Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Native Soul - One Mind

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:43
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. The Gathering
(7:32)  2. So Amazing
(6:26)  3. Alone
(5:01)  4. Malinda
(9:10)  5. Pedal Down
(6:30)  6. Baby You're a Rich Man
(6:47)  7. Dharma
(5:21)  8. It's You or No One
(6:06)  9. If You Don't Want Me (As Much as I Want You)
(4:46) 10. Overjoyed


Third release from veteran jazz group Native Soul. Follow-up to previous effort Soul Step (which reached #18 on the national jazz charts), presented in an acoustic format with new twists on familiar tunes by Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, and Lennon & McCartney. Saxophone titan Peter Brainin propels this powerful quartet through these ten wonderful selections. Features Noah Haidu, one of the up & coming pianists of his generation, along with acoustic bass giant Marcus McLaurine and the exceptional drumming of Steve Johns. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/One-Mind-Native-Soul/dp/B008RTF2FY

Personnel:  Peter Brainin - Saxophone;  Noah Haidu - Piano;  Marcus McLaurine - Bass;  Steve Johns - Drums.

One Mind

Monday, March 18, 2019

Ira Sullivan & Stu Katz - A Family Affair: Live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase

Styles: Saxophone, Trumpet And Vibraphone Jazz 
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:27
Size: 162,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:51)  1. Blues Two Views
(11:39)  2. Gee, Matthew
( 9:05)  3. Pennies from Heaven
( 6:58)  4. Scrapple from the Apple
( 9:01)  5. Lullaby of the Leaves
( 7:45)  6. Yesterdays
( 9:28)  7. Take the A Train
( 6:53)  8. Stablemates
( 1:43)  9. What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan spent a good while working around Chicago before leaving for Florida in the early '60s, though he retained a significant fan base in his old hometown. This live recording made in 2010 over four nights at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase is a reunion, featuring vibraphonist Stu Katz, who while in his teens had regularly sat in with Sullivan over a half-century earlier before pursuing a law career. Joining them in the rhythm section are pianist Dan Trudell, bassist Dennis Carroll, and drummer George Fludas, the latter two who have played often with Sullivan for years. Starting off with a bluesy hard bop original, "Blues Two Views," the leader offers some sinewy muted trumpet, followed by strong features for Katz and Trudell before the leader returns with a vibrato-filled tenor solo. Sullivan switches to alto sax for an expressive, offbeat take of "Pennies from Heaven" (in which Katz switches to piano) and plays soprano sax with equal authority in a moody rendition of "Lullaby of the Leaves" and a driving "Yesterdays" (the latter featuring vocalist Lucia Newell's buoyant scat solo). Stu's son Steve takes over on bass for a breezy run-through of "Take the 'A' Train," with the vibist shining in the lead before Sullivan makes his explosive entrance on tenor. The attentive audience obviously enjoyed the reunion as much as the players on-stage, yet another fine example of memorable music documented at the longtime Chicago nightspot. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-family-affair-live-at-joe-segals-jazz-showcase-mw0002186814

Personnel:  Saxophone – Ira Sullivan; Trumpet – Ira Sullivan; Vibraphone – Stu Katz; Acoustic Bass – Dennis Carroll; Drums – George Fludas; Piano – Dan Trudell; Voice – Lucia Newell

A Family Affair: Live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase

Eartha Kitt - Purr-Fect: Greatest Hits

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:15
Size: 213,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:54)  1. Just An Old Fashioned Girl
(2:52)  2. Je Cherche Un Homme (I Want A Man)
(3:32)  3. I Want To Be Evil
(3:05)  4. Mink, Schmink
(3:07)  5. Let's Do It
(3:00)  6. C'Est Si Bon (It's So Good)
(2:53)  7. Annie Doesn't Live Here Any More
(3:47)  8. Monotonous
(3:03)  9. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
(2:43) 10. Under The Bridges Of Paris
(2:32) 11. I Wantcha Around
(3:45) 12. Lilac Wine
(2:47) 13. Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell (Who's Got De Ding Dong)
(4:01) 14. Thursday's Child
(3:28) 15. Angelitos Negros
(2:57) 16. Lovin' Spree
(2:12) 17. Toujours Gai
(3:09) 18. Uska Dara (A Turkish Tale)
(2:30) 19. Proceed With Caution
(3:36) 20. The Blues
(2:48) 21. The Heel
(3:24) 22. Santa Baby

In 1996, taxi patrons in New York were greeted with a tape of Eartha Kitt's famous "R"-rolling cat growl: "Wrrrrrrrrow. Cats have nine lives, but you have only one. So buckle up." This was a reference to the source of her fame for the under-50 crowd: her stint as Catwoman on the '60s Batman TV series. But her abilities as a tantalizing, talented seductress stretch further back to her early '50s singing career, wearing tight-for-then voluptuous gowns instead of a catsuit. Both Kitt and her records predated rock & roll, but her 1953-1955 success was a hint that bad girl behavior would become prevalent. Never mind Phil Spector's later girl groups; Kitt could sully a polite orchestral backing with her sex kitten purring on hilariously libidinous numbers such as the number 22 hit "I Want to Be Evil," the number four hit "Santa Baby," "Mink Schmink," and her standard "C'est Si Bon," another Top Ten hit. Hearing her saucy tongue wrap around the words is amusing, but Kitt makes it sound so exotic, dangerous, and impetuous, you want to take her on. If this was torch singing, she was going to burn down the clubs she headlined. If she had been more R&B and more gimmicky, she could have been the female Screamin' Jay Hawkins. You can hear it in every syllable, the attitude and raucous delivery that made her a song stylist more than a pop singer, allowing her to survive the coming barrage of guitars and drums that would initially bury her career. She could always prosper in her other haunts of stage and screen, and in her nightclub act. But a collection of the best of her old LPs, RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt and The Bad Eartha is no "bad" idea. Tangle with her if you dare. ~ Jack Rabid https://www.allmusic.com/album/purr-fect-greatest-hits-mw0000240845

Purr-Fect: Greatest Hits

Art Pepper - Smack Up

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:03
Size: 117,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. Smack Up
(7:11)  2. Las Cuevas de Mario
(7:24)  3. A bit of Basie
(6:56)  4. How can you lose
(4:24)  5. Maybe next year
(7:44)  6. Tears inside
(6:32)  7. Solid Citizens (Take 33) (Bonus Track)
(6:29)  8. Solid Citizens (Take 37) (Bonus Track)

Art Pepper's reckless lifestyle tended to overshadow his superb musicianship, and the circumstances surrounding Smack Up are certainly no exception. Shortly after recording it in 1960, he spent three years in jail for heroin possession, and one can only wonder if the title of the record is a play on words. Nevertheless, Pepper is in good form, as he usually was despite his troubles, darting over the changes and stitching together sharp, boppish lines without hesitation. Featuring a crack rhythm section and a subtle accompanist in trumpeter Jack Sheldon, one can easily expect a set of expertly played jazz. However, this album is different from the usual West Coast program of standards and show tunes, in that it features songs composed by other saxophonists associated with the Contemporary label, from the famous (Carter) to the infamous (Coleman) to the downright obscure (Duane Tatro and Jack Montrose). Most of these songs are inspired originals that never would have been recorded again had Pepper not resuscitated them, and the varied selection of artists and styles gives the album a wider reach than Pepper's other records, or most West Coast records for that matter. The end result is a set that runs through various directions of music from the high-powered swing of Buddy Collette's "A Bit of Basie" to the hard bop of "Smack Up" to the edgy leanings of the Tatro tune "Maybe Next Year." 

The quintet even explores a soulful groove more commonly found on Blue Note releases with Pepper's own "Las Cuevas de Mario" (in 5/4) and Montrose's "Solid Citizens." Appropriately Jolly sits out for the Coleman tune while Pepper and Sheldon wander over the changes, a little more tentatively than Ornette did. But the strength of the album, other than the terrific playing, is just that it sounds different, an unexpected foray into little known songs that features energy and swing in equal doses. Perhaps the novelty of the music forced the musicians to approach the material more creatively or purposefully, but whatever the reason, Smack Up is one of the highlights of Pepper's career, a record that shows that despite his sordid life, he was a master on his instrument. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/smack-up-art-pepper-contemporary-review-by-david-rickert.php

Personnel:  Art Pepper — alto saxophone; Jack Sheldon — trumpet; Pete Jolly — piano; Jimmy Bond — bass; Frank Butler — drums

Smack Up

Bob Holz - Visions And Friends

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:48
Size: 137,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Flat Out
(5:15)  2. Take It From Maurice
(5:54)  3. Five Times The Winner
(4:34)  4. Last Stop
(3:21)  5. Eleven High
(5:56)  6. Jemin Eye'n
(4:55)  7. Rodrigo Reflections
(4:34)  8. Bob Blues
(5:52)  9. One Breath Two Hearts
(6:07) 10. For The One
(6:45) 11. Scattered

After scoring some success with A Vision Forward (2015), Bob Holz releases his sophomore effort, this time with some extra help. Visions & Friends (MVD Records, 2017) is a set of all-original music. The players are Holz, drums and percussion; Larry Coryell and Alex Machacek, guitars; Ralphe Armstrong and Mike Schoeffter, bass; Randy Brecker, trumpet on “Flat Out” and “For the One”; Billy Steinway, keyboards; David Goldberg, saxophones; Tori Higley, vocals on selected tracks; Rob Stathis, accompanying piano on “Eleven High”; Zoe Stathis-Sandor, vocals on “Take It From Maurice”; and Scott Gerling, percussion on “Take It From Maurice.” “Flat Out” sets the tone for this set. This lively groove crosses the bridge between funk, fusion and instrumental rock. Brecker and Machacek are the stars, fronting the main theme and enjoying invigorating solos. Steinway and Schoeffter get their licks in as well. Holz keeps it all together, adding just the right touch to whatever is happening in the moment. “Five Times the Winner” brings a laid-back, bluesy vibe. With Armstrong providing a cool bass line, the composer goes through multiple moods on guitar, shifting from a straight blues presentation to something out of a space travel movie. During one passage, two basses are playing at the same time, as Schoeffter injects a solo. The ensemble cranks up the heat during the final minute, increasing both the pace and the intensity for a climactic ending. Goldberg joins for the bossa nova “Last Stop.” The saxophone carries the melody, with the accompanists delivering a sound that’s for a romantic evening on the beach. It sets the image of a couple dancing in the moonlight with a cool breeze keeping things from getting too steamy. Holz began his career in Boston, while a student at Berklee College of Music. He studied with Billy Cobham in New York and went on to perform with such luminaries as Robben Ford, Less McCann, David “Fathead” Newman, Maria Muldaur, Dr. John and George Clinton / Parliament Funk. Also joining Holz on tour is former Spyro Gyra guitarist Chet Catallo. All 11 songs on Visions & Friends were written by members of the studio lineup. Holz contributed to six, including three he co-wrote with Steinway and one with Goldberg. Coryell composed three, and Steinway wrote two more. The second Holz / Steinway offering, “Take It From Maurice,” is a tribute to the late Maurice White, founding member of Earth, Wind & Fire. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/Woodrow/Holz/VisionsandFriends.htm

Visions And Friends

Steven Bernstein - Diaspora Soul

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:53
Size: 154,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Manishtana
(3:45)  2. Chusen Kalah Mazel Tov
(7:52)  3. L'Chaim
(4:31)  4. Mazinka
(5:39)  5. Shalom Bimramov
(4:09)  6. Let My People Go
(8:46)  7. Roumania Roumania
(4:50)  8. Cha
(6:41)  9. Rock Of Ages
(4:45) 10. Ani Mamin
(5:27) 11. Habet Mishmayim
(5:45) 12. Dybbuk Dub

And endlessly inventive musical magician delving deep into his Jewish roots and coming up with sounds you ve never imagined possible. Steve Bernstein has worked as musical director for the likes of Hal Wilner, John Lurie's Lounge Lizards and his own madcap bar band Sex Mob, but this newest project is his best yet. Jewish contunical melodies wailing over Afro-Cuban percussion. A funky New Orleans rhythm section setting up Klezmer classics. Diaspora Soul is this and more. One of the most exhilarating releases this or any other year.

The word "eclectic" is thrown around a lot, but seldom does a record in this post everything era live up to that billing. Judging by its title, Diaspora Soul would seem to be another klezmer recordin fact, its raison d'être is as one of a series of albums foisted by John Zorn as part of his "Radical Jewish Culture" series. But apparently, Steve Bernstein--who's logged time in the Lounge Lizardswas doing some radical cultural-thinking of his own. This album came about as a result of Bernstein's desire to combine what he described as "the Gulf Coast sound, encompassing Texas and Cuba" with traditional Hebrew music. The result is a totally twisted and brilliant affair that pairs greasy organ with Cuban percussion (think Willie Bobo or Mongo Santamaria) and bears little resemblance to the rock-influenced experiments of sometime collaborator Marc Ribot. Bernstein's own trumpet leads the way on most of the compositions--which are principally made up of traditional Hebrew tunes like "Shalom Bimramov" and "Manishtana" and it's a lot closer tone-wise to the clarity of a Booker Little than, say, the muted wheeze of Miles Davis. A great example of the genuine eclecticism displayed here by Bernstein and his cohorts can be heard on "Roumania, Roumania"; Brian Mitchell's whirring Wurlitzer organ, which is suitably smoldering throughout, provides much of the ride, beginning with a sustained sizzle that actually, for about 10 seconds, evokes the pyrotechnic pomp of organ-laden bands like Deep Purple before slinking into a sleazy groove. What's even more amazing is that this song was recorded. On five tracks, Bernstein expands the lineup to include a big band of sorts featuring the underrated Briggan Krauss, who plays baritone sax here and duels it out to good effect with tenor man Peter Apfelbaum on "Mazinka" before Bernstein gets that Cuban thing going once more. Jews with the blues or urban toreadors, take your pick. Who said it couldn't happen here? ~ Joe S. Harrington https://www.amazon.com/Diaspora-Soul-Steven-Bernstein/dp/B00000JWFJ

Personnel:   Producer, Arranged By, Trumpet – Steven Bernstein; Baritone Saxophone – Briggan Krauss; Bass – Tony Scherr; Congas, Bongos, Maracas, Claves [Clave] – E.J. Rodriguez; Drums, Percussion – Roberto Juan Rodriguez; Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Electric Piano], Organ – Brian Mitchell; Tenor Saxophone – Michael Blake, Paul Shapiro, Peter Apfelbaum

Diaspora Soul

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Jutta Hipp Quintet - New Faces - New Sounds From Germany

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:23
Size: 63,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Cleopatra
(3:05)  2. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:33)  3. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
(3:26)  4. Mon Petite
(4:45)  5. What's New
(2:54)  6. Blue Skies
(3:07)  7. Laura
(3:09)  8. Variations

This date, rather brief at under 28 minutes, originally appeared as a 10" LP in the U.S., although it was recorded in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. It features Jutta Hipp leading an all-German quintet through a session consisting mostly of American standards, including "Variations," an enjoyable group improvisation based on the chord changes to "Tea for Two." Alto saxophonist Emil Mangelsdorff has a soft, dry tone comparable to Paul Desmond, most noticeable in "Ghost of a Chance." Tenor saxophonist Jaki Freund's "Cleopatra"'s sound could easily be mistaken for West Coast jazz. Hipp is joined by the rhythm section only for the intriguing fugue-like treatment of "What's New" and a brisk run through "Don't Worry 'Bout Me." She also wrote "Mon Petit," which has superb interplay between the two saxophonists. 

This reissue is labeled as part of the RVG series, though legendary recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder's name is never specifically listed in English anywhere in the packaging, he evidently did the remastering. Long out of print on LP and an unlikely reissue candidate for Blue Note due to its brevity and obscurity, this session was briefly available as a CD reissue through the Japanese label Toshiba-EMI, but was soon deleted. The Spanish Fresh Sounds imprint picked it up and re-released it as part of its New Faces series. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/jutta-hipp-quintett-new-faces-new-sounds-from-germany-mw0000372886

Personnel:  Piano – Jutta Hipp; Alto Saxophone – Emil Mangelsdorff; Bass – Hans Kresse; Drums – Karl Sanner; Saxophone – Joki Freund

New Faces - New Sounds From Germany

Morgana King - The Ultimate Collection

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 140:43
Size: 326,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Ev'rything I Love
(2:38)  2. You're Not So Easy To Forget
(2:36)  3. I'll Never Smile Again
(4:10)  4. Body And Soul
(2:40)  5. A Foggy Day
(3:27)  6. And The Angels Sing
(2:40)  7. At Sundown
(3:58)  8. Lonesome Road
(1:58)  9. Perdido
(2:41) 10. I'll Remember April
(2:28) 11. You Always Hurt The One You Love
(2:49) 12. Undecided
(3:09) 13. Down In The Depths
(2:49) 14. Bill
(2:25) 15. I Love You Much Too Much
(3:07) 16. For You, For Me, Forever More
(2:16) 17. Delovely
(2:43) 18. Frankie And Johnny
(2:54) 19. I've Found A New Baby
(2:40) 20. The End Of A Love Affair
(3:28) 21. Mean To Me
(3:02) 22. I Can't Get Started
(4:05) 23. That Ole Devil Called Love
(3:19) 24. There's A Lull In My Life
(3:30) 25. Mad About The Boy
(3:33) 26. Let Me Love You
(3:58) 27. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
(2:15) 28. How High The Moon
(3:18) 29. When Your Lover Has Gone
(3:25) 30. If You Could See Me Now
(2:02) 31. Just You, Just Me
(2:46) 32. Take The A Train
(2:32) 33. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(3:47) 34. Something To Remember You By
(3:58) 35. I See Two Lovers
(3:12) 36. Here I'll Stay
(3:58) 37. Why Was I Born
(3:17) 38. I'll String Along With You
(3:39) 39. Mad About Him, Sad Without Him, How Can I Be Glad Without Him Blues
(4:06) 40. More Than You Know
(2:21) 41. The Song Is You
(2:01) 42. All Or Nothing At All
(3:02) 43. Everything I Got
(3:09) 44. You Don't Know What Love Is
(2:23) 45. Lullaby Of Birdland
(2:50) 46. It's Only A Paper Moon

None of the more than 30 albums recorded by singer Morgana King beginning in the mid-'50s were embraced by the size of the audience that bought tickets to see the first two chapters of The Godfather film trilogy, in which King acted in the role of Mama Corleone. But it would be wrong to assume she had more impact as an actress than as a vocalist. Her acting roles, few and far between, were chosen with care, but did not have the resonance of some of her finest recordings. Millions saw her onscreen in the Godfather films, but her performance was certainly overshadowed by performers such as Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, not to mention the famous turn by Marlon Brando as her husband. Another role of King's was in the 1997 film A Brooklyn State of Mind; she also appeared in several television productions. It is possible that there are actors and actresses who have named Morgana King as a great inspiration. Yet, the results of a simple Internet search under her name only yielded dozens of quotes from vocalists and other musicians about the great influence of her recordings and singing style, not her work before the camera. It might not be a surprise when a young female singer gushed about King's albums, but these fans also included deeper thinkers such as classical bass virtuoso Gary Karr. References to her music also show up regularly in fiction as a kind of mood-setting device, such as: "It was a beautiful day in Malibu. He got up, made a coffee and put on a Morgana King record." Some record collectors might be surprised to realize that a complete set of King sides might eliminate any elbow room for, say, the discography of one of the prolific blues guitarists with this regal surname. 

Morgana King sides can be divided into several periods. It took her almost eight years to peak at whatever commercial success she was going to have with the 1964 A Taste of Honey album, thus ending the early years. She was then absorbed into the Atlantic and Reprise corporation and an exemplary series of releases by singers such as Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, and Ray Charles. The label's greatest producers stared the oncoming rock & roll in the eye, never forgetting their basic R&B orientation. Within a few years, a subcategory developed, seen through paisley glasses. The material became more philosophical, the increasing intellectual depth not surprisingly accompanied by the audience stampeding in the opposite direction. This might make sense, though; while 1965's The Winter of My Discontent is a masterpiece, 1968's Gemini Changes is laughably pretentious. By the early '70s she was eager to get into films, the music business pushing away any and all veteran talent. Later in the decade she launched the mature period of her career, though, once again recording as more of a jazz-flavored artist for Muse, a label which in itself indicates a disinterest in pop culture. The label was loyal to her, regularly recording her through the following decade. This material was reissued in the late '90s by the 32 Jazz label, whose honcho, Joel Dorn, also presided over the reissue of her Reprise sides. If a special sort of bittersweet feeling pervaded her later performances, perhaps it had something to do with this return to her jazz singing roots. Her father had been a performer of folk and popular music on voice and guitar, and she had begun singing in nightclubs such as Basin Street in New York City when she was in her mid-twenties. Only a few years earlier, she had been immersed in classical studies at the Metropolitan School of Music. Basin Street may have been in the same city, but it must have seemed like a completely different musical world. The formal training undoubtedly filled in aspects of her musical walk where some of her peers might have had to limp. For this reason alone, some listeners find her efforts the most swinging of the '60s generation of pop singers. It meant much critical acclaim during her career, if not great commercial success. At many stages, King seemed to have been making other plans. For the 1960 Encyclopedia of Jazz by Leonard Feather, she listed this ambition: "To become a dramatic actress."~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/morgana-king-mn0000501436/biography

The Ultimate Collection

Marty Grosz,The Fat Babies - Diga Diga Doo

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:54
Size: 170,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:48)  1. Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me?
(5:16)  2. A Jazz Holiday
(1:13)  3. Intro to Blue (And Broken Hearted)
(3:33)  4. Blue (And Broken Hearted)
(4:23)  5. In a Little Spanish Town
(4:21)  6. Sweet Sue (Just You)
(4:44)  7. My Daddy Rocks Me
(2:49)  8. Prince of Wails
(3:45)  9. Hold Me
(4:11) 10. Diga Diga Doo
(3:28) 11. Forevermore
(4:41) 12. Rose of Washington Square
(4:34) 13. How Deep Is the Ocean
(3:55) 14. A Good Man Is Hard to Find
(5:12) 15. Church Street Sobbin' Blues
(3:52) 16. Strut Miss Lizzie
(0:45) 17. Intro to the Lady in Red
(3:22) 18. The Lady in Red
(4:54) 19. Marty Talks

Fledgling jazz musicians take note. In his annotations to this lighthearted collection of vintage tunes, Marty Grosz, the 85-year-old guitarist, banjoist, crooner and raconteur, offers some sage advice: “I suggest that you take up an instrument, study and practice until you become accomplished, and then attach yourself to someone who can support you.” Of course, failing that, you can always find ample joy in the music itself, as Grosz demonstrates here. Clearly inspired by the setting and the selection of tunes, he sounds as pleased as can be, playing with a group of kindred spirits and occasionally providing deadpan commentary (“Banjos never die-they just sound that way”). The lineup includes pianist James Dapogny, reedman Jonathan Doyle and, key to the album’s considerable charm and vitality, the Fat Babies, a hot-swing septet out of Chicago led by bassist Beau Sample. Doyle and John Otto, on clarinet and tenor and baritone saxophones, are largely responsible for the album’s shining lyricism, while Dapogny and fellow pianist Paul Asaro craft wonderfully evocative accompaniment. Cornetist Andy Schumm also distinguishes himself in a crucial role, and Grosz certainly does his part, contributing concise breaks and steady propulsion. Some tunes are classics, such as “How Deep Is the Ocean,” though it receives a Louis Armstrong-inspired overhaul. But often, the more obscure or sadly neglected the tune, the better. Take the album’s title track, for example, a Cotton Club favorite that colorfully kicks off this session and presages similar pleasures to come. ~ Mike Joyce https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/marty-groszfat-babies-diga-diga-doo-hot-music-from-chicago/

Personnel: Marty Grosz (guitar, banjo); John Otto (clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Jonathan Doyle (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Andy Schumm (cornet); Panic Slim, Dave Bock (trombone); Paul Asaro, James Dapogny (piano); Alex Hall (drums).

Diga Diga Doo

Joe Morris, Nate Wooley - Tooth And Nail

Styles: Guitar, Trumpet
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:17
Size: 125,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. Metronorth
(8:22)  2. Gigantica
(4:35)  3. Steelhead
(5:22)  4. Noble Reasoning
(7:31)  5. Forrest Grove
(6:31)  6. Barberchaired
(8:04)  7. Hook In Cheek
(6:33)  8. A Terriffic Snag

That of duo is a fine and stimulating art but also risky and relentless. You can't cheat, you can't hide, you are "naked to the goal" and only marked sensitivity, open ears, communicative ability, true expressive urgency can lead to significant results. This is what happens in this Tooth and Nail where two innovators such as guitarist Joe Morris and trumpeter Nate Wooley give life to a meeting of considerable intensity by sharing their musical visions that go beyond the established rules of harmony, tonality and rhythm. But it is not on this ground that we must focus our attention rather on that of a profound research on the limits of the instruments and on the possibilities of the musician to exploit every innermost resource for communication purposes. Wooley radicalizes the evolution of the jazz trumpet by returning to the elements that constitute its basic approach, namely breath, lip position, use of the language, exasperating its functionality. Morris, on the other hand, works on the strings by plucking, gliding, hitting, using all the physical space allowed by the instrument and when something similar to the phrasing takes shape this has the essentiality of the single notes and the expressive force of an entire orchestra. "Whisper and shout" we could define Tooth and Nail, paraphrasing one of Ingmar Bergman's masterpieces. More whispers than screams because the recording atmosphere is intimate with the two musicians who reveal their emotions in a seemingly messy, irregular and nervous way. But once in tune with the particular sound universe created by Morris and Wooley, a fascinating and precious world opens up for the listener.~ AAJ Italy Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tooth-and-nail-joe-morris-clean-feed-records-review-by-aaji-staff.php

Personnel:  Acoustic Guitar, Liner Notes – Joe Morris; Trumpet – Nate Wooley

Tooth And Nail

Mike LeDonne - Night Song

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:43
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Night Song
(5:31)  2. JB
(7:36)  3. After the Rain
(7:54)  4. I Should Care
(8:06)  5. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(6:25)  6. In a Sentimental Mood
(7:14)  7. Toys
(7:27)  8. Continuum
(4:42)  9. Alone Together

Pianist Mike LeDonne, whose main influence is McCoy Tyner, mostly sounds pretty original throughout this swinging trio set. Teamed with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Joe Farnsworth, LeDonne contributes two originals and comes up with fresh variations on a variety of jazz standards. Among the highlights are LeDonne's "JB," John Coltrane's "After the Rain" (which is not recorded very often), "I Should Care," and "Alone Together." While Carter and Farnsworth get their spots to solo, Mike LeDonne is the main star throughout and is heard in prime form. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/night-song-mw0000719505

Personnel:  Piano – Mike LeDonne; Bass – Ron Carter;  Drums – Joe Farnsworth

Night Song

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Brian Dickinson & Jerry Bergonzi - Soul Mission

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:16
Size: 149,7 MB
Art: Front

( 6:16)  1. Soul Mission
( 7:58)  2. Pardon Me
( 9:23)  3. Delaware Daze
( 7:29)  4. Splurge
( 7:45)  5. Sam's Song
( 7:18)  6. With Reference
(11:04)  7. Crazy Makers
( 8:01)  8. Tribute

Brian Dickinson and Jerry Bergonzi meet in Soul Mission , a record recorded in 2002 and released by Dodicilune records . A non-leading but indispensable players in this musical dialogue are Jim Vivian's double bass and Ted Warren's drums , the rhythmic section of the Dickinsonquartet . Bergonzi and Dickinson share the music. Four original compositions each, almost of the same duration, the same number of solos, but a more precious presence of the saxofonosta professor. Jerry Bergonzi In fact, it offers a lesson in sax, improvisation, cleanliness and roundness; his notes come down precise, they roll like perfect spheres to highlight, again, the possession of a sublime technique and a closeness admired by the sound, however inimitable, of Coltrane. 

In the composition of both dominates the tradition, the elegance of a jazz that we have the need to define as classic, the exception is the energetic Crazy makers signed by Dickinson in which Vivian and Warren are in the foreground . Attention returns to the piano and sax immediately after, in Tribute di Bergonzi , for the closure of this work. The lesson is over the spherical notes drawn by the fingers and the breath are still, immobile like a " soul " listening. ~ Alessandro Armando for JazzItalia http://www.jazzitalia.net/recensioni/soulmission.asp#.XIuyMiJKiUl

Personnel:  Jerry Bergonzi - tenor sax; Brian Dickinson - piano; Jim Vivian - double bass; Ted Warren - drums

Soul Mission

Dianne Reeves - Light Up The Night: Live In Marciac

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:29
Size: 139,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:52)  1. Dreams
(6:44)  2. Minuano (Six Eight)
(6:05)  3. Nine
(8:09)  4. Infant Eyes
(8:12)  5. All Blues
(7:02)  6. Heavens
(9:20)  7. Cold
(6:02)  8. Beautiful

Dianne Reeves has been one of the top singers in jazz ever since the late '80s. A logical successor to Dinah Washington and Carmen McRae (although even she can't reach the impossible heights of Ella and Sarah Vaughan), Reeves is a superior interpreter of lyrics and a skilled scat singer. She was a talented vocalist with an attractive voice even as a teenager when she sang and recorded with her high school band. She was encouraged by Clark Terry, who had her perform with him while she was a college student at the University of Colorado. There have been many times when Reeves has explored music beyond jazz. She did session work in Los Angeles starting in 1976, toured with Caldera, worked with Sergio Mendes in 1981, and toured with Harry Belafonte between 1983 and 1986. Reeves began recording as a leader in 1982 and became a regular at major jazz festivals. Her earlier recordings tended to be quite eclectic and many of her live performances have included original, African-inspired folk music (which is often autobiographical), world music, and pop. After signing with Blue Note in 1987, however, and particularly since 1994, Reeves has found her place in jazz, recording several classic albums along the way, most notably I Remember, The Grand Encounter, The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan, and A Little Moonlight. In 2005, she appeared onscreen singing '50s standards in the George Clooney film Good Night, And Good Luck. When You Know was released in 2008. Reeves left Blue Note in 2009. After touring and an extended break, she eventually signed with Concord and began working on a new record produced by Terri Lynne Carrington. The pair enlisted an all-star cast including Esperanza Spalding, Sheila E, Robert Glasper, and George Duke (who passed away shortly after the album was completed). Beautiful Life was released just in time for Valentine's Day, 2014. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dianne-reeves-mn0000211570/biography

Light Up The Night: Live In Marciac

Bridge Quartet - Night

Styles:  Jazz, Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:02
Size: 166,1 MB
Art: Front

(12:22)  1. Wouldn't It Be Lovely
(13:59)  2. Green Dolphin Street
(11:38)  3. A Face Like Yours
( 9:01)  4. Strode Rode
( 9:54)  5. Isfahan
(15:05)  6. Bemsha Swing

For jazz fans with some historical listening under their belts, the word "Bridge" will bring to mind Sonny Rollins' album, The Bridge (Bluebird/RCA, 1962), a set that Rollins released after a three-year hiatus, and changed the saxophonist's musical trajectory from Ornette Coleman-influenced freedom to a more traditional mainstream, but still adventurous, sound. The Bridge Quartet works very much in that Rollins-esque, post-Bridge mode. It's Phil Dwyer's full-bodied saxophone in front of an inspired rhythm team, featuring pianist Darrell Grant, bassist Tom Wakeling, and drummer Alan Jones. The group's previous set, Day (Origin Records, 2008), was a studio affair, recorded in the same 36-hour period as Night, which showcases the ensemble in a live setting. The feeling on both sets is much the same, with Night, as one would expect of a live recording, featuring the tunes in a more stretched out mode, with more room for soloing all around. Much like Rollins, the Bridge Quartet takes on familiar melodies with a fiery gusto, beginning with the buoyant 12-minute take on the Lerner and Lowe gem, "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," moving into an energized and freewheeling rendition of "Green Dolphin Street," with Dwyer wrapping up the roll down that familiar avenue in a "Surrey With the Fringe on the Top." "A Face Like Yours" opens with Darrell Grant's gorgeously supple piano sound before Dwyer blows in with a yearning feeling. 

It's 11 minutes-plus of heart-rendering, breathtaking beauty in the middle of a mostly high octane affair that proves the Bridge Quartet has its own sweet way with a ballad. "Strode Rode," from the pen of Sonny Rollins, blasts full speed ahead, full of muscle and grit, and Billy Strayhorn's "Isfahan" steps lightly, in pretty and contemplative fashion. The set closes with "Bemsha Swing," one of Thelonious Monk's most brilliant tunes. It opens on a smooth rolling rhythm before the saxophone slices in. Pianist Grant gets a lot of space, and he shines in it, smoothing out the Monk-ian angles and taking things into a dance groove before Dwyer shifts things into a freer gear, and addresses the sharp corners of Sonny Rollins' "East Broadway Rundown," from the 1966 Impulse! Records set of the same name, along the way, bringing an especially fine jazz set to a close. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/night-origin-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Phil Dwyer: saxophone; Darrell Grant: piano; Tom Wakling: bass; Alan Jones: drums.

Night

Native Soul - Soul Step

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2011
Time: 69:18
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Soul Step
(7:49)  2. End of a Love Affair
(5:52)  3. Deep Blue
(4:42)  4. Inner Search
(7:17)  5. Mingus
(5:29)  6. Slipstream
(7:22)  7. Castles Made of Sand
(5:26)  8. Into the Night
(9:04)  9. Talking Drum
(5:26) 10. One for Op
(5:38) 11. Gift Within

Native Soul Soul Step is a stylistically coherent and well executed effort. The quartet a classic keyboards, saxophone, bass and drums lineup plays mostly straight-ahead, but adds enough instrumental and musical variation to keep it fresh throughout. Keyboardist Noah Haidu is the collective's founder, and is the source of a good portion of the music's diversity. By switching between piano and Fender Rhodes with a dash of B-3 organ and synthesizer he adds just the right touch of funk and nostalgia to the set, making a credible effort at evoking several distinct styles of jazz. The title track opens with a funky bass vamp, overlaid by some bell-like keyboard tones and Peter Brainin's soprano saxophone. Collectively they recreate a sound that could have easily come from a 1973 date on the CTI label, but that vibe immediately gives way to a more modern feel, as Brainen and Haidu switch to piano and tenor respectively, for "End of a Love Affair," employing some bold, modal chord blocking. Brainin's "Mingus" is a 3/4 vehicle for his grooved tenor improvisation, while Haidu employs a chopped waltz background comp, giving the track a smoky club feeling. The funk reemerges in a big way when bassist Marcus McLaurine breaks open Jimi Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." The band really nails this one, using the original melody judiciously as an opening statement and as a framework for improvisation, restating the theme enough to be recognizable, but altering it sufficiently so as to avoid outright imitation. In the collectively written liner notes, the band reminisces about the days when music was not a ubiquitous digital commodity, but something into which people had to put some thought. Getting one's paws on the latest releases wasn't always as simple as making a few keystrokes on a computer. Perhaps Native Soul longs for the opportunity to have its CD prominently featured in the new releases section at the front of the store. Soul Steps might have gotten some traction from music shoppers looking for a solid effort from a group of really fine musicians. ~ Greg Simmons https://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-step-native-soul-talking-drum-records-review-by-greg-simmons.php

Personnel: Peter Brainin: tenor and soprano saxophones, flute; Noah Haidu: piano, keyboards; Marcus McLaurine: electric and acoustic bass; Steve Johns: drums.


Friday, March 15, 2019

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra - Consummation

Styles: Flugelhorn Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:36
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:13)  1. Dedication
( 3:07)  2. It Only Happens Every Time
( 6:42)  3. Tiptoe
( 4:09)  4. A Child Is Born
( 3:37)  5. Us
( 7:57)  6. Ahunk Ahunk
(10:38)  7. Fingers
( 5:09)  8. Consummation

Of the many albums recorded by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, this was the greatest. Reissued on CD as part of a large Mosaic box set, this set introduced Jones' best-known composition, "A Child Is Born," and also has a colorful rendition of his sly "Tiptoe," and finds the big band ripping the roof off during the lengthy and very exciting "Fingers." The all-star cast (which includes flugelhornist Jones, drummer Lewis, trumpeter Marvin Stamm, trombonist Jimmy Knepper, tenor great Billy Harper, the reeds of Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion and Eddie Daniels, keyboardist Roland Hanna, and bassist Richard Davis, among others) is well served by Thad Jones' inventive and swinging arrangements. A classic. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/consummation-mw0000221310

Personnel:  Thad Jones – flugelhorn; Snooky Young – trumpet; Danny Moore – trumpet; Al Porcino – trumpet; Marvin Stamm – trumpet; Eddie Bert – trombone; Benny Powell – trombone; Jimmy Knepper – trombone; Cliff Heather – bass trombone; Jerome Richardson – soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, flute, alto flute; Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, alto flute; Billy Harper – tenor saxophone, flute; Eddie Daniels – tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Richie Kamuca – baritone saxophone, clarinet; Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone; Joe Farrell – baritone saxophone; Roland Hanna – acoustic piano, electric piano; Richard Davis – acoustic bass, electric bass; Mel Lewis – drums; Jimmy Buffington, Earl Chapin, Julius Watkins  - French horn; Howard Johnson - tuba; David Spinozza - guitar

Consummation

Miriam Aida & Fredrik Kronkvist - Live at the Palladium

Styles: Vocal, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:13
Size: 103,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. It's a Wonderful World
(4:44)  2. Born to Be Blue
(3:39)  3. My Shining Hour
(4:13)  4. Senor Blues
(3:56)  5. Lamesha
(4:49)  6. So tinha de ser com voce
(4:24)  7. Right Here, Right Now
(4:01)  8. If You Go
(4:04)  9. Fun
(4:02) 10. Trav'lin Light
(3:47) 11. Too Close for Comfort

Miriam Aïda (born 24 September 1974) is a Swedish jazz singer. She has toured internationally, performing at the Blue Note in Tokyo, in London, Paris, Istanbul, Moscow, Helsinki, Oslo, Palermo, Berlin and across Sweden. She has appeared on Swedish national television. Aïda's music is influenced by many musical traditions, including Latin American, and she attained success with a Brazilian music-inspired album Meu Brasil. 

She performs with her partner, saxophonist Fredrik Kronkvist, and has since her 2002 debut released five albums with Kronkvist and the Jan Lundgren Trio. She lives in Malmö, where she manages a jazz club named Monk. In 2017, she sang Brazilian music at the Uppsala International Guitar Festival in Sweden. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiriamAida

Recorded live in front of a huge audience is this album a real powerhouse. Soulfull, straight-a-head jazz, and Bossa Nova with Sweden’s brightest young jazz stars. Singer Miriam Aïda and saxophonist Fredrik Kronkvist deliver their message with powerful big band arrangements of great tunes such as “Senor Blues” by Horace Silver, Nat Adderleys “Fun” and also a big band version of their own tune Right Here, Right Now, first heard on their first appearance on the success record “Jan Lundgren Trio presents Miriam Aïda & Fredrik Kronkvist”.

Personnel:  Miriam Aida - Vocal; Fredrik Kronkvist - Saxophone; Monday Night Big Band

Live at the Palladium

Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Jimmy Witherspoon - Groovin' With Jimmy

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:38
Size: 165,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Groove's Groove
(3:21)  2. California Blues
(6:44)  3. What A Wonderful World
(4:07)  4. Misty
(4:18)  5. Walking On A Tightrope
(7:33)  6. Slow Blues In G
(7:08)  7. Song For My Father
(8:22)  8. My Friend
(7:06)  9. Lonesome Road Blues
(7:24) 10. Onsaya Joy
(7:51) 11. Danger Zone Is Everywhere
(3:06) 12. The Time Has Come

Revered in soul-jazz circles, Richard "Groove" Holmes was an unapologetically swinging Jimmy Smith admirer who could effortlessly move from the grittiest of blues to the most sentimental of ballads. Holmes, a very accessible, straightforward and warm player who was especially popular in the black community, had been well respected on the Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey circuit by the time he signed with Pacific Jazz in the early '60s and started receiving national attention by recording with such greats as Ben Webster and Gene Ammons. Holmes, best known for his hit 1965 version of "Misty," engaged in some inspired organ battles with Jimmy McGriff in the early '70s before turning to electric keyboards and fusion-ish material a few years later. The organ was Holmes' priority in the mid- to late '80s, when he recorded for Muse (he also had stints throughout his career with Prestige Records and Groove Merchant) . 

Holmes was still delivering high-quality soul-jazz for Muse (often featuring tenor titan Houston Person) when a heart attack claimed his life at the age of 60 in 1991 after a long struggle with prostrate cancer. He was a musician to the end, playing his last shows in a wheelchair. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-groove-holmes-mn0000848952/biography

Groovin' With Jimmy

Jimmy Scott - Falling in Love Is Wonderful

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:37
Size: 90,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. They Say It's Wonderful
(4:02)  2. I Wish I Didn't Love You So
(3:27)  3. There Is No Greater Love
(3:23)  4. If I Should Lose You
(4:50)  5. Why Try to Change Me Now
(3:54)  6. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(3:29)  7. Someone to Watch Over Me
(3:36)  8. How Deep Is the Ocean
(4:22)  9. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(3:25) 10. Sunday, Monday or Always

The Eighteenth Century saw the zenith of a subset of opera singers known collectively as the castrati. These singers, eunuchs relieved of their primary sexual characteristics between the ages of 7 and 10 years, had voices full, with high range and perfect timbre. Technically, the normal male voice deepens during puberty under the pressure of increasing secretion of the male sex hormone testosterone, or more probably its biological byproduct dihydrotestosterone. The male vocal cords increase 70% in length during this time, where the female vocal cords increase by only 34%. Testosterone initially produces swelling of the vocal cords, followed by a permanent thickening due to the accumulation of collagen. These changes contribute further to the lowering of vocal pitch. Removal of testosterone causes absence of male-type growth of the larynx or voice box. In the only recorded autopsy of a castrato, the size of the larynx was conspicuously small, with vocal cords the length of a female high soprano. However, in a castrato overall body growth continues unhindered, resulting in a voice very different from that of the prepubescent boy. While the pitch may have been similar to that of a female, the timbre of the voice was different. A leading Eighteenth Century opera critic Charles de Brosses described the castrato sound as being "as clear and penetrating as that of choirboys but a great deal louder with something dry and sour about it yet brilliant, light, full of impact." What does this have to do with Jazz Vocalist Jimmy Scott? Mr. Scott was born with a familial condition commonly known as Kallman’s Syndrome. This is a heredity condition that not only affects Mr. Scott but also his brother and several maternal uncles. In this condition, the cells of the hypothalamus gland responsible for making and secreting the hormones necessary to stimulate the release of the sex related hormones testosterone in the male or estrogen in the female, fail to develop. 

This results in the afflicted never fully developing to sexual maturity. In essence, those who have Kallman’s Syndrome are natural castrati. The result in Mr. Scott’s case is his perfect, beautiful voice. Pristine, crystalline, faultless are all adjectives that fairly describe this unique voice. Born in Cleveland, OH in 1925, Jimmy Scott received musical training for an early age and was invited to sing with Lionel Hampton’s band in the late 1940s. He recorded several well-received sides for Savoy in the 1950s. In 1962, when he thought his contract was completed, Mr. Scott went to Ray Charles’ Tangerine label and recorded the famous Falling In Love Is Wonderful. Shortly before the album’s release, Scott’s previous label sued Tangerine claiming that Scott remained under contract to Savoy. It would be 40 years before Falling In Love Is Wonderful would again be legally heard. Rhino Record’s specialty label Rhino Hand Made has recently released Falling In Love Is Wonderful to a welcoming jazz public. The recording sports the arrangements of Marty Paich and Gerald Wilson and the piano playing of Ray Charles. It is a collection of love songs ballads so sincerely emoted in such a perfect voice that one would think the songs were written for Jimmy Scott. "There Is No Greater Love," "I’m Getting Sentimental Over You," and "Someone To Watch Over Me" are all rendered with careful affection and respect. This is a voice and music of another time. Densely romantic and heartbreakingly open, Jimmy Scott and his exquisite voice should be declared a national treasure. In 1992, interest in Mr. Scott began to pique with the Sire release of All the Way. Since then, Mr. Scott has continued to record critically acclaimed discs, his most recent being 2002’s But Beautiful (Milestone MCD-9321-2). His voice sports the maturity of his 77 years and the sweetness of his life. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/falling-in-love-is-wonderful-jimmy-scott-tangerine-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Jimmy Scott: vocals.

Falling in Love Is Wonderful

Lee Ritenour - Banded Together

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:53
Size: 99,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Operator (Thief On The Line)
(4:07)  2. Other Love
(4:23)  3. Sunset Drivers
(4:41)  4. Mandela
(3:42)  5. Amaretto
(4:15)  6. Rit Variations II
(3:50)  7. Be Good To Me
(4:21)  8. I'm Not Responsible
(4:26)  9. Shadow Dancing
(4:38) 10. Heavenly Bodies

Lee Ritenour goes techno/pop/rock on an album originally released on the pop Elektra label and as such is not recommended to jazz fans with a low tolerance for the stuff. Here Captain Fingers extends his reach to play keyboards and programmed electronic drums on a few tracks, along with very competent rock guitar to little effect, for the material is just not very interesting. Indeed, in a telling move, two songs from the previous record, On the Line, are actually recycled here ("Rit Variations II," " Heavenly Bodies"); the former comes off a little better in machine-driven, techno-pop manner. Ernie Watts' protean sax talents are wasted, Eric Tagg and John Massaro's high-pitched pop voices are hard to tell apart without a scorecard, and the largely electronic backing never meets a real groove that it can find. And no hits result anyway. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/banded-together-mw0000120801

Personnel: Lee Ritenour - producer, executive producer, engineering, music, lyrics, arrangements, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12 string acoustic guitar, 12 string electric guitar, guitar synthesizer, bass synthesizer, drum machine, drum programming, synthesizer, Synclavier; Greg Mathieson - producer, music, lyrics, arrangements, bass synthesizer, moog bass taurus, drum programming, keyboards, synthesizer, solo, prophet-5;  Jerry Hey, Gary Grant,  Larry Williams, Gary Herbig - horns

Banded Together