blues
[ 6:08] 2. Turquoise
[ 4:52] 3. Cedar's Blues
[ 9:37] 4. Midnight Waltz
[ 6:53] 5. Holy Land
[ 4:30] 6. Theme For Jobim
[10:20] 7. Dear Ruth
[ 5:54] 8. The Vision
[ 7:50] 9. Bolivia
[ 6:04] 10. Ugetsu

During his long career, Cedar Walton has been one of hard bop's most lyrical pianists, as demonstrated on this 2005 trio session for the Japanese label Venus. No matter the tempo or approach, it is very easy to find oneself singing along with Walton's infectious melodies, whether it is the driving "Cedar's Blues," the lighthearted "Midnight Waltz," or his bossa nova salute to a great Brazilian composer "Theme for Jobim." That hardly means the remaining tracks are filler, as there isn't a weak selection present. "Dear Ruth" is a coy piece that must be named for someone special in Walton's life, as this work has a playful, yet reserved aura. Walton saves two of his best-known works for last, a intricate take of "Bolivia," followed by the showstopping finale "Ugetsu." Bassist David Williams and drummer Jimmy Cobb provide great support throughout this enjoyable session. ~Ken Dryden

Midnight Waltz

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Eric Dolphy Quintet feat. Freddie Hubbard - Outward Bound

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:27
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:58)  1. G.W.
( 5:45)  2. On Green Dolphin Street
( 5:14)  3. Les
( 6:51)  4. 245
( 5:28)  5. Glad To Be Unhappy
( 5:41)  6. Miss Toni
( 4:10)  7. April Fool
(12:09)  8. G.W. (alternate take 1)
( 8:07)  9. 245 (alternate take 1)

Unlike Ornette Coleman who wanted to blow orthodox jazz form out of the water John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy initially worked to change the system from within, making music that fit the jazz standards of the time while injecting their own unique spin. This is why Outward Bound, Dolphy's first recording as a leader, is a not-so-distant relative of Coltrane's My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1960). On balance, both discs have a conventional base. While Coltrane stuck to the Great American Songbook, Dolphy penned over half the tunes on Outward Bound; even so, those originals mesh perfectly with classics like "On Green Dolphin Street and Charles Greenlea's "Miss Toni. It's the respective opening tracks that separate both discs from the norm. As Coltrane used an innocuous song from The Sound of Music to launch us into space, so does Dolphy use "G.W. to prove Coleman's theory that "you could play sharp or flat in tune. 

A fast 4/4 beat drives borderline-dissonant opening salvos from the front line. While the rest of the band lays down beats and fills that would not be out of place on any bop date, Dolphy steps out of the head to blister us with a mind-boggling, lightning-fingered alto solo that threatens to go over a cliff at any moment. Dolphy and his partners maintain this unorthodox balancing act throughout the 1960 session. At the time, the bass clarinet was nearly unheard of as a lead instrument, but Dolphy uses it to great atonal effect on the zippy "Miss Toni. It also applies a noir-like patina to the opening of "Green Dolphin Street. Dolphy's flute on Rodgers and Hart's "Glad To Be Unhappy is flat and mournful one second, jumping and dancing (and sometimes screaming) the next, but rarely following a predictable path. Jaki Byard is Dolphy's faithful wingman, contributing Monk-laced lines that stay within "acceptable guidelines while tipping the reality a little bit further out.George Tucker's foundation on bass is key, rooting the music so the other players can create in space. Roy Haynes displays a range as big as all outdoors, playing drums like a machine gun on the blasting "Les one minute, using brushes like an artist on "Green Dolphin Street the next. Freddie Hubbard's trumpet is as empirical as Dolphy's reedwork is existential; the 21-year old Hubbard's solos (particularly on "Les and the bluesy "245 ) show power and control beyond his years. One wonders what would have happened if he'd stayed with Dolphy and not gone off with Art Blakey. It makes sad sense we lost Coltrane and Dolphy too soon Trane from cancer, Dolphy of complications from diabetes. Stars burn out, meteors crash... but while they live, they burn oh so bright. Outward Bound is Dolphy's first burst of light, a beautiful and frightening glow that must be experienced. ~ J Hunter https://www.allaboutjazz.com/outward-bound-eric-dolphy-prestige-records-review-by-j-hunter.php

Personnel: Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute;  Freddie Hubbard: trumpet;  Jaki Byard: piano;  George Tucker: bass;  Roy Haynes: drums.

Outward Bound

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Barbara Morrison - I Wanna Be Loved

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. Perdido
(4:15)  2. I Wanna Be Loved
(3:10)  3. This Time The Dream's On Me
(5:08)  4. I'll Close My Eyes
(4:10)  5. Shiny Stockings
(5:04)  6. Skylark
(5:19)  7. Work Song
(5:04)  8. When Sunny Gets Blue
(6:14)  9. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(3:28) 10. September In The Rain
(4:10) 11. Make Me A Present Of You

Barbara Morrison, one of the world’s most delightful and endearing jazz personalities returns to the recording studio and brings her good friend, tenor saxophonist Houston Person with her for her third recording on Savant Records. Her patented Music in the Morrison Manner, featuring blues, standards and even an occasional pop tune, has endeared her to audiences on both coasts and earned her a place among the most talented and skilled jazz vocalists working today. Morrison’s delivery and vivaciousness has the ability to charm listeners while her timing and intonation are virtually flawless and the subtle perfection of her phrasing evokes the great vocalists of the past. The spirit of Dinah Washington hovers over this recording with many of the Great Lady’s tunes receiving a Morrison Makeover while Houston Person weaves his husky-toned arabesques around the timeless melodies. 

~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Wanna-Be-Loved-Barbara-Morrison/dp/B071D41P91

I Wanna Be Loved

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Woody Herman - Road Band!

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:41
Size: 84,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Opus De-Funk
(2:57)  2. Gina
(3:32)  3. I Remember Duke
(6:13)  4. Sentimental Journey
(3:30)  5. Cool Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
(3:21)  6. Where Or When
(5:13)  7. Captain Ahab
(2:49)  8. I'll Never Be The Same
(3:30)  9. Pimlico

This out-of-print LP finds Herman's Third Herd in its prime. Rather than just revisiting his celebrated past, he and his orchestra primarily perform then-recent material, much of it arranged by Ralph Burns. Highlights include a big-band version of Horace Silver's "Opus De Funk," Burns's "Cool Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "I Remember Duke" and Bill Holman's reworking of "Where or When." With tenors Richie Kamuca and Dick Hafer, trumpeter Dick Collins and bass trumpeter Cy Touff as the main soloists, The Third Herd had developed into a particularly strong unit by the mid-'50s. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/road-band-mw0000874164

Personnel:  Woody Herman (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone);  Richie Kamuca (tenor saxophone).

Road Band!

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