Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Jon Gordon - Jon Gordon Quartet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:53
Size: 177,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:48)  1. One For Charles
( 7:30)  2. The Trust Of A Child
( 6:23)  3. Evidence
( 6:04)  4. Time Trap
( 6:25)  5. What's New
( 6:53)  6. Land Of Ephysus
( 7:18)  7. My Shining Hour
(10:07)  8. Earth Song
( 5:36)  9. Pass It On, Jon
(14:46) 10. Jazzspeak

Jon Gordon's U.S. debut as a leader is an impressive start. Clearly one to watch on his main instrument, alto sax, he kicks things off with an uptempo, somewhat exotic original, "One for Charles." He also has a nice sound on the soprano on his engaging ballad "The Trust of a Child." The strong supporting cast was a functioning quartet at the time of the recording: pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Bill Stewart. Gordon was also clearly inspired by his former teacher, Phil Woods, who is present on several tracks, including an original dedicated to the younger man, "Pass It On, Jon." ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jon-gordon-quartet-mw0000932334

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Jon Gordon;  Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods; Bass – Scott Colley; Drums – Bill Stewart; Piano – Kevin Hays

Jon Gordon Quartet

Kay Starr, Erroll Garner - Singin' Kay Starr, Swingin' Erroll Garner

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:45
Size: 62,9 MB
Art: Front

(1:52)  1. Ain't Misbehavin'
(3:04)  2. Good for Nothing Joe
(5:41)  3. Lover
(2:59)  4. Just You, Just Me
(1:49)  5. Them There Eyes
(6:06)  6. Blue Lou
(2:29)  7. Tenderly
(2:41)  8. Little Girl

A solid jazz singer whose early recordings tended to be forgotten after her ascendancy into the commercial sphere during the mid '50s, Kay Starr was among the first pop singers to capitalize on the "rock fad" with her 1955 novelty "Rock and Roll Waltz." Her biggest hit came with the era-defining "Wheel of Fortune," a prime slice of '50s adult pop with a suitably brassy reading. Born in Oklahoma, she moved to Dallas at a young age and made her debut on radio while still in school. A brief stay with Glenn Miller & His Orchestra precipitated her working with groups led by Bob Crosby, Joe Venuti, and finally Charlie Barnet. She recorded a few numbers with Barnet that earned her a solo contract with Capitol.  By 1948, Starr made her Your Hit Parade breakthrough with "You Were Only Foolin' (While I Was Falling in Love)." Subsequent hits like "Hoop-Dee-Doo," "Oh, Babe!," and "I'll Never Be Free" (the latter with Tennessee Ernie Ford) framed her in an emerging vein of the popular market that also looked back to traditional country and folk. In 1952, "Wheel of Fortune" became her biggest hit and one of the signature songs of the '50s pop sound. She struggled to reach a similar chart peak for several years afterwards, though "Comes A-Long A-Love" topped the British charts. With her move to RCA in 1955, the comical "Rock and Roll Waltz" spent several weeks at number one. It was her last major hit, followed by just one additional Top Ten entry, 1957's "My Heart Reminds Me." By the 1960s, she had begun to concentrate more on performing (especially in Las Vegas) than recording, despite moving back to Capitol in 1961. She subsequently played several oldies packages, including the 3 Girls 3 tour with Helen O'Connell and Margaret Whiting. Kay Starr died at her home in Los Angeles in November 2016; she was 94 years old. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kay-starr-mn0000857203/biography

Singin' Kay Starr, Swingin' Erroll Garner

Les McCann Ltd. - "On Time"

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:25
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. On Time
(4:50)  2. Yours Is My Heart Alone
(5:39)  3. This for Doug
(5:14)  4. Fondue
(3:04)  5. Bernie's Tune
(4:37)  6. Maichen
(5:02)  7. It Could Happen to You
(5:00)  8. You're Driving Me Crazy
(3:04)  9. So What
(3:32) 10. Direct South
(4:31) 11. Drifftin' Blues
(2:31) 12. Midnight Special

Les McCann's On Time was the eighth album of this talented and popular jazz pianists leader career. Always a consummately swinging and distinctively soulful communicator, he displays the full extent of his honest preaching, warmth and creativity in a range embracing the impressionistic on the introduction to On Time, and an expansive chordal approach on It Could Happen to You. In the pieces here, including four excellent originals by the groups members, he is engagingly melodic over the opening of Fondue, a fine vehicle for improvisation, while Jeffersons This for Doug is a lovely piece; and Maichen, by bassist Leroy Vinnegar, has a pretty, infectious melody, warmly embraced by McCann and the featured guest, Joe Pass, whose lucid solos are among the highlights of the album, particularly his theme statement on Yours Is My Heart Alone. Ron Jefferson and Vinnegar are ideal accompanists. 

The last three tracks feature the veteran blues singer and guitarist Bumble Bee Slim (a.k.a. Amos Easton), one of the best loved bluesmen during the 30s. Accompanied by the Les McCann Ltd., these were part of an album titled Back in Town!, recorded by Slim in 1962, after a long period out of the studios, and they make a nice addition to this collection. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/les-mccann-albums/5821-les-mccann-ltd-on-time-bonus-tracks.html

Personnel:  Les McCann (p), Joe Pass (g), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Ron Jefferson (d), Bumble Bee Slim (added vcl).

"On Time"

Jimmy McGriff - The Worm

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:56
Size: 88,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. The Worm
(5:56)  2. Keep Loose
(6:52)  3. Heavy Weight
(3:16)  4. Think
(5:13)  5. Lock It Up
(4:31)  6. Girl Talk
(4:59)  7. Blue Juice
(3:46)  8. Take The "A" Train

Jimmy McGriff's B-3 sound was always rooted in blues and gospel, and his soloing could be very smooth and polished. But every once in a while, he had to break out of his own soul box and tear it up on a session. The Worm, issued on Solid State Records in 1968, is the very first place he did. This is the first true, all-out funky burner from McGriff, and it sounds very different from most of the other titles on his shelf. Having a band like this helps: trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Fats Theus (with Bob Ashton on baritone and Danny Turner on alto), alternating drummers Mel Lewis and Grady Tate, bassist Bob Bushnell, and guitarist Thornel Schwartz were all in their prime in 1968. The title track, written by McGriff, Theus, and producer Sonny Lester, sets the tone for the whole platter. The saxophone section lays in the cut and is prodded on in a driving, funked-up, hard soul groove by the expanded rhythm section (a B-3 album with a bassist wasn't unheard of, but it wasn't standard procedure either). Solos by both McGriff and Mitchell are choppy and punchy in the extreme. The trumpeter is amazing here, offering a small taste of the sound he displayed on 1969's Collision in Black. 

But check out the next two tunes, both McGriff originals that push the LP into the red zone and keep it there. "Keep Loose" takes the organist head-to-head against Schwartz's electric six-string, and forces a showdown. McGriff is like an out-of-control soul singer (James Brown in a concert setting comes to mind), incessantly forcing his band to play faster, greasier, and choppier on chorus after chorus. He ups the intensity level until there is nowhere to go but over the ledge. He takes them there on "Heavyweight," the very next number, a swinging boppish blues. The horns actually keep the track grounded as McGriff gets terse, dense, and finally unhinged: he's more adventurous in this solo than he had been before, then he double- and even triple-times the entire band! He brings Bushnell's bass up the ever-narrowing stairs of the riff until they become a single player, all groove, grit, and grease. McGriff's cover of Aretha Franklin's "Think" keeps the exuberance level high. As the horns move right into the Memphis soul vamp, McGriff again plays the part of a vocalist: charging up and down the melody on his keyboards, popping in slippery side chords and harmonic flourishes. Tate's drums swing freely yet forcefully, and bass and guitar lines are simply nasty. The readings of Kenny Burrell's "Lock It Up" and Billy Strayhorn's "Take the 'A' Train" are the closest things to "straight" jazz here, though they're full of razored edges and hard angles. The reading of Neal Hefti's "Girl Talk" features the horns strolling leisurely on the melody and vamp, but McGriff goes into overdrive again and his solo hits the stratosphere. The Worm is a monster album through and through. Not only is it a revelatory example of McGriff on the wild, it marks one of the first places where the new funky urban soul met jazz and blues and evolved into jazz-funk. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-worm-mw0000659896

Personnel:  Organ – Jimmy McGriff; Alto Saxophone – Danny Turner; Baritone Saxophone – Robert Ashton; Bass [Fender] – Bob Bushnell; Drums – Grady Tate, Mel Lewis; Guitar – Thornel Schwartz; Tenor Saxophone – Fats Theus; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

The Worm

Warren Vaché - Songs Our Fathers Taught Us

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:08
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. My Melancholy Baby
(3:52)  2. Key Largo
(3:56)  3. Love Locked Out
(5:26)  4. I Love You
(5:11)  5. Warm Valley
(4:56)  6. I'll Be Around
(3:40)  7. Birk's Works
(5:08)  8. Felicidade
(4:11)  9. The More I See You
(5:45) 10. Deep Night
(4:16) 11. Blue Room
(4:45) 12. There I No Music (For Me)
(3:15) 13. (I'd Like To Get You On A) Slow Boat To China

Anyone who is familiar with the artistry of WARREN VACHÉ knows that he epitomizes the tasteful side of the jazz spectrum. You also know that Vaché knows a lot of songs, good ones. Vaché, here on cornet, is joined by guitarist Jacob Fischer, bassist Neal Miner and drummer Steve Williams for Songs Our Fathers Taught Us (Arbors 19464). The program comprises 13 selections mixing the familiar, ''My Melancholy Baby,'' ''I'll Be Around,'' ''The More I See You'' and ''Blue Room;'' good songs that are too often overlooked, ''Key Largo,'' ''Love Locked Out'' and Cole Porter's ''I Love You;'' a couple of jazz tunes, ''Warm Valley'' and Birk's Works;'' and relative obscurities like ''Deep Night'' and a true rarity, ''There Is No Music (For Me)'' by Harry Warren and Ira Gershwin. I am not sure which songs were suggested by which participant, but the program proves to be a winner. Vaché plays with his usual eloquence and Fischer matches him on guitar, while Miner and Williams provide just the kind of support that they deserve. It is evident that the fathers of these cats imbued their offspring with a love for music for the ages. 
~ Joseph Lang 

Let's all pause for just a moment a contemplate what it would be like to live in a home in which your dad taught you to play jazz standards. In this case, what cornetist Warren Vaché remembers are the 78-rpm shellac recordings that his dad had saved up lunch money to buy when he was a schoolboy, and which he played on the family's record player every Saturday morning as Vaché was growing up. ''Melancholy Baby,'' ''Slow Boat to China,'' ''Blue Room,'' like that. Vaché plays these tunes in a soft and gentle way, even on the up-tempo numbers; there's fire in his energy and tone, but cool restraint in his arrangements and phrasing. He's accompanied by acoustic guitarist Jacob Fischer, bassist Neal Miner, and drummer Steve Williams-though the drums lay out for long stretches on this album, contributing to the overall feeling of relaxed warmth. Very, very nice. ~ Rick Anderson Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Our-Fathers-Taught-Us/dp/B07NHP5S6B

Personnel:  Warren Vache - cornet, Jacob Fischer - guitar, Neal Miner - bass, Steve Williams - drums

Songs Our Fathers Taught Us

Monday, July 8, 2019

João Gilberto - By Your Side

Styles: Bossa Nova, Latin Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:40
Size: 171,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. Insensatez
(1:57)  2. é Luxo Só
(2:02)  3. Chega De Saudade
(3:23)  4. One Note Samba
(2:32)  5. O Barquinho
(2:23)  6. Maria Ninguém
(2:23)  7. O Amor Em Paz
(1:58)  8. Desafinado
(2:37)  9. Manhã De Carnaval
(2:06) 10. Brigas Nunca Mais
(2:17) 11. Hó Bá Lá Lá
(2:00) 12. Morena Boca De Ouro
(2:25) 13. O Nosso Amor
(1:21) 14. Lobo Bobo
(2:22) 15. Samba De Minha Terra
(1:35) 16. Aos Pés Da Cruz
(2:00) 17. O Pato
(1:47) 18. Saudade Fez Um Samba
(1:58) 19. Corcovado
(1:39) 20. Samba De Uma Nota Só
(2:17) 21. Saudade Da Bahia
(1:54) 22. Amor Certinho
(2:53) 23. A Felicidade
(1:49) 24. Só Em Teus Braços
(1:45) 25. Se é Tarde Me Perdoa
(1:47) 26. Meditação
(2:51) 27. Coisa Mais Linda
(2:32) 28. Vocé E Eu
(2:14) 29. Este Seu Olhar
(1:51) 30. Discussão
(1:17) 31. Bim Bom
(2:06) 32. Rosa Morena
(1:38) 33. Um Abraço No Bonfá
(1:28) 34. Doralice
(1:53) 35. A Primeira Vez

When talking about bossa nova, perhaps the signature pop music sound of Brazil, frequently the first name to come to one's lips is that of Antonio Carlos Jobim. With songs like "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Desafindo," Jobim pretty much set the standard for the creation of the bossa nova in the mid-'50s. However, as is often the case, others come along and take the genre in a new direction, reinventing through radical reinterpretation, be it lyrically, rhythmically, or in live performance, making the music theirs. And if Jobim gets credit for laying the foundation of bossa nova, then the genre was brilliantly reimagined (and, arguably, defined) by the singer/songwriter and guitarist João Gilberto. In his native country he is called O Mito (The Legend), a deserving nickname, for since he began recording in late '50s Gilberto, with his signature soft, near-whispering croon, set a standard few have equaled.  Born in 1931 in Juazeiro in the northeastern state of Brazil known as Bahia, Gilberto seemed obsessed with music almost from the moment he emerged from the womb. His grandfather bought him his first guitar at age 14 (much to the dismay of João's father). Within a year, the result of near constant practicing, he was the leader of a band made up of school friends. During this time Gilberto was absorbing the rhythmic subtlety of the Brazilian pop songs of the day, while also taking in the rich sounds of swing jazz (Duke Ellington and Tommy Dorsey), as well as the light opera singing of Jeanette MacDonald. At 18, Gilberto gave up on his small town life and headed to Bahia's largest city, Salvador, to get a foothold in the music industry performing on live radio shows. Although he was given the opportunity to sing, instant stardom was not in the offing, but his brief appearances on the radio brought him to the attention of Antonio Maria, who wanted Gilberto to become the lead singer for the popular radio band Garotos da Lua (Boys From the Moon) and move to Rio de Janeiro.  Gilberto stayed in the band only a year. 

He was fired after the rest of the group could take no more of his lackadaisical attitude. Gilberto was frequently late for rehearsals and performances, and in a move reminiscent of American pop star Sly Stone, would occasionally not show up at all. After his dismissal from the group Gilberto lived a seminomadic life. For years he had no fixed address, drifting from friend to friend and acquaintance to acquaintance, living off their kindness and rarely if ever contributing to the household expenses. Evidently Gilberto was such charming company that his emotional carelessness and fiscal apathy were never an issue that or he had extremely patient and generous friends. It was during this underachieving bohemian period that Gilberto kept an extremely low profile. Instead of using his time with Garotos da Luna as a springboard for other recording and performing possibilities, he became apathetic, constantly smoking large quantities of marijuana, playing the odd club gig, and refusing work he considered beneath him (this included gigs at clubs where people talked during the performance). Although gifted with considerable talent as a singer and guitar player, it seemed as though Gilberto would fail to attain the success and notoriety he deserved if only due to apathy that verged on lethargy. After nearly a decade of aimlessness Gilberto joined forces with singer Luis Telles, who encouraged Gilberto to leave Rio for a semibucolic life in the city of Pôrto Alegre. Telles, who functioned as a combination public relations guru and sugar daddy, made sure the demanding Gilberto wanted for nothing and would concentrate on his music. It turned out to be a successful, if expensive strategy. Within a few months Gilberto (who at this point had given up his prodigious marijuana consumption and was now partaking in nothing stronger than fruit juice) was the toast of Pôrto Alegre, the musician everyone wanted to see. It was also during this extended apprenticeship that Gilberto perfected his unique vocal style and guitar playing. So breathy and nasally it is almost defies description, in many ways he uses all the things one is taught not to do as a singer and has made them into an instantly recognizable style. Not even established crooners such as Bing Crosby and Perry Como sang more quietly or with less vibrato. 

This, along with his rhythmically idiosyncratic approach to playing the guitar  an intensely syncopated plucking of the strings that flowed with his singing  made for some exhilarating music, and by the time of his first record, Chega de Saudade (1959), Gilberto became widely known as the man who made bossa nova what it is.  True to form, however, Gilberto took the road less traveled, and after the success of his debut record and the two follow-up releases, he left Brazil to settle in the United States, where he lived until 1980. During this period he recorded some amazing records, working with saxophonist Stan Getz and recording music by older Brazilian songwriters such as Dorival Caymmi and Ary Barroso. 

He returned to Brazil in the early '80s and since then has worked with virtually every big name in Brazilian pop, including Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania, Gal Costa, and Chico Buarque. He never saw record sales like the aforementioned performers, but all of them regard him as a profound influence on their work. True to his image as enigmatic and eccentric, Gilberto lives a semireclusive lifestyle secure in the knowledge that, decades ago, he changed the course of Brazilian culture by making the bossa nova his music, as well as the music of Brazil. ~ John Dougan https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jo%C3%A3o-gilberto-mn0000785283/biography

R.I.P.
Born: June 10, 1931 - Juazeiro, Bahia, Brazil.
Died:  July 6, 2019 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

By Your Side

Maruja Muci - Tiempos Modernos

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:39
Size: 108,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Primavera
(5:27)  2. Mantra
(5:32)  3. Algún Lugar
(4:48)  4. Tiempos Modernos
(4:34)  5. Promiscua Soledad
(5:03)  6. Pensamiento Libre
(4:50)  7. Besos
(4:05)  8. Adiós
(3:09)  9. Canción de Cuna
(4:34) 10. The Final Countdown

On her third self-released disc, Venezuelan singer Maruja Muci concentrates on a songwriting side (her two previous CDs were largely cover sets) that reveals strong Brazilian influences, starting with "Primavera," a modern bossa with electronic elements reminiscent of the kind often favored by Brazil's Bebel Gilberto. Muci, however, makes the sound her own with her strong delivery and sparse instrumentation that enriches her voice instead of covering it with excess. She nods to her country's musical influences on "Mantra," an effects-laden track that features superior percussion work from Alberto Vergara and Diego Alvarez Munoz. A notable moment comes with "Algun Lugar," a gently romantic ballad that revolves around Adrian Holtz's acoustic guitar and Muci's double-tracked vocals. "Promiscua Soledad" is the most pop-inflected tune, which opens with the sound of a train, followed by electronic drums and Muci's soft rap vocals. Other tracks include "Pensiamento Libre," a tune that blends rock tendencies with Middle Eastern beats, and the Flamenco-tinged "Besos." Tiempos Modernos closes with its sole English-language track, a cover of Europa's "The Final Countdown." Muci's down-tempo, sexy treatment could easily have appeared in a late 1970s James Bond film; consciously or not, the arrangement borrows from songs like Shirley Basseys "Moonraker" and Gladys Knight's "License To Kill." Muci as of 2010, yet to perform in the U.S. sounds incredibly comfortable. The eclectic blend of traditional rhythms, jazz and pop are highly enjoyable, and Tiempos Modernos just might be the disc that breaks her into the international market. ~ Ernest Barteldes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tiempos-modernos-self-produced-review-by-ernest-barteldes.php

Personnel: Maruja Muci: vocals, arrangements;  Carlos Camarasa:guitar;  Adam Ross: guitar,arrangements;  Kurt Uenala: bass, arrangements;  Alberto Vergara, William Troconis; percussion;  Adrian Holtz: drum programming;  Diego Alvarez Munoz: cajon, percussion.

Tiempos Modernos

Dave Valentin - Land of the Third Eye

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:21
Size: 102,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Sidra's Dream
(5:44)  2. Astro-March
(5:04)  3. Open Your Eyes
(4:26)  4. Fantasy
(6:56)  5. Land of the Third Eye
(6:27)  6. The Tellers
(6:56)  7. Pana Fuerte (Strong Friendship)
(4:05)  8. Sidra's Dream - Single Version

A fantastic funky album from flute man Dave Valentin done right after his time on the New York Latin underground, including some work with Ricardo Marrerro and in that lean, sharp sound of the early years of the GRP label! The vibe here is more CTI than the smoother later sound of the imprint and the arrangements have plenty of space for Dave's flute to soar out in Bobbi Humphrey-like solos amidst larger charts from Dave Grusin, Dennis Ball, and Valentin himself. Grusin also plays a fair bit of keyboards on the record, Marcus Miller plays bass, and one track features sweet guest vocals from Luther Vandross and Patti Austin. Titles include "Open Your Eyes", "Fantasy", "Astro March", "Land Of The Third Eye", and "Sidra's Dream". CD features a bonus 7" mix of "Sidra's Dream".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/863731/Dave-Valentin:Land-Of-The-Third-Eye-with-bonus-track

Personnel:  Arranged By – Dave Grusin, Dave Valentin, Dennis Bell, Michael Viñas; Bass – Lincoln Goines, Marcus Miller; Chorus – Jeff Norell, Luther Vandross, Patti Austin; Congas – Rafael de Jesus, Roger Squitero; Drums – Buddy Williams, Tito Marrero; Guitar – Jeff Mironov, Michael Viñas; Piano – Dave Grusin, Jorge Dalto, Oscar Hernandez

Land of the Third Eye

Ellis Larkins - Blue and Sentimental

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:27
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Am I Blue
(3:52)  2. Interlude # 1
(3:03)  3. Blue Prelude
(4:19)  4. At Loose Ends
(2:59)  5. Blue and Sentimental
(4:28)  6. Ode to Marie
(3:05)  7. Blue Moon
(3:21)  8. Interlude # 2
(3:21)  9. Time
(3:12) 10. Blue Again
(3:47) 11. Four Bar Intro With Tag
(2:48) 12. A Blues Serenade

Famous for his subtle chord voicings and ability to accompany singers, Ellis Larkins has been in great demand throughout his long career. His parents were musicians (his mother played piano while his father was a violinist) and Larkins was hailed as a prodigy early on, appearing with an orchestra when he was 11. After graduating from the Peabody Conservatory and Juilliard, Larkins was part of Edmond Hall's group in the mid-'40s; recorded with Mildred Bailey, Coleman Hawkins, and Dicky Wells; and then worked regularly at the Village Vanguard and the Blue Angel in New York over a 20-year period. His duet records with Ella Fitzgerald and Ruby Braff in the 1950s are masterpieces in subtlety, and he was also a busy studio player. During the 1960s, Larkins worked with singers Joe Williams, Jane Harvey, Georgia Gibbs, and even Eartha Kitt and Harry Belafonte; since then, Larkins has continued playing in New York clubs with a wide variety of singers. He recorded as a leader for Storyville and Decca in the 1950s, for Halcyon and Black & Blue in the 1970s, had additional duets with Braff for Chiaroscuro, and was featured on a couple of dates for Concord, including a 1992 recital at Maybeck Recital Hall. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ellis-larkins-mn0000172626/biography

Personnel: Ellis Larkins - Piano; Jim Crawford - Drums; Joe Benjamin - Bass; Skeeter Best - Guitar

Blue and Sentimental

Chris Byars - A Hundred Years from Today

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:25
Size: 149,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:14)  1. Intention
(5:16)  2. A Hundred Years from Today
(6:08)  3. San Juan Hill
(5:24)  4. Money Can't Buy
(7:40)  5. All the Things Are Redd
(5:48)  6. Lovelace
(5:21)  7. Elevated Tracks
(5:27)  8. Flight
(5:52)  9. Incognito
(9:11) 10. Mountain Top

Intentional or not, it’s a sobering thought experiment considering the current state of regional, national, and global affairs: Will the humans still inhabiting the planet a century hence be living in an egalitarian ecotopia or a desiccated totalitarian wasteland? Very probably the answer is something in-between those extremes. A Hundred Years from Today is also the title of saxophonist/composer Chris Byars’ latest Steeplechase venture (his tenth) and a hoary Victor Young show tune first published in 1933. Byars knows his jazz history better than most and the session is interspersed with all sorts of underlying meaning throughout the nine inventively arranged originals that join the Young-scripted heirloom. The date differs from Byars past projects as well in terms of personnel. Contractual conflicts precluded guitarist and band regular Pasquale Grasso from taking part, so the leader retooled the tunes to compensate for his chordal absence. Reduced to a sextet, the group still has a broad and varied sound forwarded by the returning horns of trombonist John Mosca, altoist Zaid Nasser, and bass clarinetist Stefano Doglioni. Bassist Ari Roland and drummer Phil Stewart are both first call prospects when a Byars date comes up as well and neither man disappoints in his appointed role. Byars fields tenor for the duration, but his charts are just as likely to tap his colleagues for solo honors as the brisk Lucky Thompson-dedicated “Intention” makes conclusively clear through salvos from everyone. Other tunes carry different dedicatees. 

“San Juan Hill” doffs figurative beret to Monk in honoring the pianist’s native neighborhood through an intricate 34-bar architecture. Stewart is particularly prominent here, bridging gaps with crisp fills and keeping a cantilevering time. “Money Can’t Buy” honors Tadd Dameron in another 34-bar circuit this time grafted to a ballad tempo and another string of concise solos with Nasser’s piquant alto constructions the standout. “All the Things are Redd” reveals both its honoree (Freddie Redd) and its chordal sourcing (“All the Things You Are”) in a single titular swoop and benefits from another nimble exchange of fours between drummer and horns. Byars’ many years as a fixture at Smalls, a Greenwich Village jazz club, brought him into direct contact with a handful of criminally-unsung first generation hard-boppers. Answering to the first name Jimmy, “Lovelace” was one of the most demanding and dedicated among them. The piece borrows from the bebop staple “Tune Up” and honors the late drummer through a rapid-fire exchange of solo statements anchored by Stewart’s blurred sticks. Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Gigi Gryce, and Dizzy Gillespie earn honorifics through subsequent tracks capping with the cerulean-hued “Mountain Top” where Byars’ once again tests his bandmates’ mettle on an obstacle course sprint peppered with incisive solos. Conditions a century from now remain far from certain, but there’s both certainty and quality to be had herein. ~ Derek Taylor https://dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/post/185108605202/chris-byars-a-hundred-years-from-today

Personnel: Chris Byars (tenor saxophone), John Mosca (trombone), Zaid Nasser (alto saxophone), Stefano Doglioni (bass clarinet), Ari Roland (bass), Phil Stewart (drums)

A Hundred Years from Today

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Kenny Barron - New York Attitude

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:22
Size: 133,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:01)  1. New York Attitude
(5:50)  2. Embraceable You - Take 2
(5:40)  3. Joanne Julia
(5:26)  4. My One Sin
(6:53)  5. Bemsha Swing
(8:02)  6. Autumn In New York
(5:11)  7. Lemuria
(6:29)  8. You Don't Know What Love Is
(7:50)  9. Embraceable You - Take 1

Pianist Kenny Barron's star began to rise in the 1980 as he recorded more frequently as a leader. Uptown releases such as this one have been hard to find because of erratic distribution, but this trio date with bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Frederick Waites (in one of his last record dates prior to his death in 1989) is worth the effort to acquire it. The title track, a driving post-bop Barron original, captures the hustle and bustle as well as the cockiness of a stereotypical New York City resident. "Joanne Julia" is a shimmering samba dedicated to the pianist's wife. "Lemuria" is an earlier Barron work written while he was playing with Yusef Lateef, and this adventurous up-tempo piece, reminiscent in some ways of McCoy Tyner's aggressive style of writing, features the trio's best playing on the date. As a charter member of the group Sphere, it is only appropriate for Barron to include a Thelonious Monk composition; his unusual bassline within the introduction to "Bemsha Swing" is worth the purchase price of this CD. This Kenny Barron CD was previously issued by Uptown as an LP entitled Autumn in New York, but this re-release adds an alternate take of "Embraceable You" and a dazzling solo rendition of "You Don't Know What Love Is." The pristine sound achieved by legendary engineer Rudy van Gelder is an added bonus. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-attitude-mw0000421988

Personnel: Piano – Kenny Barron ; Bass – Rufus Reid; Drums – Frederick Waits

New York Attitude

Anna Wilson - The Long Way

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:58
Size: 107,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. The Bus Ride
(4:16)  2. Its Got Me
(5:19)  3. Come On
(5:04)  4. Broken
(3:27)  5. Crave
(5:33)  6. Finally
(4:20)  7. NYC Subway Rider
(4:43)  8. Always The Same
(4:35)  9. I'm Not Defeated
(5:42) 10. The Long Way

If there were an industry award for perserverance, singer-songwriter Anna WIlson would take the prize.  Het debut album, due August 5, is appropriately titled "The Long Way".  It took six years and four record labels to get Wilson's introspective artistry to the public.  Wilson managed to land deals with Capitol, Interscope, and Island/Def Jam, but each time found herself in the wake of label mergers and record company politics. "I knew it was going to be hard.  I just didn't know it was going to be this hard," says Wilson, whose music has drawn comparisons to Norah joens and Stevie Nicks.  "The thing that kept me going was knowing inside that this is all I ever really wanted to do.  I was determined to do it until I actually got the music out in the marketplace." Wilson got that opportunity when Mike Curb signed her to Curb Records' pop division.  Her first single, "The Bus Ride," goes to Triple A radio on on June 23.  The song was also featured in the Gwyneth Paltrow movie "A View From The Top". Wilson grew up near Philadelphia, but moved to Music City 10 years ago.  "I moved to Nashville to immerse myself in the songwriting community," she says.  "I wanted to learn the craft and was just trying to find my artistic place and voice through songwriting.  That's what drew me to Nashville, and I started finding that voice after being here a couple years. Nashville is an incredible community and a very musical place.  I am proud to be a part of it."  By Debra Evans Price (Special Report)

This debut CD by Anna Wilson offers ten original songs written or co-written by the artist.  A former Island/Def Jam recording artist, Wilson is currently a staff writer at Curb Music Group in Nashville and will release her debut CD on her own independent label, Transfer Records, this fall.  Her unique voice reminds me of the torch singers of the Forties with a contemporary lilt to it.  I like it.  Mike Curb would do well to take a good listen to this album himself.  Anna Wilson has what it takes to both as a writer and an artist to capture the musical minds of America. By Brad Fischer Nashville Music Guide http://annawilson.com/tag/the-long-way/

The Long Way

Pete Escovedo - E Music

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:41
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Mis Amigos
(5:07)  2. Si Te Contara
(5:46)  3. La Samba
(4:05)  4. Praise And Worship
(5:41)  5. Te Vas
(5:08)  6. Ah Bailar Cha Cha Cha
(5:45)  7. Setembro
(4:36)  8. E Street Mambo
(5:32)  9. Miles Away
(3:28) 10. Escolandia

A “tipico” album of smooth jazz and Salsa, Pete Escovedo’s 5th Concord release is reminiscent of Tito Puente’s popular appeal. Mambo, guajira, cha cha cha, bolero and samba provide the listener a romantic evening with gentle, flowing motion. Escovedo’s heartfelt vocals, sensitive guest instrumentalists and his family’s rhythmic, percussive accompaniments drive the session. Son Peter Michael, daughters Sheila & Zina, and wife Juanita help balance the latest family project. Since the early 1950s, family has influenced Escovedo’s professional music choices. His brothers played guitar, sang, and shared a professional interest in Latin percussion. Pete and his brother, Thomas “Coke” Escovedo, performed with Carlos Santana for quite some time before forming their own 14-piece jazz-influenced band, Azteca. Singing with a light, expressive tenor voice and entertaining with timbales & congas, Escovedo evokes romantic scenes through song. Soloists Justo Almario, Ray Vega, Ramon Flores, Art Velasco, Francisco Torres, George Duke and Joe Rotundi lend creative energy and passion. The fiery, Afro-Cuban “Escolandia” lends a traditional touch. And just in time for Mardi Gras, Almario’s soprano sax feature on “La Samba” seems to ooze the sun’s warmth amid a chorus of lovely wordless vocals. It’s a love fest for Valentine’s Day, appropriately caressed by such familiar phrases as “Bueno, mi famlia” and “Yo te quiero mucho.” ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/e-music-pete-escovedo-concord-music-group-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Pete Escovedo- timbales, lead vocals, bongos, congas, cowbell, percussion; Sheila E.- vocals, drums, percussion, congas, guiro, bell; Peter Michael Escovedo- drums, vocals, congas, percussion; Juanita Escovedo- guiro, percussion; Zina Escovedo- vocals, percussion; Joe Rotundi, George Duke- piano; Renato Neto- keyboards; Oskar Cartaya- electric bass; Mike Shapiro- drums; Ray Obiedo- guitar; Justo Almario- flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Ramon Flores, Daniel Fernero, Harry Kim- trumpet; Ray Vega- trumpet, flugelhorn; Arturo Velasco, Francisco Torres- trombone; Mirley

E Music

Tito Puente - Dancemania'99: Live at Birdland

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:03
Size: 173,3 MB
Art: Front

( 1:11)  1. Lullaby of Birdland
( 8:34)  2. Mambo Inn
( 8:34)  3. Cayuco
( 6:40)  4. Complicacion
( 7:45)  5. Mambo En Blues
( 8:31)  6. Babarabatiri
(10:48)  7. Donde Vas
( 6:54)  8. Flauta Y Timbal
( 7:54)  9. Mas Rajo
( 8:06) 10. Cua Cua

Although it doesn't rank with Tito Puente's best live records, Dancemania '99: Live at Birdland is still a dynamic listen. The bandleader runs through his best and most popular mambos, and even if the music isn't among his richest, it's still thoroughly entertaining and worth the time of any of Puente's aficionados. ~ Terry Jenkins https://www.allmusic.com/album/dancemania-99-live-at-birdland-mw0000041364

Personnel:   Percussion, Chorus – Tito Puente;  Bass – Carlos Henriquez, Ruben Rodriguez; Bongos – John Rodriguez; Chorus – Joe King ; Congas – Jose Madera; Flute – Dave Valentin; Piano, Chorus – Sonny Bravo; Saxophone [Alto] – Bobby Porcelli, Peter Yellin; Saxophone [Baritone] – Mitchell Frohman ; Saxophone [Tenor] – Mario Rivera ; Trombone – Juan Pablo Torres, Kevin D. Bryan, Lewis Kahn, Reynaldo Jorge; Trumpet – Hector Colon, John Walsh, Raymond Vega, Thomas Lopez; Vocals – Frankie Morales

Dancemania'99: Live at Birdland

Eddy Howard - The Best of Eddy Howard: The Mercury Years

Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:00
Size: 160,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. To Each His Own
(2:39)  2. The Rickety Rickshaw Man
(3:11)  3. (I Love You) for Sentimental Reasons
(2:57)  4. The Girl that I Marry
(2:56)  5. My Adobe Hacienda
(3:00)  6. Heartaches
(3:02)  7. I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder
(3:10)  8. Ragtime Cowboy Joe
(2:31)  9. Kate (Have I Come Too Early Too Late)
(2:45) 10. Now Is The Hour
(2:52) 11. On A Slow Boat To China
(2:38) 12. Room Full of Roses
(2:55) 13. Maybe It's Because
(2:47) 14. To Think You've Chosen Me
(2:48) 15. Sin (It's No Sin)
(2:57) 16. Be Anything (But Be Mine)
(2:42) 17. Auf Wiedersehn Sweetheart
(2:37) 18. A Penny A Kiss
(2:35) 19. Mademoiselle
(2:19) 20. Gomen Nasai (Forgive Me)
(2:08) 21. Till We Two Are One
(2:41) 22. Melancholy Me
(2:51) 23. The Anniversary Waltz
(2:10) 24. Happy Birthday
(2:36) 25. Careless

The Best of the Mercury Years contains 25 of Eddy Howard's biggest hits and best-known songs, including "Room Full of Roses" and "Sin (It's No Sin)." All of the material on this single-disc compilation was culled from Howard's Mercury and Majestic recordings, and it offers a good introduction to the bandleader's mainstream, dance-oriented traditional pop. ~ Rodney Batdorf https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-eddy-howard-the-mercury-years-mw0000649011

The Best of Eddy Howard: The Mercury Years

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band - 2 the Max

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:49
Size: 167,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Matty's Royal Garden Blues
(3:41)  2. Song of India
(3:12)  3. Jumpin' at the Woodside
(3:37)  4. New Orleans
(3:32)  5. April in Paris
(4:50)  6. Blue Skies
(4:17)  7. Late Date
(5:21)  8. Makin' Whoopee
(5:27)  9. The Mooch
(6:18) 10. Skyliner
(4:14) 11. You Took Advantage of Me
(4:22) 12. Singin' the Blues
(2:58) 13. The Kid From Burbank (Redbank)
(4:34) 14. I Cover the Waterfront
(3:56) 15. Davenport Blues
(5:05) 16. The Battle Hymn of the Republic
(2:55) 17. America the Beautiful

A solid Dixieland trombonist who is a fixture at classic jazz festivals, Bill Allred started playing in bands while in high school. He worked locally with the Dixie Lads, the Davenport Jazz Band, and the Reedy Creek Jazz Band. In 1971, he settled in Florida and has often played at Disney World. Allred, who toured with Wild Bill Davison, has recorded as a leader for several small labels (including Fat Cat's Jazz, World Jazz, and in 1995 for Nagel-Heyer), and his son, John Allred (who plays in a similar style and sometimes teams up with his father), had a quartet date for Arbors in 1993. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-allred-mn0000067864

2 the Max

Carla Helmbrecht - One For My Baby

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:14
Size: 141,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:36)  2. Mood Indigo
(3:30)  3. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(5:48)  4. Love For Sale
(6:23)  5. One For My Baby
(4:56)  6. Where Do You Start?
(2:52)  7. Just In Time
(8:10)  8. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(4:29)  9. Moonlight In Vermont
(4:50) 10. Song To A Seagull
(5:06) 11. Sweet Angel
(4:32) 12. Fly Me To The Moon

Carla Helmbrecht, a new name, starts off her set quite successfully with one of the saddest ballads ever written, Rodgers And Hart's "It Never Entered My Mind." After pulling that one off, the highly appealing singer gradually lightens up the mood with "Mood Indigo" and "Dream a Little Dream of Me" before successfully plunging into "Love for Sale," a song with Cole Porter lyrics that still sounds modern and a touch scary today. Helmbrecht does not improvise all that much and her scatting is mostly worked out in advance but her expressive powers are quite high and she is at her best on ballads. Her octet includes pianist Frank Mantooth, Kim Richmond on alto and clarinet, trumpeter Clay Jenkins and trombonist Chris Seiter; they all get opportunites to solo. Helmbrecht closes down her memorable program with a funky version of "Moonlight in Vermont" and a salsified "Fly Me to the Moon." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/one-for-my-baby-mw0000648236

Personnel:  Vocals – Carla Helmbrecht; Alto Saxophone – Kim Richmond; Clarinet – Kim Richmond; Drums – Steve Meador; Flugelhorn – Clay Jenkins; Piano – Frank Mantooth; Trombone – Chris Seiter; Trumpet – Clay Jenkins

One For My Baby

Rachel Z - I Will Possess Your Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:57
Size: 147,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
(6:18)  2. Angry Chair
(5:57)  3. Lost!
(5:36)  4. Prelude to a Kiss
(7:56)  5. In Your Room
(7:03)  6. I Will Possess Your Heart
(6:51)  7. Heart of Gold
(5:47)  8. Det Tar Tid
(6:28)  9. Sour Girl
(6:43) 10. When You Were Young

Over the latter half of the '90s, pianist/keyboardist Rachel Z blossomed into one of the top female performers in contemporary mainstream jazz. Because of her work in fusion and jazz-pop, she hasn't always enjoyed universally high critical regard, but it's clear that commercial accessibility doesn't constitute the full breadth of her ambition. Plus, the more she came into her own as a solo artist, the more committed she became to spotlighting and collaborating with other female jazz players. Rachel Z was born Rachel Nicolazzo in Manhattan; her mother was an opera singer, and so Rachel began voice training at the mere age of two, adding classical piano lessons at seven. At 15, she began playing in a Steely Dan cover band, and discovered jazz when she heard Miles Davis' Miles Smiles while attending a summer program at Boston's Berklee School of Music. Upon returning to Manhattan, she formed her own quintet, Nardis; she later graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Joanne Brackeen, and gigged with several prominent artists in the Boston area, including George Garzone, Miroslav Vitous, and Bob Moses. She returned to Manhattan once again in 1988, first touring with Conservatory classmate Najee and then joining the fusion group Steps Ahead. Drawn to fusion because that was where the gigs were, Nicolazzo also played with Al DiMeola (Kiss My Axe), Larry Coryell, Special EFX, and Angela Bofill during this period, and also collaborated with Najee on 1990's big-selling smooth jazz hit Tokyo Blue, co-writing the title track and playing on the supporting tour. It was Steps Ahead leader/vibraphonist Mike Mainieri who suggested Nicolazzo change her name to Rachel Z, which was simply easier to spell. In 1993, a year after she debuted with Steps Ahead on Yin-Yang, Mainieri produced Rachel Z's first album as a leader, Trust the Universe. Released on Columbia, it displayed the influence of Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, and also spawned a smooth jazz radio hit in "Nardis." In 1994, she began collaborating heavily with saxophone legend Wayne Shorter on his Verve debut and comeback effort, High Life, orchestrating his compositions (mostly on synth) and adding her own synthesizer and piano work. Released in 1995, the results were a commercial and (for the most part) critical success, winning a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. 

After serving as musical director on the supporting tour, Z officially left Steps Ahead and signed with Mainieri's NYC label as a solo artist. Her label debut, A Room of One's Own, was a series of compositions dedicated to the female artists (in all fields) who'd inspired her. Appropriately, her backing group which featured, among others, her regular trio of the time in bassist Tracy Wormworth and drummer Cindy Blackman was heavily weighted toward female musicians. Released in 1996, the accessible acoustic jazz of A Room of One's Own was generally well-reviewed. For her next project, Z signed with GRP and cut a hip-hop-flavored smooth jazz outing dubbed Love Is the Power, which was informed by her recent divorce and released in 1998. The following year, she participated in the fusion supergroup Vertú with former Return to Forever rhythm section Stanley Clarke and Lenny White, and subsequently returned to acoustic jazz with her next album for Tone Center. On the Milkyway Express: A Tribute to the Music of Wayne Shorter featured her young new trio of bassist Miriam Sullivan and drummer Allison Miller, with whom she'd been playing for several years and now made her primary group. Additionally, she and Sullivan began playing together in a rock-oriented outfit called Peacebox. Although her own career was going quite well, an invitation from Peter Gabriel to perform on his 20 city U.S. tour in 2002 was too much to resist. She found herself going on the road at the same time her newest solo album, Moon at the Window, was arriving in stores. A disc of Joni Mitchell covers and interpretations, the album was very personal to Rachel, but the chance to work with Gabriel was one of the few reasons she would purposefully not tour behind her own record. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rachel-z-mn0000380614/biography

Personnel:  Rachel Z (piano); Maeve Royce (bass); Omar Hakim (drums); Marcus Gilmore (drums)

I Will Possess Your Heart

Tony Martin - The Best of Tony Martin: The Mercury Years

Styles: Vocal, Easy Listening 
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:51
Size: 178,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:09)  1. To Each His Own
(3:11)  2. I Don't Know Why
(3:04)  3. A Gal In Calico
(3:03)  4. Dreamland Rendezuous
(3:16)  5. I'll See You In My Dreams
(3:04)  6. Without You
(3:10)  7. And Then It's Heaven
(3:15)  8. Guilty
(3:04)  9. Rumors Are Flying
(2:45) 10. As You Desire Me
(2:49) 11. I Never Loved Anyone
(3:12) 12. I Miss That Feeling
(3:07) 13. Sonata
(3:08) 14. If I Love Again
(3:06) 15. Years And Years Ago
(2:51) 16. I Kiss Your Hand, Madame
(3:13) 17. Stardust
(3:07) 18. Dreams Are A Dime A Dozen
(2:59) 19. Make Believe
(3:12) 20. All The Things You Are
(3:07) 21. Would You Believe Me
(2:28) 22. That Old Black Magic
(3:03) 23. Body & Soul
(3:07) 24. Tea For Two
(3:10) 25. As Time Goes By

The Best of the Mercury Years is a 25-track collection of Tony Martin's recordings for Mercury. The compilation contains every track Martin recorded for Mercury, including his hit "To Each His Own," making it the definitive retrospective of his tenure at the label. Even though the collection is complete and lovingly produced, it's concentration on one particular portion of his career makes The Best of the Mercury Years an adequete, but not perfect, introduction. ~ Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-tony-martin-the-mercury-years-mw0000649014

The Best of Tony Martin: The Mercury Years

Harold Danko, Kirk Knuffke - Play Date

Styles: Piano And Cornet Jazz 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:02
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Flight to Denmark (Take 1)
(2:26)  2. Openepo
(8:17)  3. Misty Thursday
(2:36)  4. Marmot's Muse
(4:43)  5. Stonewall Blues
(4:22)  6. Chance and Choice
(3:54)  7. Flight to Denmark (Take 2)
(2:40)  8. Lanota
(4:38)  9. Wut'less
(2:30) 10. Keko
(6:35) 11. Undecided Lady
(3:47) 12. No Score
(6:26) 13. Layout Blues
(2:55) 14. The Aleators
(3:09) 15. Flight to Denmark (Take 3)

A really beautiful little record one that continues the best recent Steeplechase modes of both of the musicians the tribute recordings of pianist Harold Danko, and the use of the cornet of Kirk Knuffke in very intimate, special sorts of settings! The tribute in this case is Duke Jordan whose music comprises half of the set, and is then balanced by co-creations by Danko and Knuffke the sorts of tunes that are perfect for the meeting of these two very distinct instrumentalists, especially Kirk whose way of phrasing the cornet really seems to bring out all these different sides and shapes that we're not sure we've ever heard in Harold's music before. The set features three very distinct takes on "Fight To Denmark", plus "Openepo", "Marmot's Muse", "Misty Thursday", "Wutless", "The Aleators", "Layout Blues", "Keko", and "Undecided Lady".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/914985

Personnel:  Piano – Harold Danko;  Cornet – Kirk Knuffke

Play Date