The RJ Spangler Trio - This Is What We Do

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:11
Size: 78.3 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:17] 1. Don't Blame Me
[4:35] 2. Girl Talk
[4:44] 3. Cease The Bombing
[7:13] 4. Idle Moments
[5:12] 5. All Or Nothing At All
[6:07] 6. Funky Mama

Duncan McMillan: organ; Ralph Tope: guitar; R. J. Spangler: drums; Akunda Hollis; congas.

Detroit has always been a home for a multitude of jazz traditions. From big band to swing, from hard bop to the avant-garde, any jazz style can be heard in a given week. The city has especially embraced the organ trio, that staple of neighborhood joints found throughout the urban landscape. Veteran drummer and bandleader RJ Spangler has made that ubiquitous instrument his bread and butter for quite a while. Spangler (who, incidentally, is the nephew of the legendary San Francisco DJ Bud Spangler) has been a fixture on the Detroit music scene for over 30 years, and has been affiliated with some notable Detroit acts. Spangler co-founded the legendary R&B/jazz ensemble the Sun Messengers and has toured and recorded with blues greats Johnnie Bassett, Joe Weaver and Alberta Adams. He even hired a very young James Carter for some of the saxophonist's first gigs. Spangler's most interesting Endeavor, however may be his Planet D Nonet, which may be the only Sun Ra tribute band in the country.

Spangler's bread and butter is his organ trio, which is featured on the superb EP, This Is What We Do. What gives this hit some attraction is its getting some solid radio airplay throughout the Midwest and the prior buzz is well-deserved. Spangler's been with his cats for many years, making this a very tight set. The date is all standards except for one each by the Neil Creque and Big John Patton. Stylistically, Spangler' s crew prefers the breezy melodicism of guitarist Grant Greens Blue Note sessions over Jimmy Smith's gutbucket funk.

The trio starts off with a casual rendition of "Don't Blame Me," featuring some great interplay between organist Duncan Mcmillan and guitarist Ralph Tope. A relaxed "Girl Talk" is followed by some fired-up play on Creque's "Cease The Bombing," highlighting that the late keyboardist's work is really overlooked. After a languid "Idle Moments," the group shifts into high gear on "All Or Nothing At All," and blasts to the finish line with a John Patton burner "Funky Mama." McMillan and Tope really tear up on this piece, showing their Motown funk credentials prodigiously. There is not a lot of flash, but it is solid blue-collar funk. Spangler and company show that the Motor City can hang with Philly when it comes to the B-3 genre. ~Steve Bryant

This Is What We Do

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Cy Touff - Touff Assignment

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:27
Size: 65,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Soulsville
(3:07)  2. Cyril's Dream
(3:33)  3. How Long Has This Been Going On
(3:04)  4. Kissin Cousins
(3:48)  5. Keeping Out Of Mischief Now
(3:35)  6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(2:38)  7. Lamp Is Low
(5:27)  8. Tough Touff

Cy Touff played the bass trumpet as a lead instrument in several small jazz ensembles, though this LP, made for Argo in 1958, seems to be his final recording as a leader. His instrument sounds much like Sandy Mosse's trombone, so it is somewhat easy to confuse their respective solos, unless one is paying close attention. The strong rhythm section includes pianist Eddie Higgins, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Marty Clausen. The music is a mix of cool originals by Al Cohn ("Soulsville") and Ernie Wilkins ("Tough Touff"), along with classic jazz compositions ("Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" and "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart") plus swinging takes of standards such as "How Long Has This Been Going On" and "The Lamp Is Low." Touff continued to record on occasion as a sideman following this date. The only disappointing part of this release is the abbreviated total time of less than 28 minutes. Long out of print, this album was briefly available in the early 1990s as a Fresh Sound LP, but the original issue will likely only be found in auction lists. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/touff-assignment-mw0000917739

Personnel:  [Bass Trumpet] – Cy Touff;  Bass – Bob Cranshaw;  Drums – Marty Clausen;  Piano – Ed Higgins;  Saxophone – Sandy Mosse

Touff Assignment

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Nicky Holland - Sense And Sensuality

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:09
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Paperchase
(4:30)  2. Nobody's Girl
(5:27)  3. Dear Ingrid
(4:21)  4. In A Broken Dream
(4:17)  5. Nothing
(4:53)  6. Falling Water
(4:15)  7. New York Inside My Head
(3:56)  8. Cry To Me
(4:50)  9. Hat Full Of Stars
(3:26) 10. Lay Down
(4:40) 11. John's First Wedding

Although it's slightly uneven, Sense and Sensuality is a rather enchanting collection of sweeping, orchestral pop. Strings and keyboards are inerlaced throughout the record, providing the perfect instrumental bed for Nicky Holland's wispy voice. Considering that she has written hits for a variety of artists, including Celine Dion, Tears for Fears and Cyndi Lauper, it isn't surprising that the songs on Sense and Sensuality are sturdy and well-constructed. What is surprising is that the songs don't sound manufactured, but intimate and personal, and that's what gives the album its edge. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/sense-and-sensuality-mw0000594447

?Personnel: Nicky Holland (vocals, keyboards); Melanie Feld (oboe); Elliot Scheiner (piano); Larry Alexander (keyboards, bass guitar); Graham Maby (bass guitar); Jeff Bova, Michael Beinhorn (keyboard programming); Jimmy Bralower (drum programming); John Peterson (sampler).

Sense And Sensuality

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Azar Lawrence - Prayer for My Ancestors

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:53
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front

(9:06)  1. Open Sesame
(7:38)  2. Under Tanzanian Skies
(5:27)  3. Thokole
(5:08)  4. Prayer for My Ancestors
(8:01)  5. The Baker's Daughter
(5:41)  6. Swinging in Exile
(6:14)  7. Ode to Pharoah
(5:36)  8. Linda G.

Azar Lawrence is a man on a mission. His task: to express beautiful, healing music. At a young age, Lawrence was already touring and recording with jazz legends like Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner and Miles Davis. Then, after recording several successful albums, including Bridge into a New Age (Prestige 1974) and Summer Solstice (Prestige 1975), decades inexplicably passed before he would lead another studio session. Lawrence still played and recorded with a wide array of great artists like Stanley Turrentine, Woody Shaw, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Marvin Gaye. However, he didn't take his own bands into the recording studio. Thankfully, Azar Lawrence is back and blowing his tenor and soprano saxophones. Prayer for My Ancestors, on the relatively new Furthermore Recordings label, is a collaborative labor of love made with the help of many friends, both old and new. The quartet consists of Los Angeles piano great, Nate Morgan, Henry "the Skipper" Franklin on bass, an old friend from their years in Horace Tapscott's Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, and former colleague in McCoy Tyner's band of the mid-70s, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums. Lawrence's opener, "Open Sesame," begins with his tenor sax blowing a solemn incantation, as if summoning the eternal spirits to join him in joyous musical celebration. Then, Mouzon's shimmering cymbals and crashing drums and Morgan's palpitating piano enter the ceremony. Suddenly, the band takes off on an up-tempo journey to a magical place. On another original, "Thokole," native Senegalese musicians Ibrahim Ba (vocals, guitar), kora (21-string lute) master Amadu Fall and the band create a gentle groove that conjures visions of majestic ibex and impala roaming the savannah. Enter Lawrence, who then breathes mystical magic from his soprano sax on this serene journey to the Motherland. On the title tune, the rhythm section builds slowly rising waves of aural beauty, particularly Franklin's bowed bass, that washes over like the mighty falls of Victoria. Lawrence, on tenor, then pours forth a profoundly soulful expression of gratitude to the land and the people of Mother Africa. Morgan's "Swinging in Exile" is a powerful, rhythmic, hard-bop tune that burns hot as North Africa's sirocco winds. Guest Roy McCurdy's relentless drums and Morgan's roiling piano runs propel the band to a frenzy. Meanwhile, Lawrence blows with an urgency and insistence that commands attention to his swinging message.The always eloquent and insightful reed master John Stoddart was once quoted as saying, with great enthusiasm, that saxophonist Bill Evans (saxophone) was "playin' a lot of shit." Well, it's clear from one listen to this CD that Azar Lawrence is also "blowin' a lot of shit." Whether playing a languid ballad or a hard boppin' blues, Lawrence pours every ounce of his body and soul into the music. With all the sadness and loss the jazz community experiences, it is a medicinal injection of peace and joy to hear Azar Lawrence burning it up again. ~ Chuck Kotom https://www.allaboutjazz.com/prayer-for-my-ancestors-azar-lawrence-furthermore-recordings-review-by-chuck-koton.php

Personnel: Azar Lawrence: tenor and soprano saxophones; Nate Morgan: piano; Henry "the Skipper" Franklin: bass; Alphonse Mouzon: drums; Ibrahim Ba: vocals,guitar; Amadu Fall: Kora; Nolan Shaheed: trumpet; Tony Dumas: bass; Roy McCurdy: drums.

Prayer for My Ancestors

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Joe Bushkin - In Concert: Town Hall

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:16
Size: 90,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:29)  1. Medley: The Man That Got Away/Hallelujah
(10:03)  2. The 'Porgy and Bess' Medley
( 4:32)  3. I Can't Get Started
( 3:00)  4. They Can't Take That Away from Me
( 2:53)  5. The Song Is Ended
( 5:11)  6. The Cole Porter Medley
( 3:04)  7. One for My Baby
( 3:06)  8. I've Got a Crush on You
( 2:54)  9. Just One of Those Things

Piano jazz is a lot like pizza; even when it's terrible, it's still fairly good. Case in point is Joe Bushkin, a fine pianist for Eddie Condon who later watered down his style to appeal to a mass audience in concerts such as this 1963 performance. One can almost hear more passionate pianists shaking their fist at Bushkin because they are far more deserving of the recognition. To be fair, Bushkin is still a terrific pianist who can play as fast and as accurately as anyone out there, but one gets the sense that he is content to please an audience with technical wizardry and never seems to be working all that hard to be inventive. Guitarist Chuck Wayne seems to be the real treat, but is rendered inaudible most of the time except for a few brief solos (he seems to have difficulty finding a role in the context). The program is standard fare for cocktail lounges and cabarets Gershwin, Berlin, Porter all delivered with a sense of importance and sweeping drama. None of this is all that bad, but can you really purchase this album when there's so much other stuff out there that's more accomplished and nuanced? Pick up a Bill Evans record instead. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-concert-town-hall-joe-bushkin-collectables-review-by-david-rickert.php

Personnel: Joe Bushkin-piano; Chuck Wayne-guitar; Ed Shaughnessy-percussion; Milt Hinton-bass.

In Concert: Town Hall

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Capital Jazz Band - Add A Beat!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:40
Size: 122.9 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz combo
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 5:23] 1. Everyone Gets To Feelin' Blue
[ 3:07] 2. Now Is The Time
[ 7:25] 3. Reflections On Astrud And Stan
[ 3:28] 4. Moonlight And You
[ 3:10] 5. Calypso Town
[ 4:26] 6. Skater's Ballet
[ 5:03] 7. Add A Beat, Outta Beat Waltz
[ 5:04] 8. Where We Are
[ 6:12] 9. My One And Only Love
[10:16] 10. Stella By Starlight

Capital Jazz Band is a collaborative of DC’s finest jazz musicians both young and old. The DC Music Entertainment & Grabielismo Productions signature band is DC’s most versatile jazz band specializing in jazz from dixieland to swing/bigband, straight ahead to latin and traditional to modern. Rotating members of the band include senior jazz professionals in the area to the youngest and freshest musicians found in the clubs on U Street and DC’s hottest jazz spots. The end result, a band of deep sizzling talent that delivers music ranging from traditional sounds to the most cutting edge.

The Capital Jazz Band is proud to release it’s first CD entitled “Add A Beat!”. True to it’s vision of blending the seasoned with the modern-day, Capital Jazz Band’s CD “Add A Beat!” brings together the original music of DC native Sam Glenn with the hottest young talent that DC has to offer. The album features eight original tracks written by Sam & Kathy Glenn and arranged by Sam and Pablo Grabiel as well as two standards, My One and Only Love and Stella By Starlight. In their debut album the Capital Jazz Band features the talent of Sam Glenn, Pablo Grabiel, Eric Wheeler, Nathan Jolley, Noble Jolley, Josh Carr, Justin Parrot & Lena Seikaly.

Add A Beat!

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John Williams - Jazz Guitar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:01
Size: 100.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. Fall Highway
[3:31] 2. Santa Monica
[2:39] 3. Lost You
[3:26] 4. Kitchen Pass
[3:47] 5. Late Night
[3:37] 6. Blue Medium
[3:18] 7. Beautiful
[5:08] 8. Blues Old
[3:01] 9. Slinky
[3:41] 10. Friday Blues
[3:34] 11. Influence
[3:32] 12. What

I'm a guitar player, mostly electric, steel string acoustic too. I do session work, songwriting, and production projects. I have a well-outfitted home studio for songwriting and some production, and I also work with a nationally acclaimed pro studio here in Seattle. I cover country, country/rock, blues and jazz, both acoustic and electric, solo guitar and full-band arrangements. I like working with songwriters and can take almost any songwriter's demo (even face-to-face), turn it into a full-blown arrangement suitable for any studio in Nashville, select and hire appropriate instrumentation, produce the project, assist with artwork and duplication, and assist with marketing.

I am a tone fanatic. I love Teles and Strats - have several. My main guitar is a late-model Telecaster that has been modified with a humbucker in the neck, a Duncan Nashville Strat pickup in the middle, and a Joe Barden Tele pickup in the bridge. I'm also using a late-model Dobro (for slide and fretted), a Larrivee C-19, a Martin OM28V, a Music Man 6 string bass, an early '60s ES-175, a Music Man ASAT, a Deering 6 string banjo, a Ramirez classical, and a Tacoma Papoose. I have several other guitars but these are the ones that get used the most.

Jazz Guitar

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Elliott Chavers - Elliott Chavers Performs The Music Of Louis Jordan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:31
Size: 104.2 MB
Styles: Jazz-Blues
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Blue Lights Boogie
[3:13] 2. Early In The Morning
[3:35] 3. Let The Good Times Roll
[4:17] 4. Every Goodbye Ain't Gone
[4:00] 5. Buzz Me Blues
[3:38] 6. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
[4:21] 7. Run Joe
[4:31] 8. Rock This Mother
[3:41] 9. Betty Jo
[5:44] 10. Let's Do It
[4:11] 11. Bad Mudda Strutta

The legendary artist elliott chavers is no stranger to the music world. He has recorded over 300 songs, mainly jump blues, ballards, rhythm & blues. He has also performed with rockabilly groups. to name legendary artists that he has performed with it ranges from Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Clyde McPhatter, Jimmy Reed, and the list goes on. He has toured the european market more than once. he brings to you texas california style, straight ahead blues. He was a mainstay at the 5/4 ballroom, which he lead the house band backing too many artists to try to name.

Elliott Chavers Performs The Music Of Louis Jordan

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Jeff 'Tain' Watts - Bar Talk

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:28
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:20)  1. JC Is The Man (Part 1)
(8:37)  2. Vodville
(5:49)  3. Stevie In Rio
(9:52)  4. Mr. JJ
(6:06)  5. Side B
(8:16)  6. Kiss
(5:07)  7. JC Is The Man (Part 2 )
(5:31)  8. Laughin' & Talkin' (with Higg)
(8:05)  9. Tonality Of Atonement
(8:42) 10. ...Like The Rose

Now here’s a guy (and a group) that can play: Jeff “Tain” Watts, who is quite simply one hell of a drummer, is an artist growing in popularity but building impressive skill and power after having served as a supporting player for the likes of such prominent jazz masters as pianist McCoy Tyner and guitarist George Benson. In the terrific Bar Talk , working with Ravi Coltrane (tenor), David Budway (piano), James Genus (bass), Paul Bollenback (guitar) and Gregoire Maret (harmonica), Watts creates music that forgets to play it safe and the listeners are the beneficiaries. Adding to this pedigree are awesomely performing guest stars: Branford Marsalis, Micahel Brecker, Hiram Bullock, Robert Thomas, Jr., and Joey Calderazzo. Wow.

Watts and his group play not simply with vibrancy, but employ a virtuoso command of music that allows them to try new things, and do so with coherency and sheer command. In the constant varying of tempo changes and improvisational bravado alone, they deliver on the broken promises of their contemporaries in sustaining their invention all throughout rather than sparringly. There’s the kind of marvelously sloppy, anything-goes dexterity akin to Wayne Shorter in opening number “JC is The Man” (which JC Coltrane or the man upstairs are they referring to, one wonders), which is smoothly contrasted as soon as the third cut, “Stevie In Rio” (a Stevie Wonder tribute), which pays particular attention to Maret’s terrific use of harmonica and the quietly yet wonderfully lush guitar backbone provided by Bollenback. Budway’s very assured piano playing provides winning touches, and all throughout, Watts’ drumming unquestionably is the guiding force. That’s just one track, but you’ll find such attention to detail, clarity and invention in anything these boys play. 

Together as a team or separate as soloists, this crew is as about as promising and passionate as they come nowadays. Several tracks refreshingly break the five-minute mark (hey, regular pop rock rarely breaks the three minute barrier), and each cut manages to dip into some kind of jazz flavor, from the bluesy aura of “Side B,” to the genuine virtuosity of “Mr. JJ,” in which Ravi Coltrane’s saxophone is the highlight, conjuring up a passion and proficiency eerily similar to his father, all-time-great John Coltrane. Higher praise is not necessary. Helpful readers have informed the critic that "JC" refers to James Carter.  ~ Paul West https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bar-talk-jeff-tain-watts-columbia-records-review-by-paul-west.php

Personnel: Jeff "Tain" Watts (guitar) Ravi Coltrane (tenor) David Budway (piano) James Genus (bass) Paul Bollenback (guitar) Gregoire Maret (harmonica)

Bar Talk

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Budd Johnson - Budd Johnson And The Four Brass Giants

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:16
Size: 103,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. All My Love
(5:11)  2. Blue Lou
(8:08)  3. Trinity River Bottom
(4:22)  4. Driftwood
(6:56)  5. Blues For Lester (Memories Of Lester Young, Part 1)
(6:41)  6. The Message (Memories Of Lester Young, Part 2)
(4:16)  7. Dont't Blame Me
(4:33)  8. I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)

Put simply and succinctly this is a brass lover’s dream! The fact that you get the hard swinging and under-recognized Budd Johnson as part of the package makes it damn near essential. Originally the brainchild of Nat Adderly’s brother (“Cannonball” anyone?), Johnson took the arranger’s helm at an early stage of the project and devised a program of tunes with the preeminent four-pronged phalanx of soloists squarely in mind. He succeeds superlatively with an exciting blend of standards and originals for the quartet of brassmen to blow over. Nance and Edison, veterans of the and Basie Orchestras respectively start the engines at full throttle on a blistering reading of “All of My Love.” Terry and Adderly soon follow and Johnson weaves tensile lines between all four. What’s even better is that none of the players are shy about hoisting their mutes, hats and plungers and each man continually creates all manner of slurs, stops and smears across the majority of tunes. Combined with the inviting medley of brass instruments favored by the four, from the tart prickle of trumpet to the rounded caress of flugelhorn, the possible sonic variations are many.  Considering the width of the horn section the rhythm section necessarily takes on a secondary role, but with Flanagan and Jones alternating on piano and the solidly supportive rhythmic accompaniment of Benjamin and Lovelle the brass heavy group is in good hands. Flanagan takes the first two and final two tracks and Jones handles piano chores on the middle four which are all Johnson originals. “Trinity River Bottom” evokes the fertile bluesy soil of a Texas tributary through a turbid turn by Terry with a plunger and Adderly playing a piercing cornet. Nance switches to violin on “Driftwood” for a solo that is both bucolic and lyrical in conception with gentle counterpoint from the remaining brass and Benjamin’s ruddy bowed bass. The two-part “Memories of Lester Young” is largely a feature for Johnson who offers his mentor a fittingly swinging memoir by playing off the best aspects of Young’s style while still remaining true to his own sound. The brass players all blow open horns and follow largely the same solo order on both parts without once lapsing into monotony. After a boisterous beginning the band settles into a leisurely swing on “Don’t Blame Me” and Nance’s stirring violin solo generates one of the most moving moments of the entire disc. A vivacious version of “I’ll Get By” takes things out in suitably up-beat mood and features cogent closing statements from both Adderly and Edison. Anyone with an affinity for the pleasures of jazz brass should cease reading this review, dish out the cash and procure a copy of this all-star summit conference as quickly as finances permit. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/and-the-four-brass-giants-budd-johnson-fantasy-jazz-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Budd Johnson- tenor saxophone; Nat Adderly- cornet; Harry Edison-trumpet; Ray Nance- trumpet, violin; Clark Terry- trumpet, flugelhorn; Jimmy Jones- piano; Tommy Flanagan- piano; Joe Benjamin- double bass; Herb Lovelle- drums.

Budd Johnson And The Four Brass Giants

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Walt Dickerson - Vibes In Motion

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:16
Size: 147,2 MB
Art: Front

(16:26)  1. Unity
(17:23)  2. High Moon
( 2:47)  3. Theme From Lawrence Of Arabia
( 5:09)  4. That Is The Desert
( 3:55)  5. Motif From Overture Part I
( 3:47)  6. Motif From Overture Part II
( 2:21)  7. Arrival At Auda's Camp
( 4:36)  8. Nefud Mirage Part I
( 4:20)  9. Nefud Mirage Part II
( 3:27) 10. The Voice Of The Guns

In the early 1960s, when Dickerson first emerged on the scene, a number of musicians had already arrived at the conclusion that bebop, which had dominated jazz for two decades, was an increasingly inadequate system out of which to make a music that could embody the tensions, dangers, revelations and liberated energies of the times. His music, while not nearly as radical in its departures and explorations as, say, the music of Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman, certainly places him among the significant contributors to the jazz revolution of his era. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Vibes-Motion-Walt-Dickerson/dp/B000ENWIBM

?Personnel:  Walt Dickerson (vib), Walter Davis Jr., Austin Crowe (p), George Tucker, Henry Grimes (b), Edgar Bateman, Andrew Cyrille (d).               

Vibes In Motion

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Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra - Not So Dukish

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:13
Size: 85.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:56] 1. M. H. R.
[2:44] 2. Broadway Babe
[2:22] 3. Three And Six
[7:50] 4. Not So Dukish
[3:23] 5. Central Park Swing
[8:25] 6. Preacher Blues
[3:36] 7. Jeep Bounced Back
[2:55] 8. The Last Time I Saw Paris

Roy Eldridge, Ray Nance (tp), Lawrence Brown (tb), Johnny Hodges (as), Ben Webster (ts), Billy Strayhorn (p), Jimmy Woode (b) and Sam Woodyard (d). Recorded in New York City, on September 10, 1958.

As Duke Ellington's altoist during 1928-51 and 1955-70, Johnny Hodges became world famous and beloved by jazz fans. His luscious tone and melodic style on ballads, blues and swing tunes was highly influential, making him the top altoist (along with Benny Carter) before the rise of Charlie Parker. Hodges led quite a few sessions of his own along the way,. During 1951-55 broke away from Ellington to lead his own combo, before returning for another 15 years.

Not So Dukish is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances recorded in 1958 and released on the Verve label.

Not So Dukish

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Julien Lourau - Saigon Quartet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:33
Size: 161.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:56] 1. Diaspora
[7:13] 2. Walking On Water
[1:34] 3. Saigon (Intro)
[8:22] 4. Saigon
[7:55] 5. Angels
[6:34] 6. Baron Samedi
[7:58] 7. Nico
[8:40] 8. Around The Corner
[6:16] 9. Workship
[5:06] 10. Cinquecento
[5:54] 11. A House Is Not A Home

Saxophonist Julian Lourau was born and bred in Marseilles where he still lives. He grew up listening to a wide range of influential saxophone players among them Sonny Rollins, Sidney Bechet, Steve Lacy, Julius Hemphill and Stanley Turrentine. Stylistically they’re a diverse bunch that perhaps come together in Wayne Shorter, still Lourau’s primary influence. Certainly elements of Shorter’s style can be heard in Lourau’s own playing and the Frenchman cites Shorter’s classic “Speak No Evil” as the model for his own work.

Since coming to prominence in the early 90’s Lourau has worked with the groups Trash Corporation and Groove gang and has toured with Marc Ducret, Henri Texier, Abbey Lincoln, Vincent Courtois, Magic Malik, Jeff Sharrell and Ari Hoenig. He is a regular collaborator with Paris based pianist Bojan Z whose album with his own Tetraband “Humus” is reviewed elsewhere on this site.

“Quartet Saigon” features another of Lourau’s keyboard partners the pianist Laurent Coq. The two have worked together for twenty years and divide the compositional credits equally on “Quartet Saigon” with five tunes each. The closing track is a version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “A House Is Not A Home” that slots in perfectly with the mood of the rest of the album. The quartet take their name from the city in which they first played in 2007. The New York based Thomas Bramerie (double bass) and Otis Brown III (drums) complete the line up and the group has toured extensively since it’s beginnings. The album was recorded in December 2008 and is a good summation of the group’s abilities. Much of the music features Lourau’s probing but frequently lyrical soprano as on his own “Diaspora” which opens the record. There are plenty of interesting musical ideas on this album with Coq making a particularly strong contribution. This is exciting, convincing contemporary quartet jazz. ~Ian Mann

Saigon Quartet

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The Ventures - 2 albums: The Ventures / The Ventures Play The Country Classics

Album: The Ventures
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:57
Size: 59.4 MB
Styles: Instrumental rock
Year: 1961/2016
Art: Front

[2:14] 1. The Shuck
[1:21] 2. Detour
[1:41] 3. Ram-Bunk-Shush
[2:03] 4. Hawaiian War Chant (Ta-Hu-Wa-Hu-Wai)
[2:02] 5. Perfidia
[3:11] 6. Harlem Nocturne
[2:37] 7. Blue Tango
[2:03] 8. Ups 'n' Downs
[1:48] 9. Lonesome Town
[2:03] 10. Torquay
[1:40] 11. Wailin'
[3:08] 12. The Moon Of Manakoora

The Ventures' 1961 self-titled sophomore LP is a twangy, country-influenced album that builds upon the band's superb 1960 debut, Walk Don't Run. Most the songs here are midtempo numbers with a few uptempo rockers that stand out. As one of the few albums in the Ventures' discography that is not thematically titled, it showcases the band's knack for tackling stylistically diverse music in a way that makes it all sound like Ventures music. ~AMG

The Ventures

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Album: The Ventures Play The Country Classics
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:19
Size: 64.8 MB
Styles: Instrumental rock
Year: 1963/2016
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. Panhandle Rag
[2:45] 2. Wabash Cannonball
[2:23] 3. San Antonio Rose
[2:25] 4. I Walk The Line
[2:03] 5. Wildwood Flower
[2:50] 6. I Can't Stop Loving You
[2:17] 7. Lovesick Blues
[2:08] 8. Steel Guitar Rag
[2:26] 9. You Are My Sunshine
[2:34] 10. Oh, Lonesome Me
[1:48] 11. Sugarfoot Rag
[2:24] 12. Born To Lose

Freed from the constraints inherent in Top 40 music or perhaps invigorated by the strong country vocal melodies, Ventures guitarist Nokie Edwards tears through The Ventures Play the Country Classics, sounding like Jimmy Bryant, albeit one slightly less speed conscious. Following Ray Charles' success with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, it's no surprise that the Ventures tackle "Born to Lose" and "I Can't Stop Loving You," though the other Don Gibson cover, "Oh, Lonesome Me," is more inspired. Lest anyone be worried, they also rip through standard country & western instrumentals, including "Sugarfoot Rag" and "Steel Guitar Rag." The Ventures Play the Country Classics is a bit of an oddity in the Ventures' catalog, but one worth searching out. ~Kurt Edwards

The Ventures Play The Country Classics

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Diane Daly - I Ain't Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:50
Size: 93.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. This Can't Be Love
[3:02] 2. Four Seasons In One Day
[5:11] 3. My Foolish Heart
[4:17] 4. Don't Touch Me
[4:13] 5. Poetry Man
[4:50] 6. Some Other Spring
[4:08] 7. Them There Eyes
[4:14] 8. I Ain't Blue
[4:01] 9. Close Your Eyes
[4:03] 10. This Nearly Was Mine

I Ain’t Blue is a collection of jazz standards and contemporary compositions, encompassing a variety of musical influences from Billy Holiday to Phoebe Snow. As her producer, Wayne Wilentz, writes in the liner notes – The eclecticism of this CD is a paean to Diane’s versatility. It isn’t easy to cover Rogers and Hammerstein and Crowded House in the same recording and make it sound seamless – but that is exactly what she has done. Having lived an adventuresome life, dappled with wild and wonderful encounters - musical or otherwise, Diane knew she wanted to create an album that would capture all she’s learned about life and music.

After some time on her own in the Bahamas, Diane returned to the DC area in 1984 and began music studies at Montgomery College. Shortly after finishing, she followed her heart to Australia where she explored another world of music that wasn’t apparent from her pervious setting. A dozen years later, Diane returned to the Washington DC area and re-initiated vocal studies, this time with renowned jazz artists Ronnie Wells and Ron Elliston. From there, the door to the jazz world was graciously opened, with finest music (and musicians) beckoning her to come in and play along. Diane has now embarked on a course of graduate study in music education to help perpetuate the music that opened her soul.

Having had the opportunity to play and work with many notable musicians has left an indelible impression on Diane’s music. Apart from the players on her record, others include: the Eric Byrd Trio, Collector’s Edition, Mark Cook, Bill Potts, St Matthew’s Cathedral Choir, Rebecca Parris, Tony Backhouse, Coco’s Lunch, Jean Paul Wabotai, the Acapella group - Woyaya, the Kabaret Kamikazi ensemble, Project Natale, the Chris Grasso Trio, Ricky Loza, John Jensen, David Jernigan and Bob Price…… to name but a few. Diane knows how blessed she is to have had the opportunity to record an album with hand-picked musicians, the songs of her choice and a genuine support for her artistic sense. The deep emotional connection to the music is apparent from the first notes. The sentiments that unfold from there come at the listener, straight from the heart.

I Ain't Blue

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Jeff 'Tain' Watts - Detained At The Blue Note

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:53
Size: 164,3 MB
Art: Front

(13:47)  1. 107 Steps
(10:56)  2. JC Is The Man
(11:54)  3. Mr. JJ
(19:03)  4. Sigmund Groid
(15:10)  5. ...Like The Rose

On Detained at the Blue Note , Jeff "Tain" Watts' first live outing as a leader, the effusive drummer lets loose with one of the most unrestrained performances he's ever released. Watts' uninhibited style of drumming is best heard in the intimate club setting in which this disc was recorded. The outgoing Tain is inspired by the interaction with a live audience and the listeners respond in kind as the music escalates in intensity, delivering climax after climax to their roaring approval. Opening with Bjork's "107 Steps," the quintet featuring saxophonist Marcus Strickland, pianist Dave Kikoski, guitarist David Gilmour and bassist Eric Revis engage in a liberated dance on the Latinish line, driven relentlessly by the leader's inexorable rhythms. The date's other four tracks reinvent Watts' compositions from his earlier studio dates. "JC Is The Man" from Bar Talk is appropriately a dedication to a former Zinc Bar mixologist (Jean Claude) and not John Coltrane, although the music is most certainly, like most of Watts' compositions, Trane influenced. The group bookends the song with a good-humored vocal chorus; in between they settle into a groove with Gilmore's guitar and Kikoski's keyboards setting a more Milesian mode. 

Watts introduces the "powerful and soulful" Kenny Garrett, who joins the band for "Mr. JJ," raising the excitement level another point with a passionate Coltrane-Sanders inspired solo that culminates in an electrifying duet with the explosive Watts. Strickland holds his own on tenor, once again proving that he is the leading up-and-coming saxophonist on the scene today. Citizen Tain's "Sigmund Groid" receives a thorough treatment on a nineteen-minute examination of Watts' thoughtful melody, featuring a searing extended solo by Garrett. The closing "Like The Rose," a moving ballad by Watts, begins with a beautiful bluesy piano prelude from Kikoski that introduces the leader's vocal recitation of his lyrics, which are almost Shakespearean in their romanticism. Garrett and Gilmore get downright funky on the body of the tune, gamboling joyously over a Tain backbeat that spirals into a whirlwind that drives Gilmore's guitar and Kikoski's keyboards into a frolicking frenzy before returning to the tune's tender words. Few live dates succeed on the level of this one. Watts' ability to capture the hearts and souls of listeners with music that remains uncompromising in its creativity is a shining example to all who aspire to reach a wider audience without sacrificing their integrity. ~ Russ Moto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/detained-at-the-blue-note-jeff-tain-watts-half-note-records-review-by-russ-musto.php

Personnel: Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums, vocal), Kenny Garrett (alto saxophone), Dave Kikoski (piano, synthesizer), Eric Revis (bass), David Gilmore (guitar), Marcus Strickland (tenor saxophone)

Detained At The Blue Note

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Irene Reid - I Ain't Doing Too Bad

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:07
Size: 105,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. What Now My Love
(5:09)  2. I Ain't Doing Too Bad
(5:23)  3. All My Tomorrows
(4:43)  4. Sweet Lotus Blossom
(4:10)  5. Your Mind Is On Vacation
(6:20)  6. Once There Lived A Fool
(6:33)  7. Walking On A Tightrope
(8:36)  8. More Today Than Yesterday

At age 65, Irene Reid sounds quite good on I Ain't Doing Too Bad, her second comeback CD. Organist Charles Earland joins in with his group, trumpeter James Rotundi and tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander solo with their usual marvelous aplomb, and guitarist Bob DeVos and drummer Greg Rockingham fill in the rhythmic cracks nicely. Reid's voice is an even mix of the cute sassiness of Helen Humes and the soulful fullness of Etta Jones. Her predilection, or even forte, leans toward groove-oriented versions of pop tunes, which Earland is also known for interpreting; the hard charging "What Now My Love?" and the eight-plus minute "I Love You More Today Than Yesterday" are perfect examples, Earland stretching the latter's bridge with his always burning or staggered phrase B-3 solo. Better choices include the Mose Allison warhorse "Your Mind Is on Vacation" and a clever blues waltz treatment of the Stevie Ray Vaughan-Doyle Bramhall tune that Johnny Adams did to death: "Walkin' on a Tightrope." Where Adams was smouldering, Reid is simply cool. "Sweet Lotus Blossom" features Alexander's ripe tenor, while Rotundi's shades background silhouettes during the ballad "All My Tomorrows." DeVos varies from steely lines for his solo on the title track, or goes Wes Montgomery for the regret filled, seemingly autobiographical "Once There Lived a Fool." Able to turn on a dime from hopeful to sorrowful, Reid is as convincing a singer as she is talented. Hopefully a few more chestnuts like this one will spring forth before she's done. Biggest regret: the CD is just short of 46-minutes in length. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-aint-doing-too-bad-mw0000602940 

Personnel: Irene Reid (vocals); Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); James Rotondi (trumpet); Charles Earland (Hammond B-3 organ); Bob DeVos (guitar); Greg Rockingham (drums).             

I Ain't Doing Too Bad

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Frank Morgan - Listen To The Dawn

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:37
Size: 121,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:57)  1. Listen To The Dawn
(4:48)  2. Grooveyard
(9:04)  3. Remembering
(5:05)  4. Little Waltz
(5:00)  5. It Might As Well Be Spring
(9:07)  6. When Joanna Loved Me
(6:48)  7. I Didn't Know About You
(4:45)  8. Goodbye

Listen to the Dawn is a rare example of Frank Morgan recording an entire album without a pianist. The veteran alto saxophonist, who was only two weeks away from his 60th birthday when this post-bop/be bop CD was recorded, evidently wanted to try something a bit different and it was a move that paid off creatively. Whether he's forming an intimate duo with guitarist Kenny Burrell or forming a quartet with Burrell, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate, Morgan fares quite well without a pianist. This isn't an album of fast tempos and high-speed aggression from Burrell offerings like "Listen to the Dawn" and "Remembering" to highly personal interpretations of Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye," Duke Ellington's "I Didn't Know About You" (which becomes a sexy bossa nova), and the standard "It Might as Well Be Spring," Morgan is especially introspective and really takes time to reflect. This compelling CD should not be missed. 

~ Alex Hendersn https://www.allmusic.com/album/listen-to-the-dawn-mw0000113303

Personnel: Frank Morgan (alto saxophone); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ron Carter (acoustic bass); Grady Tate (drums).

Listen To The Dawn

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Tom Harrell - Sail Away

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 58:49
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:54)  1. Yesterdays
(9:37)  2. Sail Away
(8:56)  3. Gratitude
(6:01)  4. Glass Mystery
(7:30)  5. Coral Sea
(9:36)  6. Buffalo Wings
(8:13)  7. Sticky Wicket

A highly gifted jazz soloist, Tom Harrell is generally considered one of the top trumpeters of his generation, known for his sophisticated harmonic approach that combines the the power of Clifford Brown with the lyricism of Chet Baker and Art Farmer. Born in Urbana, Illinois in 1946, Harrell grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he first started playing trumpet around age eight. By his teens, he was gigging locally and eventually graduated from Stanford University with a music composition degree. After college, he joined the Stan Kenton Orchestra, touring with the ensemble until 1969. He then spent time in Woody Herman's big band before joining pianist Horace Silver's quintet. He made his recorded debut with Silver, appearing on a handful of albums throughout the mid- to late '70s. Also during this period, he moved to New York, where he found work playing and/or recording with such luminaries as Cecil Payne, Bill Evans, Lee Konitz, and many others. He also made his debut as a leader, releasing Aurora in 1976, followed by Mind's Ear in 1978. During the '80s, Harrell's profile rose even further as he joined the Phil Woods Quintet, with whom he toured and recorded for much of the decade. He also continued to grow as a solo artist, releasing a steady flow of increasingly well-regarded albums, including 1984's Play of Light, 1985's Moon Alley, 1987's Open Air, and 1989's Lonely Eyes.  The '90s were also a fruitful period for the trumpeter, as he appeared on albums with Joe Lovano, Steve Swallow, Charlie Haden, and others. He also delivered several more well-received albums for smaller labels, including 1990's Form on Contemporary and 1991's Passages on Chesky, before landing at RCA for 1996's Labyrinth, the latter of which found him joined by tenor saxophonist Don Braden, pianist Kenny Werner, and others in quintet, nonet, and tentet settings.

Subsequent RCA outings showcased more experimentation, as Harrell explored Brazilian sounds on 1998's Art of Rhythm, displayed his knack for big-band arranging on 1999's Time's Mirror (for which he received a Grammy nomination), and framed himself with strings on 2001's Paradise.  A concert album, Live at the Village Vanguard, followed on Bluebird in 2002, and featured Harrell's quintet with saxophonist Jimmy Greene, bassist Ugonna Okegwo, pianist Xavier Davis, and drummer Quincy Davis. He then delivered a studio effort for Bluebird, 2003's Wise Children, which found him working with a well-curated cadre of vocalists including Dianne Reeves, Jane Monheit, Claudia Acuña, and Cassandra Wilson.  In 2007, Harrell moved to HighNote and released Light On, which featured his quintet with tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Ugonna Okegwo, and drummer Johnathan Blake. Since then, he has largely stuck with the same ensemble, delivering a highly regarded run of albums for HighNote including the atmospheric 2009 release Prana Dance, 2010's Roman Nights, and the similarly expansive The Time of the Sun. The aptly titled Number Five followed in 2012. In 2013, Harrell assembled a piano-less ensemble featuring bassist Esperanza Spalding for Colors of a Dream. He then shifted this group again, forming a quartet with saxophonist Mark Turner for 2014's Trip. A year later, he explored reworkings of classical compositions by Debussy, Ravel, and others on the orchestral-tinged First Impressions, followed by Something Gold, Something Blue with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire in 2016. In 2017, Harrell delivered the quartet date Moving Picture, featuring pianist Grissett, bassist Okegwo, and drummer Adam Cruz. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-harrell-mn0000605535/biography

?Personnel:  Tom Harrell (trumpet); Kenny Werner (piano); Paul Imm (bass); Andre Ceccarelli (drums).                                                                                             

Sail Away

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Avishai Cohen - Cross My Palm with Silver

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:40
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:20)  1. Will I Die, Miss Will I Die
( 5:24)  2. Theme for Jimmy Greene
( 3:51)  3. 340 Down
(12:09)  4. Shoot Me in the Leg
( 6:55)  5. 50 Years and Counting

If trumpeter Avishai Cohen's ECM debut, Into The Silence was a work of deeply personal content, Cross My Palm With Silver plays out with the same emotional impact, but on a global stage. Cohen composed the five pieces on this album in his native Israel, while contemplating the impact of political division on the human psyche. His hope is that the music contributes to a healing process.

Returning from Into The Silence quintet is drummer Nasheet Waits, a member of Cohen's Triveni group and whose close ties to the leader make for a seamless synergy. A long-time collaborator, pianist Yonathan Avishai, had also played with Cohen and his two siblings (multi-reedist Anat Cohen and saxophonist brother, Yuval) in their namesake trio. Replacing Eric Revis on bass is Barak Mori, a friend dating back to high school. Bori has most recently appeared on Madeleine Peyroux's Secular Hymns (Verve, 2016). The sound if not the sentiment on Cross My Palm With Silver is quite a bit different in comparison to the previous album which included tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry. "Will I Die, Miss? Will I Die?" opens with Cohen's mournful muted trumpet, Avishai quietly adding background color while Waits brushes the cymbals. At more than ten minutes, Avishai and Cohen have the space to trade leads taking the piece to its forlorn conclusion. In a halting manner, Waits and Avishai usher in "Theme for Jimmy Greene" setting up for Cohen's evocative response. The piece builds up to a dramatic swell then ends reflectively.

"340 Down" opens minimally with haunting trumpet, augmented by Waits light touch before Bori and Cohen layer in a more complex textures. Avishai's extended solo with an off-kilter classicism begins "Shoot Me in The Leg," the most abstract of the compositions on the album. Another long piece, it closes with a haunting solo from Cohen. "50 Years and Counting" closes the album with an upbeat theme and Cohen playing at his freest. Cross My Palm with Silver has a political point to make, reflecting the turmoil of the Middle East and global conflicts elsewhere. Titles like "Will I Die, Miss? Will I Die?" and "Shoot Me In The Leg" are testimonials to that effect. There remains an otherworldliness in much of Cohen's music whether elevating or affecting and he importantly, avoids saccharine effects in conveying powerful emotions. ~ Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cross-my-palm-with-silver-avishai-cohen-ecm-records-review-by-karl-ackermann.php
 

Personnel: Avishai Cohen: trumpet; Yonathan Avishai: piano; Barak Mori: double bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

Cross My Palm with Silver

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