David Benoit & Gregg Bissonette, Brian Bromberg - Great Composers Of Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:54
Size: 120,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Brother Go To Mothers
(4:00)  2. Cute
(6:01)  3. Django
(4:11)  4. Blue Rondo a La Turk
(4:40)  5. Some Other Time
(4:57)  6. Cakewalk
(6:02)  7. Stardust
(4:05)  8. Straight No Chaser
(5:14)  9. I Loves You Porgy
(7:27) 10. Waltz For Debby

The newly formed Vertical Jazz Records debuts with an attractive, six-CD series of straightahead trio, quartet and quintet recordings showcasing top West Coast jazz artists, many of whom had never recorded together before. Because these musicians have leaned toward pop-jazz or pursued unidentified studio work, they may surprise you with their stunning straightahead remakes of standards. These sessions, recorded under direction of executive producer/president Suzanne Severini last spring at Ocean Way Recording Studios in Hollywood, prove the label is off to a strong start. In their scintillating 10-tune tribute to the piano trio tradition of Bill Evans, The Great Composers of Jazz, pianist David Benoit, bassist Bromberg and drummer Bissonette deliver polished versions of warhorse standards. Highlights include a rousing take on Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo La Turk,” a lovely reading of the Modern Jazz Quartet classic, “Django” and a sweeping version of Evans’ most famous composition, “Waltz for Debbie.” Bromberg’s 280-year-old bass adds sonorously to the session, especially when he plays the head on “Straight, No Chaser.” Included are provocative remakes of Oscar Peterson’s “Cakewalk,” Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust,” Neal Hefti’s “Cute” and more. ~ Nancy Ann Lee https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/david-benoitgreg-bissonettebrian-bromberg-the-great-composers-of-jazz/

Personnel:  David Benoit (Piano); Brian Bromberg (Bass); Gregg Bissonette (Drums).

Great Composers Of Jazz

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Herbie Mann - Eastern European Roots

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:12
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

( 1:24)  1. Ayla
( 7:02)  2. Gypsy Jazz
( 6:08)  3. Gelem Gelem
( 8:09)  4. Balalaika Love Song
( 4:05)  5. A Dance At The Rise Of The Moon
(10:31)  6. Jelek
( 5:12)  7. Bucavina
( 5:59)  8. Passing Through
( 1:40)  9. Foreign Village
( 7:40) 10. Magyar Dreams
( 6:19) 11. Sera

The legendary flutist has traversed a lot of unique musical terrain in his lifetime, from Brazilian and Latin to Japanese, jazz, and soul. Yet until now he never explored the deeper roots of his heritage, which his liner notes explain are Eastern European and Jewish. He says that some previous attempts to convey the essence of those beginnings have resulted in dark and heavy "suffering" pieces, but here he finds the joys amidst the pain. He mixes six originals with many traditional songs. "Gypsy Jazz" explores a little mysticism with its steady marching drumbeat, some Middle Eastern percussion elements, and an explosive improvisational conversation between his lively flute and Gil Goldstein's accordion. "Balalaika Love Song" is equally mystical, with the distant mandolin of Geoff Mann echoing a darker flute and acoustic guitar meditation. Geoff Mann composed the lively jig-like "A Dance at the Rise of the Moon," which celebrates life rather than focusing on some of the darker elements of life for the Jews of that region. Essentially, it's a collection of mood swings reflecting various elements that can apply to all cultures. For years, his legacy has been doing that for every culture but his own, and now the journey comes beautifully full circle. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/eastern-european-roots-mw0000660508
 

Personnel:   Herbie Mann - alto flute, c flute, flute;   Bruce Dunlap - guitar;   Alexander Fedoriouk - cimbalom;   Gil Goldstein - accordion;  Geoff Mann - drums, percussion, mandolin;  Paul Socolow - bass

Eastern European Roots

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Ralph Towner - City of Eyes

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:29
Size: 163,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Jamaica Stopover
(6:51)  2. Cascades
(6:14)  3. Les Douzilles
(4:14)  4. City of Eyes
(2:36)  5. Sipping the past
(4:26)  6. Far Cry
(3:24)  7. Janet
(5:06)  8. Sustained Release
(4:43)  9. Tundra
(5:36) 10. Blue Gown

Ralph Towner breaks out in more ways than one on City of Eyes. Despite his band Oregon's lagging creative slump and his own obsession with a synthesizer he is only beginning to learn how to "play," Towner cuts some new grooves on this set with an all-star cast. New to Towner's musical universe is drummer/percussionist Jerry Granelli and brass auteur Markus Stockhausen. Even Paul McCandless who has spent the better part of the '80s making new age albums doesn't muck things up this time out. The opener, "Jamaica Stopover," is Towner's freshest solo guitar piece in ages. It's slippery, has a groove, and is actually rooted in both the blues and gypsy swing. The first ensemble piece, "Cascades," sounds a little florid at the outset, but Granelli's percussive ambience is a cure for the rococo melody (it again reeks of Offramp-period Pat Metheny-ism). Towner kicks it into classical gear on "Les Douzilles," before moving into a hot improv duet with Gary Peacock, who believe it plays his bass like a guitarist. The fretwork by Towner and the pizzicato by Peacock are among the most intricate, complex, and purely "musical" duets in recent history between the two instruments. This is where Towner shines, when challenged by a musician equal to, or greater than, his own abilities. The entire ensemble plays together on only three selections, the aforementioned "Cascades," the title track, and "Tundra." On the title track the music shifts modally from one series of chamber jazz timbres to another; mood and tempo relentless move throughout the piece's first five minutes, giving a feeling as if it is a free improv piece one moment and something strictly composed for rhythm and meter the next. Harmonically, Towner pianistically creates intervals that offer shades and colors of ambient-like texture. He extends the musical reach of Peacock's bass role by making it of primary importance to the work's lyrical line and its role in the "free" sections. On "Tundra," the focus is on Towner as musical interloper, connecting each player's lines with his riveting 12-string work. The melody comes from minor, augmented chords. Granelli stays in the pocket, painting over the guitar with bells and chimes, but the others engage Towner separately. Stockhausen's contribution is especially noteworthy, as he punctuates each short guitar line with a long, beautiful phrase that is an extended tonality from that of the guitar. In essence, City of Eyes shows Ralph Towner as a musical explorer again, a composer and instrumentalist who can persuasively create aural travelogues through time, space, and terrain. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/city-of-eyes-mw0000200227

Personnel:  Ralph Towner — twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer;  Markus Stockhausen — trumpet, piccolo trumpet, fluegelhorn;  Paul McCandless — oboe, English horn;  Gary Peacock — bass;  Jerry Granelli — drums, electronic drums

City of Eyes

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Roland Hanna - Duke Ellington Piano Solos

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:31
Size: 107,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. In My Solitude
(4:49)  2. Something to Live For
(3:44)  3. In a Sentimental Mood
(2:48)  4. Portrait of Bert Williams
(5:19)  5. Warm Valley
(2:02)  6. Isfahan
(4:41)  7. Single Petal of a Rose
(7:04)  8. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(4:08)  9. Reflections in D
(2:30) 10. Come Sunday
(4:10) 11. Caravan

For lovers of solo jazz piano, this Roland Hanna disc offers one of the most consistently enjoyable 46 minutes of music to be heard. Over the ten Ellington selections here (with the addition of Billy Strayhorn's "Isfahan"), Hanna finely works the subtle phrasing and singing tone he once plied in Mingus' band and perfected on many solo outings during the '70s and '80s. An appropriately introspective version of "In My Solitude" opens the program, setting the tone for this intimate and, at times, meditative consideration of some Ellington's finest pieces. Other ballad highlights include a hushed and melancholic "In a Sentimental Mood," as well as delicate and spacious readings of "Single Petal of a Rose" and "Isfahan." Hanna enlivens the mood a bit on choice, medium-tempo renditions of "Portrait of Bert Williams" and the Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration "Something to Live For," demonstrating his easygoing, stride-piano technique in the process. In somewhat stark contrast to the rest of the set, Hanna also includes an engagingly abstract rendition of "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," rendering the familiar, blues-tinged theme almost unrecognizable. Hanna ends the set in upbeat fashion with a bravura performance of "Caravan." Bolstered by excellent sound, this top-notch set is a must for Hanna enthusiasts and highly recommended to all fans of straight-ahead jazz. ~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/duke-ellington-piano-solos-mw0000262780

Duke Ellington Piano Solos

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Les McCann - Les McCann Ltd. In San Francisco

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 144,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Oh, Them Golden Gates
(8:31)  2. Red Sails In The Sunset
(7:05)  3. Big Jim
(5:01)  4. I Am In Love
(6:22)  5. Jeepers Creepers
(6:20)  6. Gone On And Get That Church
(1:26)  7. We'll See Yaw'll After While, Ya Heah
(6:17)  8. Frankie And Johnnie
(7:50)  9. Medley: But Beautiful/It Could Happen To You
(4:26) 10. Taking A Chance On Love
(4:14) 11. Love Letters

Les McCann Ltd. in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Jazz Workshop was recorded in December of 1960 and released in 1961 on the Pacific Jazz label. Backing his piano were bassist Herbie Flowers and drummer Ron Jefferson. The original LP of this date featured seven selections only about half of the entire gig. This Fresh Sound reissue contains four more tracks, bringing the total to 11. The LP included four McCann compositions, and while the additional tracks are all standards, they do include a very fine arrangement of "Frankie and Johnnie" and a medley of Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen's "But Beautiful" and "It Could Happen to You," as well as "Taking a Chance on Love" and "Love Letters." What's remarkable about these last four standards is just how seamlessly McCann and company weave them into their early hard bop cum soul-jazz style, with blues, gospel, and pop all brought out in equal measure. The performance is wonderful. That said, given that this is a Fresh Sound release, don't expect a pristine remastering job. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/les-mccann-ltd-in-san-francisco-recorded-live-at-the-jazz-workshop-complete-recordings-mw0002325957

Personnel:  Les McCann - piano;  Herbie Lewis - bass;  Ron Jefferson - drums

Les McCann Ltd. In San Francisco

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Randy Weston - The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:21
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

( 3:21)  1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 1
(10:48)  2. The Healers
(17:16)  3. African Cookbook
( 6:43)  4. La Elaha-Ella Allah/Morad Allah
( 6:12)  5. The Call

Pianist Randy Weston and arranger Melba Liston had a musical reunion on this special double-CD, their first joint project since 1973's Tanjah. Liston's charts for the pianist's ten originals perfectly fit Weston's adventurous style and the twelve-piece group (which includes three percussionists) is filled with highly individual voices including the tenors of Billy Harper and Dewey Redman. With trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders making guest appearances and Randy Weston heard at the peak of his powers, this is a highly recommended set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-spirits-of-our-ancestors-mw0000276414

Personnel:  Randy Weston - piano (not on 4);  Idrees Sulieman - trumpet (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet (on 9);  Benny Powell - trombone (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Talib Kibwe - flute, alt sax (on 2,5,6,7,9);  Billy Harper - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Dewey Redman - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax, gaita (on 3 >8);  Alex Blake - bass (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9);  Jamil Nasser - bass (on 2,3,4,5,6,8,9);  Idris Muhammad - drums (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9);  Azzedin Weston - percussion (on 2,3,4,6,9);  Big Black - percussion (on 3,5,6,7,8,9);  Yassir Chadly - percussion, karkaba, vocal (on 4 >8)

The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 1

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Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 2

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 62:11

Size: 142,6 MB

( 8:30)  1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 2

(16:28)  2. The Seventh Queen

(12:01)  3. Blue Moses

(19:54)  4. African Sunrise

( 5:16)  5. A Prayer for Us All

R.I.P.

Born:  April 6, 1926

Died:  September 1, 2018

The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 2

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Will Boulware - A Night in Tunisia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:59
Size: 119,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. A Night in Tunisia
(6:08)  2. The Breeze and I
(6:45)  3. Yesterdays
(3:42)  4. Cleopatra's Dream
(4:07)  5. If I were a Bell
(5:22)  6. Easy
(6:35)  7. What'd I say
(5:59)  8. Pensive
(5:56)  9. The Fruit
(3:49) 10. Build UP

Will Boulware was born in Bardstown, Kentucky. His father played the guitar and sang cowboy songs and his mother still sings very well. The Boulware family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina then Atlanta, Georgia where Will started playing the piano at age five. At age 10, Will bought a set of drums and formed his first group “Wee Willy & The Winks” in which he played drums doing surf music until 13 when he traded in the drums for his first electric keyboard and started to listen to Jimmy Smith and his father’s Erroll Garner and Dave Brubeck records. When he was fourteen, he was already in an R&B group performing. He also played the organ in a trio he formed and started performing his own compositions. By 1972, his songs were recorded by B.B. King. In 1973, he went to New York where he mainly worked doing recording sessions in commercial field. In the 80’s, Will lived in California doing some solo piano gigs and working with guitarists such as Scott Henderson, Phil Upchurch and Ron Eschete. By 1990, Will moved back to NYC where he started working with the late Phyllis Hyman and still doing some session work before starting in 1993, a 10-year organ stint with saxophonist Maceo Parker and touring with The Blues Brothers (1998), John Scofield (1999) and Carla Bley (2000). He also performed on Rodney Jones recordings and others. http://willboulware.com/bio/

Personnel:    Will Boulware, piano;  Harvey Mason, drums;  Lonnie Plaxico, acoustic bass;  Richard Bona, electric bass

A Night in Tunisia

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Cat Anderson and The Ellington All Stars - Ellingtonia

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:02
Size: 69,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Between Some Place, Goin' No Place
(4:34)  2. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(2:43)  3. The Mexican Bandit
(4:17)  4. Lovelinessence
(3:03)  5. Accen'tuate
(4:20)  6. Chelsea Bridge
(3:43)  7. Summertime
(3:41)  8. Like, Dig

Cat Anderson was arguably the greatest high-note trumpeter of all time. His solo on "Satin Doll" from Duke Ellington's 70th Birthday Concert is a perfectly coherent chorus consisting of notes that are so high that it is doubtful if another trumpeter from all of jazz history could hit more than one or two. He first learned trumpet while at the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston and toured with the Carolina Cotton Pickers, a group in which he made his recording debut. During 1935-1944, Anderson played with many groups including those of Claude Hopkins, Lucky Millinder, Erskine Hawkins, and Lionel Hampton. Hampton loved his high-note mastery, although Hawkins reportedly fired Anderson out of jealousy. In 1944, Cat Anderson was first hired by Duke Ellington and it ended up being the perfect setting for him. Ellington enjoyed writing impossible parts for Cat to play, and Anderson received publicity and a steady income. He was more than just a high-note player, being a master with mutes and having a fine tone in lower registers, but no one could really challenge him in the stratosphere (although Maynard Ferguson, Jon Faddis, and Arturo Sandoval have come close). 

Anderson was with Ellington during 1944-1947, 1950-1959, and off and on during 1961-1971. Occasionally he would go out to lead his own bands but he always came back. After Ellington's death, Cat Anderson settled on the West Coast where he often played with local big bands, including an exciting one led by Bill Berry. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/ellingtonia/425573374

Personnel:  Cat Anderson - trumpet;   Butter Jackson - trombone;   Sam Woodyard - drums;   Ray Nance - violin;   Jimmy Woode - bass;   Bud Johnson - flute and tenor saxophone;   Rudy Powell - clarinet and alto saxophone;   Leroy Lovett - Piano

Ellingtonia

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Jenny Evans - At Lloyd's

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:40
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:30)  2. How High The Moon
(4:52)  3. Stormy Weather
(4:24)  4. Lullaby Of Birdland
(4:12)  5. The Lady Is A Tramp
(3:34)  6. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:06)  7. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:50)  8. Take The A-Train
(4:03)  9. Night And Day
(3:29) 10. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:46) 11. Summertime
(5:45) 12. Route 66

Born in London, England, in the outskirts of Beckenham, Jenny Evans is an accomplished entertainer in multiple fields. Most recognized as a jazz singer, she's also worked as an actress and lyricist, and at one time ran her own jazz club, Jenny's Place. She's appeared in films, commercials, German TV series, stage musicals, and plays. Born in 1954, Evans moved to Munich, Germany in 1976 to study music and teaching English as a second language. While working toward her degree, she became the lead singer of a band called Old Socks New Shoes. The ragtime numbers they were performing slowly shifted toward classic jazz. Though her recording repertoire spans original tunes and classics ranging from Gershwin to the Beatles, her sultry voice and supple delivery encourage jazz renditions. In 1988, Evans released her debut album, Whisper Not, with ESM Records and Bell Music. The same labels issued At Lloyd's, featuring the Rudi Martini Quartet, in 1993. Her 1997 LP Shiny Stockings arrived via Enja Records, which also released 1999's swing-era celebration Girl Talk, 2001's Gonna Go Fishin', and 2004's Nuages. Keeping busy between recordings with appearances at clubs, festivals, and on tours through Europe, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Japan, she released Christmas Songs in late 2005. With Evans still collaborating with drummer Rudi Martini, Lunar Tunes followed on Enja in 2008. Evans returned to ESM Records and, working with a backing band that included woodwinds specialist Felix Sapotnik and bassist Sven Faller, released Are You the Man? A New Peter Kreuder Song Book in 2010 and The Four Seasons of Love in 2011. She took on British pop/rock, including hits by the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, and Sting, for 2016's Be What You Want to Be, released by Edition Collage. ~ Marcy Donelson & Charlotte Dillon https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/at-lloyds-live/264518219

Personnel:  Jenny Evans (vocal);  Gerry Friedrich (ts, cl);  Otto Weiss (p);  Branko Pejakovic (b);  Rudi Martini (dr)

At Lloyd's

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Richie Beirach & Gregor Huebner - Live At Birdland New York

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:44
Size: 179,3 MB
Art: Front

(10:18)  1. You Don't Know What Love Is
(11:18)  2. Around Bartok Bagatelle #4
(10:27)  3. Siciliana
(13:26)  4. African Heartbeat
(18:41)  5. Elm
(13:31)  6. Transition

With his lyrical, harmonically rich style and warm sense for group interplay, pianist Richie Beirach emerged in the 1970s as a highly respected jazz artist. Schooled in classical and jazz, Beirach spent several early years with Stan Getz before joining saxophonist David Liebman on albums like 1973's Lookout Farm and 1978's Omerta. From there, he also toured and recorded with such luminaries as Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, John Abercrombie, and others. He also issued his own highly regarded albums for ECM, including 1976's Eon and 1979's Elm. His ongoing creative partnership with Liebman also led to the formation of the forward-thinking Quest ensemble, as well as continued pairings on albums like 1991's Chant and 2016's Balladscapes. Born Richard Alan Beirach on May 23, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York, Beirach became interested in music at a young age and first started taking piano lessons at age five. Studying classical music with noted pianist and composer James Palmieri, he developed a strong technique and ear for harmony. However, it wasn't until his teens that he discovered jazz after hearing Red Garland's version of "Billy Boy." By the early '60s, he was splitting his time between classical lessons with Palmieri, working as a longshoreman, and playing in jazz jam sessions alongside artists like Lee Konitz and Freddie Hubbard. Hoping to expand his jazz studies, he enrolled at Boston's Berklee College of Music, where he stayed for a year before transferring to the Manhattan School of Music to study composition with Ludmila Ulehla. After graduating in 1972 with his Master of Music degree, Beirach quickly found work playing with Stan Getz, alongside bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette. From there, he joined saxophonist David Liebman for his landmark 1973 septet fusion album Lookout Farm. Beirach and Liebman formed a creative bond, and went on to collaborate on albums like 1975's Night Scape, 1977's Forgotten Fantasies, and 1978's Omerta. It was also during this period that the pianist made his solo debut with the 1976 trio date Eon with drummer Eliot Zigmund and bassist Frank Tusa on ECM. 

More well-received sessions followed, including 1977's Hubris and 1979's Elm. There were also sessions and tours with Chet Baker, John Scofield, and John Abercrombie. During the '80s, Beirach found himself continuing to balance his own work as a leader with further work alongside Baker, trumpeter John McNeil, and others. In 1981, he paid homage to one of his major influences with Elegy for Bill Evans, with bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster. He also formed the stylistically expansive post-bop outfit Quest with Liebman, bringing on board at various times drummers Foster and Billy Hart and bassists Mraz and Ron McClure. Together they issued a series of adventurous albums including 1986's Quest II, 1988's Natural Selection, and 1990's Of One Mind. Away from the band, Beirach devoted increasing time to his solo piano work, releasing 1985's ambitious Antarctica, 1987's Common Heart, and 1989's Some Other Time: A Tribute to Chet Baker. He returned to more collaborative work in the '90s, including albums with saxophonist George Coleman, bassist McClure, and Liebman. In 1997, he delivered the trio album Trust with Holland and DeJohnette. Snow Leopard, also a trio date, followed a year later. There also were sessions with Conrad Herwig, Michel Graillier, Jamie Baum, Steve Davis, and more. He next issued the standards albums What Is This Thing Called Love? and Romantic Rhapsody in 2002 and 2003, followed by the 2003 classical-themed effort No Borders. Also around this time, Beirach relocated to Germany, where he accepted a position as professor of jazz piano at the University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig. Since then, Beirach has remained prolific, issuing a steady stream of solo and small-group sessions, including 2003's Round About Monteverdi, 2008's Piano Solo, and 2010's Quest for Freedom with Liebman and the Frankfurt Radio Bigband. Also in 2010, he and Liebman joined Lee Konitz for Knowinglee. The following year, he released Impressions of Tokyo: Ancient City of the Future, and paired again with Liebman for Unspoken. Varuna followed in 2015 and found the pianist collaborating with singer Laurie Antonioli. He then reunited once again with Liebman for 2016's Balladscapes. In 2018, both Beirach and Liebman joined vocalist Fred Farell for Fred Farell: Distant Song. ~ Matt Collar https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/live-at-birdland-new-york-randy-brecker-george-mraz/1224693909

Personnel:  Richie Beirach - piano;  Gregor Huebner - violin;  Randy Brecker - trumpet;  George Mraz - bass;  Billy Hart - drums

Live At Birdland New York

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Lee Morgan - Indeed!

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:12
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:18)  1. Roccus
(4:55)  2. Reggie of Chester
(6:47)  3. The Lady
(8:23)  4. Little T
(3:57)  5. Gaza Strip
(5:49)  6. Stand By

The first time Lee Morgan entered a recording studio, he was just 18 years old and he was leading his own band. More impressive, that band included soon to be legendary pianist Horace Silver and drummer Philly Joe Jones. This is the CD of that 1956 recording session. While the players were great, the music is merely ordinary which isn't too surprising given the tender age of the leader. Indeed! is standard Blue Note hard bop by the guys who would, in various combinations, become the label's mainstays.  That's not a knock. This is a good record, and if you're a fan of hard bop, as I am, you'll like it. Morgan is very much the product of Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Navarro. He sounds a bit like both, and he even played Dizzy's trademark horn with a bent bell. The other horn player is a virtual unknown saxman Clarence Sharpe, known to friends as C. Sharpe, or C#. In many numbers, he sounds like a Charlie Parker knockoff again, no big surprise for a young alto player in 1956, a year after Bird's death. In Sharpe's 1990 obituary, The New York Times called him "the missing link between Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman." But that was later in life. Here, he's all bebop. Same with Lee Morgan, who had a long and legendary career on Blue Note, recording something like 25 albums. This is the first, and it's no fault of the young 18-year-old that it's not yet as memorable as 1963's The Sidewinder. It's solid, enjoyable, if unoriginal, hard bop. A couple of side notes: First, though the album has only one ballad, "The Lady," it is sweet and tender and nearly all Morgan. A real standout. Second, the cut "Gaza Strip" has absolutely no hints of Middle Eastern or Arabic influences. Wonder where the title came from. Finally, though Horace Silver is a member of the band, he mostly stays in the background, taking a handful of perfunctory solos. ~ Marc Davis https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lee-morgan-indeed--blue-note-1538-lee-morgan-by-marc-davis.php

Personnel:  Lee Morgan - trumpet;  Horace Silver - piano;  Clarence Sharpe - alto saxophone;  Wilbur Ware - bass;  Philly Joe Jones - drums

Indeed!

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Cyrus Chestnut - Kaleidoscope

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:54
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. Golliwog's Cakewalk
(5:09)  2. Darn That Dream
(6:19)  3. Gymnopédie No. 1
(5:48)  4. Entre cloches
(5:30)  5. Jimbo's Lullaby
(5:33)  6. Father Time
(4:31)  7. Lord I Want to Be a Christian
(4:09)  8. Son binocle
(4:38)  9. Smoke on the Water
(7:00) 10. Gnossienne No. 1
(4:11) 11. Gymnopédie No. 3
(3:41) 12. Turkish Rondo
(5:12) 13. Prayer for Claudine

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut is a virtuoso player with deep roots in both spiritual gospel music and harmonically sophisticated jazz. That said, he's also a classically trained artist with a wide-ranging and eclectic taste in music. He brings all of these influences to bear on his nuanced and enveloping 2018 trio date, Kaleidoscope. Joining him are bassist Eric Wheeler and drummer Chris Beck, who offer empathetic support throughout. Here, Chestnut has chosen a handful of his favorite classical compositions, including tracks by Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel, which he reworks in his own inimitable jazz style, alongside other standards and his own originals. What's particularly compelling about his choices is just how well the classical songs fit into the jazz trio concept. The Satie selections in particular lend themselves to a jazz approach. Chestnut's languid reading of "Gymnopedie No. 1" has the feel of a hazy summer afternoon, and brings to mind Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts soundtracks. He also turns the composer's "Son Binocle" into a jauntily urbane bossa nova. 

Elsewhere, he transforms Debussy's "Jimbo's Lullaby" into a bluesy, far-eyed rumination, anchored by a soulful bass solo intro from Wheeler. Similarly engaging is the trio's dramatic, modal jazz take on Ravel's "Entre Cloches," in which Chestnut's spiraling solo swells into a sustained din of reverberating bass notes before returning to the main theme. Conversely, his own songs, like the meditative "Father Time" and the lyrical "Prayer for Claudine," evince a classical feel, displaying his knack for finely attenuated melodies and richly textured harmonics. He splits the difference on his swaggering version of Deep Purple's classic rock anthem "Smoke on the Water," diving into the iconic main theme with Rachmaninov-esque dynamism and then pulling back into a mutative, Eastern-influenced improvisation. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/kaleidoscope-mw0003201648

Personnel:  Cyrus Chestnut (p), Eric Wheeler (b) (except tracks 7 & 13), Chris Beck (ds) (except tracks 7 & 13)

Kaleidoscope

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Lew Soloff - Rainbow Mountain

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:50
Size: 167,2 MB
Art: Front

( 9:30)  1. Frog Legs
( 9:36)  2. Rainbow Mountain
( 7:53)  3. Don't Speak
( 8:58)  4. Up from the Skies
( 7:04)  5. Quiero No Puedo
( 4:56)  6. Suzie Q
(10:23)  7. Starmaker
( 4:47)  8. Born on the Bayou
( 3:40)  9. Stairway to Heaven
( 5:56) 10. Tout Va Lews

Rainbow Mountain is a current example of a blowing session, featuring groove-oriented material, including a number of songs borrowed from the rock arena (Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” John Fogerty’s “Born on the Bayou,” Jimi Hendrix’s “Up From the Skies”). The album rewards casual listening, mainly due to the high skill level and musicality of the participants. Soloff has been one of the best and most complete jazz trumpeters on the scene for a very long time, while Lou Marini, best known for his appearance in the first Blues Brothers movie, comes across well on saxes and flute, and contributes a lovely ballad, “Starmaker.” Joe Beck’s tastefully chorused guitar is the glue that holds the ensemble together, while electric bassist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb (the Sly & Robbie of groove jazz) keep the beat lively while avoiding monotony. This CD would make a good gift for someone who harbors the typical prejudices against jazz: that it’s boring, old-fashioned or lacking in connections to post-rock musical culture. In New York, you occasionally hear young groups playing in a style similar to this, but seldom at such length, or as masterfully. As for whether this is jazz or pop, I can’t put it any more eloquently than Chip Stern did in his excellent liner notes. ~ Greg Robinson https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/lew-soloff-and-company-rainbow-mountain/

Personnel:  Trumpet – Lew Soloff, Miles Evans;  Bass – Mark Egan, Will Lee;  Drums – Danny Gottlieb, Jeff "Tain" Watts ;  Guitar – Hiram Bullock, Joe Beck;  Organ – Paul Shaffer;  Saxophone, Flute – Lou Marini;  Synthesizer – Delmar Brown

Rainbow Mountain

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Rosemary Clooney - With Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:31
Size: 93,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Just The Way You Are
(5:05)  2. The Way We Were
(4:57)  3. Alone At Last
(4:55)  4. Come In From The Rain
(3:51)  5. Hello Young Lovers
(4:48)  6. Meditation
(3:21)  7. Just In Time
(5:12)  8. Tenderly
(3:06)  9. Will You Still Be Mine

Rosemary Clooney sings both old and new songs on this 1980 Concord album. With the emphasis on ballads (including "Just the Way You are," "The Way We Were," "Hello Young Lovers" and "Tenderly"), there is less variety on this set than usual although a swinging rendition of "Will You Still Be Mine" is a fine closer. Clooney is heard in prime voice as usual and there are some fine concise solos by tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, cornetist Warren Vache, guitarist Cal Collins, pianist Nat Pierce and guest vibraphonist Cal Tjader. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/with-love-mw0000191616

Personnel:   Vocals – Rosemary Clooney; Tenor Saxophone – Scott Hamilton;  Vibraphone [Vibes] – Cal Tjader;  Bass – Bob Maize;  Drums – Jake Hanna;  Flugelhorn, Cornet – Warren Vaché;  Guitar – Cal Collins;  Piano – Nat Pierce. 

With Love

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David Benoit - Freedom at Midnight

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:46
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Freedom at Midnight
(4:07)  2. Along the Milky Way
(4:38)  3. Kei's Song
(4:18)  4. The Man with the Panama Hat
(3:16)  5. Pieces of Time
(4:22)  6. Morning Sojourn
(4:41)  7. Tropical Breeze
(5:13)  8. Passion Walk
(6:03)  9. Del Sasser - David Benoit, Jones, Sam
(5:52) 10. The Last Goodbye

Pianist David Benoit's debut for GRP was a big seller and set the tone for the next decade of his career. In general, Benoit's piano is heard in the forefront, joined by oversized rhythm sections (including the Rippingtons' Russ Freeman) and a string section. A strictly boppish quartet rendition of "Del Sasser" with altoist Sam Riney is a nice change of pace, but otherwise, the music is melodic, lightweight, and better for backgrounds than for close listening. Overall, this program is pleasant and not at all objectionable, but difficult to remember once the CD is finished. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/freedom-at-midnight-mw0000649402

Personnel:  David Benoit - piano, synthesizer;  Sam Riney - saxophone;  Randy Kerber - synthesizers;  Abraham Laboriel - bass;  John Pattitucci - bass;  Tony Morales - drums;  Jeff Porcaro - drums;  Joe Porcaro - percussion;  Russ Freeman - guitar;  Dann Huff - guitar;  Bob Feldman - bass;  Michael Fisher - percussion;  Osamu Kitajima - koto

Freedom at Midnight

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Buster Williams Quartet - Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival 1999

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:44
Size: 136,4 MB
Art: Front

( 9:53)  1. Tokudo
(13:45)  2. The More I See You
( 1:15)  3. Announcement
(12:04)  4. You And The Night And The Music
( 7:08)  5. Christine
(14:37)  6. Rhythm-A-Ning

Venerable jazz bassist and session musician of choice, Buster Williams steers this thoroughly swinging quartet through a set of vibrant standards and original compositions along with an ace front line consisting of pianist Mulgrew Miller and vibist Steve Nelson. Recorded live in 1999 at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the bassist once again exhibits his seasoned musical persona via fluent lines, limber soloing, and a comprehensive sense of swing. Meanwhile, Nelson and Miller share most of the soloing opportunities as they consistently demonstrate a keen harmonic relationship atop drummer Carl Allen's masterstrokes and the leader's sinewy walking bass patterns. Hence, Nelson's deft articulations in concert with Miller's swirling clusters and impacting block chords provide an abundance of contrasting elements, as the synergistic interaction provides the winning edge. However, it is all about refinement and a relaxed sense of urgency as the musicians make every note and subtle nuance speak encyclopedic volumes amid the occasional burst of fireworks. No frills or hidden agendas here. Just small ensemble jazz music performed with a touch of class and sophistication. ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-montreux-jazz-festival-1999-mw0000119665

Personnel:  Bass – Buster Williams;  Drums – Carl Allen;  Piano – Mulgrew Miller;  Vibraphone – Steve Nelson

Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival 1999

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Xavier Davis - Rise Up Detroit

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:20
Size: 112,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Prologue
(5:36)  2. Detroit Underground
(4:52)  3. Oh Henry
(6:27)  4. The Great Migration
(1:48)  5. Black Paradise (Interlude)
(4:17)  6. Black Paradise
(1:56)  7. The Unfreeway (Interlude)
(4:50)  8. Exodus
(3:10)  9. Exodus (Interlude)
(6:00) 10. Model City 2.0
(4:03) 11. Meditation

Now, having returned to Michigan, his home state, the accomplished performer, composer, arranger and producer is Associate Professor of Jazz Piano at Michigan State University. After being awarded a Humanities and Arts Research Program (HARP) grant, which provides funding to faculty for research leading to creative and performance projects in the arts and humanities, Davis embarked on his concept for “Rise Up Detroit,” his first recording on the Detroit Music Factory label.“When I think of a lot of my favorite recordings, John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme,’ Miles Davis’s ‘A Kind of Blue,’ they had concepts to them that tied the whole record together,” says Davis. “My previous recordings, I would go into the studio first and then later think through it to discover what tied the music together. With this record, I went in already understanding what the connections were.”The shift if in process, according to Davis, was impactful. “Rise Up Detroit” stands apart from his previous works.“Rise Up Detroit” is more than just a Detroit-inspired jazz record. Taken individually, any one of the suite’s movements can stand alone as an outstanding piece of music; it has all the elements: beautiful composition, skillful arrangement, excellent musicianship … But Davis’s approach to “Rise Up Detroit” is much more deliberate, much more intentional. It’s wholistic. It’s storytelling. Each of the movements in “Rise Up Detroit” represents a particular historical aspect of the African American experience in a city with a rich and storied past. From its crucial significance to the Underground Railroad, to the influence of the Southern migration into Henry Ford’s factories, and its later experience of exodus and healing, Davis’s suite captures the energy of a culture whose influence spans generations and the globe. With musicians such as Regina Carter on violin and Rodney Whitaker on bass, both of whom have the spirit of Detroit (perhaps even the Spirit of Detroit) intrinsically woven into their playing, the musicianship on this record is multi-layered, multi-faceted, but definably Detroit. Carter, who leads the album’s string quartet, brings an energy and feel that translates right through the rest of the string section. And while technically Whitaker may be Davis’s boss (Whitaker is the Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State), it’s his “undeniably distinctive bear-sized bass tones” that dictated he was the obvious choice for “Rise Up Detroit.” “I’ve been a fan of Rodney since I was in college,” says Davis. “He’s just a few years older than me, but I just have so much respect for him musically and personally.”Davis also credits Carter and Whitaker as inspirations for the album, with all of their insight and knowledge of the city and its history. Not surprisingly, there’s a special chemistry between Davis and the album’s drummer, Quincy Davis. The two are brothers, and although they now live in separate states, they played together with jazz trumpeter Tom Harrell when the brothers were both in New York. “He hears things similar to me,” says Davis. “That makes it really easy to play with him.”

As Davis takes us through the aural history of African Americans in Detroit, he’s careful not to simply replicate the music of the eras he’s exploring. He comes at the music with an originality that isn’t tethered to the sound of a particular period. Take “Black Paradise,” for example, which captures the spirit of two of Detroit’s most historically significant African American neighborhoods: Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. It’s a driving, rhythmic toe-tapper with harmonic intensity, but the “storytelling” is not an attempt to emulate. Instead, Davis paints the mood and energy of a thriving community in a much more personal way. For a jazz record, Davis’s instrumentation is unconventional and emotive. His use of strings brings an expressiveness and color that is particularly evident in the emotion that Carter draws from her violin. The texture from the pizzicato cello on “The Great Migration” and “Oh Henry” brings an energy and sound that just isn't found in the typical trumpet/tenor frontline of most jazz groups. You can tell Davis loves writing for strings by the way he dives into their versatility and finds different ways to use them throughout “Rise Up Detroit.” In “Exodus,” Davis opens with the somber, heart-wrenching voice of the cello playing the melody in a kind of dirge, accompanied only by the piano. It slowly grows, layer by layer, to include the full string quartet, plus the trio playing the melody. The energy of “Exodus” becomes dire with the driving groove of Davis’s piano solo, reminiscent of McCoy Tyner or John Coltrane. Possibly the pinnacle of the album, “Exodus” is bittersweet and nearly cinematic. Make no mistake, “Rise Up Detroit” is not an objective piece of work. It’s as passionate and intentional as it is beautiful. Like any great work, “Rise Up Detroit” is as much about the voice of the storyteller as it is about the story. http://www.detroitmusicfactory.com/artists/xavier-davis-rise-up-detroit

Rise Up Detroit

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Randy Weston - Jazz a la Bohemia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:39
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(0:49)  1. Theme: Solemn Meditation
(9:57)  2. Just a riff
(6:13)  3. You Go To My head
(6:30)  4. Once In a While
(7:28)  5. Hold 'Em Joe
(3:47)  6. It's All Right With Me
(9:27)  7. Chessman's Delight
(1:23)  8. Theme: Solemn Meditation

Randy Weston, who was more under Thelonious Monk's influence back in 1956 then he would be in the near future, is in top form during this live set. His quartet features the rarely heard but talented baritonist Cecil Payne, bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik and drummer Al Dreares. Highpoints of the straightahead set (which has been reissued on CD) include the calypso "Hold 'Em Joe" (recorded almost a decade before Sonny Rollins), "It's All Right with Me" (one of two trio tracks) and the lone Weston original on the date, the stimulating "Chessman's Delight." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-%C3%A1-la-bohemia-mw0000316705

Personnel:  Randy Weston - piano - trio track 3 - solo track 6;  Cecil Payne - baritone saxophone;  Ahmed Abdul-Malik - bass;  Al Dreares - drums

R.I.P.

Born:  April 6, 1926 
Died:  September 1, 2018

Jazz a la Bohemia

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Sonny Criss - Warm & Sonny

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:45
Size: 93,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:11)  1. Cool Struttin'
(5:30)  2. The Way We Were
(4:09)  3. That's The Way Of The World
(5:47)  4. Bumpin
(6:27)  5. Sweet Summer Breeze
(6:19)  6. Memories
(6:20)  7. Blues For Willie

Altoist Sonny Criss' next to last recording (as with his final effort, The Joy of Sax), is a commercial date in which he is accompanied by a funky rhythm section, strings, and horns. Even on his own "Blues for Willie" (and definitely on "The Way We Were," "Bumpin'," and "Memories"), Criss sounded like he was going out of his way to record a hit; at that he failed. The music on this out of print LP is pleasant but badly dated. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/warm-sonny-mw0000769953

Personnel:  Sonny Criss, alto sax;  Clarence McDonald, keyboards #1,5,6;  Sonny Burke, keyboards #2-4,7;  Lee Ritenour, guitar #1,5,6;  Dennis Budimir, guitar #2-4,7;  Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin, guitar #3,5-7;  Scott Edwards, bass #1,5,6;  Chuck Domanico, bass #2-4,7;  James Gadson, drums;  Eddie "Bongo" Brown, percussion; string section: Charles Veal, concertmaster;  Marcia Van Dyke, Winterton Garvey, Harris Goldman, Janice Gower, William Henderson, Karen Jones, Carl LaMagna, Kenneth Yerke, violin;  David Campbell, Rollice Dale, Pamela Goldsmith, Paul Polivnick, viola;  Ronald Cooper, Dennis Karmazyn, David Speltz, cello;  Richard Feves, Susan Ranney, acoustic bass;  Dorothy Ashby, harp; horn section: Bud Brisbois, Charles Findley, Paul Hubinon, trumpet, flugelhorn;  George Bohanon, trombone;  Lew McCreary, bass trombone;  Vincent DeRosa, French horn;  Buddy Collette, tenor sax, flute;  Bill Green, bass sax, flute.

Warm & Sonny

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Jazz Crusaders - Soul Axess

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:20
Size: 181,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:06)  1. Overjoyed
(4:28)  2. Clima Suave (Smooth & Cool)
(4:29)  3. Trail of the Sidewinder
(6:58)  4. Imagine
(3:47)  5. Standing Tall
(5:41)  6. Down Yonder
(5:36)  7. Life in the City (Really Turns Me On)
(5:17)  8. All That Jazz N Razz a Ma Tazz
(7:29)  9. Prodigal Son
(6:32) 10. All Along the Watchtower
(5:25) 11. Over the Rainbow
(4:55) 12. Never Too Late (To Fall in Love Again)
(4:18) 13. Ya Gotta Respect Ya Self
(6:13) 14. Goin' Bukyld

Since the breakup of the original Crusaders in the '80s, there have always been two factions battling for the name: the occasional Joe Sample-Wilton Felder projects billed as "the Crusaders," and another group of rotating smooth jazz musicians led by trombonist Wayne Henderson, usually called the Jazz Crusaders. This new fun-filled, very brassy, and stylistically diverse collection features Felder on only three tracks, but, not surprisingly, one of the best is "Down Yonder," a gospel-inflected midtempo funk number that joyfully recalls the old Crusaders' Southern roots. Elsewhere, it's more a gathering of contemporary greats, with Henderson forming tasty horn sections with guest saxmen Everette Harp (on the bouncy cover of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed," also featuring a crisp Norman Brown guitar solo) and Ronnie Laws. Vibist Roy Ayers adds a touch of class to the Latin-flavored "Clima Suave (Smooth & Cool)," and Bobby Lyle (piano) and Dwight Sills (guitar) find ample room to shine on their numbers. The only drawback is Henderson's seeming need to join the hip-hop generation by adding several rap vocals, one of which pays obligatory homage to jazz heroes ("All That Jazz n Razz a Ma Tazz"). Along with an overreliance on pop covers, this sort of thinking makes Henderson's effort a far less rewarding experience than Sample and Felder's return to the front porch on the previous year's Rural Renewal. There are always glimmers of unique creativity, however. A cover of "Over the Rainbow" featuring vocalist Phillip Ingram features a cool Take 6-like intro, but then evolves into something much more pedestrian. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-axess-mw0000333594

Personnel:  Bass – Larry Kimpel, Nathan East;  Drums – Tony Moore;  Guitar – Brian Price, Dwight Sills;  Keyboards – Bobby Lyle, Herman Jackson;  Soprano Saxophone – Ronnie Laws;  Tenor Saxophone – Everette Harp, Ronnie Laws, Wilton Felder;  Vibraphone – Roy Ayers;  Vocals – Jean Carne, Phillip Ingram;    Producer – Wayne Henderson

Soul Axess

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