Joe Locke - Slander (And Other Love Songs)

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:36
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:08) 1. Song For Cables
(7:35) 2. Saturn's Child
(5:27) 3. Tuesday Heartbreak
(5:01) 4. Mission Impossible
(3:55) 5. Blue
(4:49) 6. Cecil B. DeBop
(9:03) 7. Slander
(6:36) 8. Can't Help Falling In Love
(4:58) 9. Second Story Man

This superb quintet session is the third, and undoubtedly best Milestone disc 39-year-old vibraphonist Joe Locke has released to date. Locke, a veteran of the Mingus Big Band and former Pepper Adams, Eddie Henderson, Dianne Reeve and Hiram Bullock sideman, has made his strongest personal statement with Slander (And Other Love Songs).

The influence of Bobby Hutcherson is overwhelming here especially as evidenced by the strong boppish originals Locke has crafted (the exceptional "Song for Cables," "Saturn's Child," "Cecil B. DeBop," "Second Story Man" and "Slander"). But Locke is a more aggressive, and at times, more interesting "inside" player.

The vibraphonist, whose inspiration comes from such horn players as Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane and Steve Grossman, is aided by some exceptional folks here too. Pianist Billy Childs, who has walked this ground before with Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson, is muscular and consistently interesting as he alternates between acoustic and electric pianos. Bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Jackson round out the rhythm section. But it is undersung guitarist Vic Juris - appearing on five of the nine tracks here, a sort of cross between early Pat Metheny and jazzier John Scofield - who is the second star here. His commentary is really something special, providing an edgy counterpoint to the mellifluous strength of Locke's melodic vibe work.

A nice surprise is Locke's improving take on strong source material. In the past he's taken well-known works - like film themes or Henry Mancini's music - and found more than his share of sap to squeeze. But on Slander, he reworks, rethinks and reinvents Lalo Schifrin's "Mission: Impossible," refashions Joni Mitchell's "Blue" into a lovely piano/vibe duet and manages to restructure the pop hit, "Can't Help Falling In Love," transcending each into something truly personal. Nice touch.

Slander (And Other Love Songs), the tenth of Joe Locke's solo discs since his 1983 debut, is a memorable representation of what good contemporary mainstream jazz can accomplish. And, if things are right in the world, it should help Joe Locke ascend to become one of the more important figures in contemporary jazz. Recommended.~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/slander-and-other-love-songs-joe-locke-fantasy-jazz-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel: Joe Locke Vibes; Billy Childs; Piano: Vic Juris; Guitar: Rufus Reid; Bass: Gene Jackson; Drums.

Slander (And Other Love Songs)

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Dave Pell - A Pell Of A Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:41
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Jazz Goes To Siwash
(3:07)  2. Suze Blues
(6:41)  3. Grey Flannel
(5:38)  4. Angel Eyes
(2:42)  5. G Tune
(5:18)  6. Sandy Shoes
(4:11)  7. Cameo
(7:14)  8. Love Me Or Leave Me
(5:19)  9. Them There Eyes

The Dave Pell Octet was one of the great cool jazz bands of the mid- to late '50s. This fairly rare LP found Pell altering the personnel greatly, with Pell and pianist/arranger Marty Paich being the only holdovers. In addition, the arrangements of Paich, Bill Holman, Paul Moer (who, like trombonist Ray Sims, is a substitute on three songs), and Jack Montrose are opened up, and the musicians take much longer solos than on Pell's earlier albums. With trumpeter Jack Sheldon often starring and there being some excellent spots for baritonist Pepper Adams, this is a rather different album by the Dave Pell Octet, a bit harder-charging and more hard bop-oriented while still retaining the identity of the original group. Worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-pell-of-a-time-mw0000314352

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Leader – Dave Pell;   Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams;  Bass – Tom Kelly;  Drums – Mel Lewis;  Guitar – Tommy Tedesco;  Piano – Marty Paich, Paul Moer;  Trombone – Bobby Burgess, Ray Sims;  Trumpet – Jack Sheldon

R.I.P.
Born: February 26, 1925
Died:  May 8, 2017

A Pell Of A Time

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Rebecca Kilgore, Andy Brown - Together - Live

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:56
Size: 112,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:20) 1. The Touch of Your Lips (Live)
(3:33) 2. Better Than Anything (Live)
(4:26) 3. Can't Get out of This Mood (Live)
(4:00) 4. Nobody Else but Me (Live)
(4:31) 5. A Woman's Intuition (Live)
(3:20) 6. Rock Me to Sleep (Live)
(5:20) 7. The Gentle Rain (Live)
(3:27) 8. Give Me the Simple Life (Live)
(4:33) 9. Where Can I Go Without You (Live)
(3:43) 10. Destination Moon (Live)
(3:34) 11. Any Old Time (Live)
(4:03) 12. You Are There (Live)

Sometimes I hear music so touching that it leaves me rarely at a loss for words nearly speechless. The new duo CD by two of my heroes, Rebecca Kilgore and guitarist Andy Brown, did and does just that. It was recorded in performance fourteen months ago for Heavywood Records, and it is memorably intimate. But before I get my verbalizing together, perhaps you should hear what I hear, at least two delicious offerings. Listen to this (a song new to me, music by Victor Young, lyrics by Peggy Lee): or this, music by David “Buck” Wheat, lyrics by Bill Loughborough: Those performances should answer the question of why this disc is remarkable, but perhaps some words might be appropriate, like extra dressing on the already delicious salad. I think, first, that “TOGETHER” and “LIVE” are beautifully candid descriptions of what you will hear.

Rebecca and Andy have a wonderful unity, even though their respective individualities shine through it is as if they are wondrous listeners, the most sensitive and knowing musical conversationalists, who are both expert and eager to make something larger than their solitary selves spring into being. What results is warm, personal, and full of small sweet surprises. The fact that this lovely music came out of a live performance is both understandable and a triumph. Jazz clubs are full of people who, even if they are not dropping cutlery (something I have been guilty of in capital letters) are busy shifting in their chairs, inhaling and exhaling so many live recordings sound as if one is listening through a haze of low-level background noise, like looking at the beautiful landscape through eyeglasses that need a good cleaning.

Not here: the sound is warm but not clinical. And both Rebecca and Andy are professionals who create memorable music under the least happy circumstances the chilly isolation and pressure of the recording studio, and in Rebecca’s case, sometimes the “vocal booth,” which has all the physical ease of a coffin they sound happy and free here, making spacious music. There you have it. Two rewarding artists, a delightfully unhackneyed repertoire, a lovely intimacy. My only objection to this otherwise flawless CD is that I think the title needed an exclamation point. But no one asked me. You can read a little more about it in the liner note, but I urge you to go right into the deep end of the pool and (whisper it) make a purchase. It will reward your ears and heart. The music can be downloaded through Amazon, Apple, Spotify, and I think other sources. https://jazzlives.wordpress.com/2020/05/02/together-%E2%80%A2-live-rebecca-kilgore-andy-brown/

Together - Live

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Alexa Tarantino - Clarity

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:26
Size: 107,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:13) 1. Through
(4:06) 2. A Race Against Yourself
(4:42) 3. La Puerta
(5:14) 4. A Unified Front
(4:58) 5. Gregory Is Here
(6:06) 6. Karma
(4:44) 7. Breaking Cycles
(5:00) 8. Thank You For Your Silence
(6:20) 9. My Ship

Alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino is an indefatigable spirit, plain and simple. In the past two years alone she's worked with everybody from trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, held down the lead alto chair in The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, co-led the fiery LSAT quintet with baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian, directed her self-founded Rockport Jazz Workshop, and appeared on more than a half dozen albums, including three collective-minded gatherings on the Posi-Tone imprint and her own debut for the label. Even homebound, in the age of COVID-19, she remains one of the busiest musicians on the scene. In the short span between late March and June of 2020 she launched a themed online concert series with pianist Steven Feifke, a Zoom chat called 'The Well-Rounded Musician" through Jazz at Lincoln Center, the musically-minded Alexa Abroad travel blog, and an online summer camp also in partnership with Feifke called A Step Ahead Jazz.

The aforementioned list is just a partial breakdown of what Tarantino's been up to, so to say she's busy and call her a rising star is a gross understatement. But to what does she owe all of that success and demand? Strong musical skills? Absolutely. A positive attitude toward work and personal improvement? Without a doubt. But it's more than that. If you boil it down to one word, it's clarity. There's clear understanding and meaning behind every artistic endeavor she creates and every job she takes on, and that most certainly includes the mantle of leadership. On Winds of Change (Posi-Tone, 2019) Tarantino demonstrated that by serving up a cross-section of material from different stages of her development, and with this follow-up date she changes gears by focusing on the now. Her originals, which account for about half of the playlist, were all penned within the year prior to this album's release, and the program in its entirety speaks to her strengths as a front figure, collaborator, composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist.

Leading a well-built quartet that includes Feifke, bassist Joe Martin and drummer Rudy Royston, Tarantino toggles between instruments and moods like nobody's business. The album opens on "Through," a modal vehicle for her flute. Presenting with both cool traces and hard edges, it proves to be an alluring entrance to the set. "A Race Against Yourself," Tarantino's nod to her own internal drive and the difficulties inherent in keeping pace, follows. Providing the expected burn and a marked contrast to the opener, it also offers strong statements from the leader, Feifke and a rumbling Royston. Her two additional originals, spaced out across the album, further the picture of a musician who's both a team player and confident leader. "A Unified Front," which sourced the melody line of its first four bars by having each person in a group of friends provide one note apiece, rides an appealingly swinging line, and "Thank You For Your Silence," a groove-morphing vehicle that serves as a statement of self-trust, charms with its surprises.

The remaining material points to a variety of inspirations and ideals. Luis Demetrio's "La Puerta," a mellow and melodious vehicle which came to Tarantino through her work with Arturo O'Farrill's Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, is capped by a gorgeous alto cadenza. Horace Silver's "Gregory is Here," from In Pursuit of the 27th Man (Blue Note, 1973), finds a light Fender Rhodes glaze supporting a seductive soprano. Feifke's "Karma," with pivoting rhythmic posts guiding (or matching) the melody's direction, and saxophonist Levi Saelua's "Breaking Cycles," drawing from a bright harmonic palette, were both commissioned by Tarantino. And Kurt Weill's "My Ship," a balladic sendoff for the leader's alto flute, floats the album across its finish line. There's a good chance that Tarantino will have moved on to 10 other ideas or projects by the time these words are published, but that likelihood doesn't lessen the impact surrounding what she's accomplished here. Channeling personal resolve, passion and determination into a single statement, Alexa Tarantino provides a direct look at what clarity is all about.~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/clarity-alexa-tarantino-posi-tone-records

Personnel: Alexa Tarantino: saxophone, alto; Steven Feifke: piano; Joe Martin: bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Clarity

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Bill Ramsey - Ballads, Streets & Blues

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:57
Size: 148,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. Skylark
(5:32) 2. Tobacco Road
(3:32) 3. Moanin'
(4:03) 4. Old Roads
(3:52) 5. Wade in the Water
(5:38) 6. Understand
(2:52) 7. Route 66
(5:53) 8. All Blues
(4:21) 9. Wht You Don't Know Won't Hurt You
(4:18) 10. Windmills of My Mind
(5:24) 11. Doch of the Bay
(3:34) 12. Some Mornin's
(5:49) 13. There's a Lull in My Life
(3:30) 14. True Blue

Though born in the United States, vocalist/pianist Bill Ramsey became one of the most popular jazz and pop vocalists in Germany during the '50s and '60s. Born in Cincinnati, OH, on April 17, 1931, Ramsey first became interested in music via his amateur pianist father, who introduced him to such artists as Meade "Lux" Lewis and Albert Ammons. Consequently, inspired by those artists, as well as his hometown's eclectic music scene -- centered around the R&B, soul, and jazz coming out of Cincinnati-based King Records the young Ramsey taught himself how to play boogie-woogie piano by ear and began absorbing the sounds of such legendary blues and jazz artists as Big Bill Broonzy, Louis Jordan, Fats Waller, and Joe Williams.

Although he entered Yale University to study sociology, after the Korean War broke out he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Ramsey's musical abilities soon came in handy as he acquired the position of "chief producer" for the American Forces Network in Frankfurt. Fortuitously, his program director at the station was Johnny Vrotsos, who himself was famed producer Norm Granz's connection in Germany. Subsequently, jobs recording any and every jazz artist that traveled through Frankfurt fell to Ramsey.

Eventually, Vrotsos caught on that his assistant was more than a good producer and began helping Ramsey book gigs singing and playing piano often at jazz festivals around Germany. These performances were wildly successful and Ramsey was even voted the number one jazz singer in Germany in a poll in a German jazz magazine.

After leaving the Air Force, Ramsey spent much of the mid-'50s studying music off and on at Frankfurt University, performing jazz throughout Europe and even appearing in some films. Such was his growing popularity in Germany that around 1957 he was approached by German producer Heinz Giezt to record some more pop and novelty-oriented material. The move paid off and a list of hit recordings followed, including a German version of "Purple People Eater," which became somewhat of a trademark song for Ramsey. Since the '60s, Ramsey has remained a popular performer and radio personality in Germany.~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-ramsey-mn0000492719/biography

Personnel: Vocals Bill Ramsey; Bass Hervé Jeanne; Drums Ralf Jackowski; Piano Achim Kück; Saxophone Peter Weniger

Ballads, Streets & Blues

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The Syd Lawrence Orchestra - Serenade In Blue

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:52
Size: 153,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Perfidia
(4:00)  2. Moonlight Serenade
(2:50)  3. Pennysylvania-6500
(3:13)  4. Adios
(3:42)  5. Stardust
(2:52)  6. Elmer's Tune
(2:40)  7. Caribbean Clipper
(4:26)  8. Tuxedo Junction
(4:14)  9. I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo
(3:39) 10. American Patrol
(3:42) 11. Frenesi
(3:19) 12. String Of Pearls
(4:50) 13. Serenade In Blue
(3:02) 14. Little Brown Jug
(3:43) 15. Chattanooga Choo Choo
(3:34) 16. In The Mood
(4:25) 17. At Last
(3:59) 18. St. Louis Blues

Founded in 1967 by trumpeter and arranger Syd Lawrence, The fabulous SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA has been thrilling audiences in Concert Halls, Theatres, TV Shows and Music Festivals all over Great Britain and Continental Europe for over 40 years. Renowned for it’s exciting blend of high octane Big Band Swing and Classic Dance Music, the Orchestra’s repertoire ranges from the wartime million sellers of the legendary Glenn Miller through the era of the great Count Basie Orchestra to the hit songs of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Count Basie himself described the Syd Lawrence Orchestra as “So good it should be BANNED!” and it has recently been voted “Best Big Band in the Land” for the eighth consecutive year. The Orchestra, directed since Syd’s retirement in 1996 by Chris Dean, has a repertoire of  over 1,200 classic Big Band titles including Glenn Miller´s “Moonlight Serenade” and “In the Mood”, Tommy Dorsey´s “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” and “Opus One”, Benny Goodman´s “Sing, Sing, Sing”, Artie Shaw´s “Begin The Beguine”, Woody Herman’s “Blues on Parade”, Ray Anthony’s “Mr Anthony’s Boogie” , Duke Ellington’s “Satin Doll”, Bert Ambrose’s “Night Ride”, Count Basie´s “April in Paris” and “Splanky”, Charlie Barnet´s “Skyliner”, Stan Kenton´s “Peanut Vendor”, the “Trumpet Blues” of Harry James, “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” of Les Brown, the hits of Billy May and Ted Heath’s “Hot Toddy”.

Hits from the Great American Songbooks of George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin and singers Frank Sinatra, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Sammy Davis Jr, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Matt Monro, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Barbara Streisand etc are also featured in the programme.Chris Dean believes in leading the Orchestra with pace and good humour, performing the classics of the swing era in a way that entertains the audience. “The music is what people want to hear” says Chris, “information they can get in books, they come to a concert to be entertained, not to hear a lecture”. Chris’s aim has been to increase the number of young musicians playing Big Band Swing. Recent changes in personnel of the Orchestra have proved the worth of this ambition. The “new blood” of some of today’s finest young jazz musicians has brought a new fire and drive to the Orchestra’s performances which has been reflected in rave reviews and numerous Sold Out concerts.In Concert in addition to roaring Big Band numbers and Suites and Overtures no longer performed by any other orchestra, there are vocals from Bandleader Chris Dean and from Star guest vocalists. Also featured within the show is the wonderful close harmony singing of The Serenaders recreating the sound of vocal groups such as The Modernaires, The Pied Pipers and The Sentimentalists. A further attraction is the “Band within a Band” showcasing the jazz talents of soloists within the orchestra and adding yet another dimension to the performances. All concerts have to have a “big finish” and the Syd Lawrence Orchestra is no exception invariably finishing in traditional big band style with a spectacular Solo from star Drummer Dave Tandy.When playing for Dances the orchestra’s huge repertoire really comes into it’s own. The music of the Big Bands was originally written as dance music and its life and soul stems from its origin in dance. The Syd Lawrence Orchestra playing for dancing revives the romance, style and poetry of a bygone era, returning these beautifully constructed tunes to their original purpose. All these elements combine to make the Syd Lawrence Orchestra the most enduringly popular Big Band in Britain today. http://www.syd-lawrence-orchestra.com/index.php/about-us

Serenade In Blue

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Diana Panton - Yesterday Perhaps

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2007

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:17

Size: 134,0 MB

Art: Front

(4:42)  1. That Old Feeling

(5:05)  2. Dindi

(3:21)  3. Plus Je T'embrasse

(5:23)  4. I'm A Fool To Want You

(4:37)  5. Isn't This A Lovely Day?

(4:04)  6. Summer Me, Winter Me

(4:18)  7. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

(2:48)  8. Les Feuilles Mortes

(4:11)  9. This Is Always

(3:37) 10. You Hit The Spot

(3:42) 11. I Get Along Without You

(4:52) 12. For All We Know

(3:08) 13. Stars Fell On Alabama

(2:27) 14. You'd Better Go Now

(3:21) 15. In The Wee Small Hours

2005 was a great year for “…yesterday perhaps”! The album was named one of the TOP 10 releases of the year by Len Dobbin (Montreal Mirror), Tim Perlich (Toronto’s NOW Magazine) and Dan Sich (!earshot). It was a highlight in year-end reviews by Ric Taylor (VIEW Magazine) and Leonard Turnevicius (Hamilton Spectator). Diana was nominated for four Hamilton Music Scene Awards and won for “Best Jazz Recording” and the People’s Choice Award for “Best Live Performance” (thanks to all who voted). In 2011, ...yesterday perhaps was awarded a Silver Disc Award by Jazz Critique Magazine upon its release in Japan.

Canadian jazz vocalist Diana Panton has already released three albums in Japan. She is not an overdramatic singer. The charm of her singing style can be found in its unique soft expressiveness. Her music can soothe you even when listening in a casual way. This comforting quality found in her singing is one of the causes of her popularity. I'm happy that her previously unavailable debut album has finally been released in Japan, and above all, I am very satisfied with the quality of the album. Reg Schwager's guitar is very beautiful and Diana has a great chemistry with Don Thompson's piano too. The album gives warmth to a cold winter's night. ~ Hijiri Kanno, Jazz Life  http://www.dianapanton.com/releases-yesterday.html

Personnel:  Diana Panton - vocal;  Reg Schwager - guitar;  Don Thompson - bass, piano, vibes

Yesterday Perhaps

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Kathy Sanborn - Small Galaxy

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:14
Size: 86,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:35) 1. Small Galaxy
(4:08) 2. Oh So Real
(3:46) 3. Be Coolin'
(3:50) 4. More Than You
(3:04) 5. Got Me Runnin'
(3:38) 6. Time To Shine
(3:21) 7. Himalaya
(4:02) 8. Lost At Sea
(4:10) 9. Catalunya Breeze
(3:34) 10. Catch The Wave

The record release of the new work by the composer, vocalist and pianist Kathy Sanborn will take place in the first days of April, although it will be from March 15 when radio stations in the United States and Europe begin to program the 10 songs. of which the album is composed. Already in the year 2008, Kathy Sanborn , surprised the specialized critics with a first album full of freshness and good compositions. “Peaceful Sounds” masterfully mixed Kathy Sanborn's velvety voice and musical genres as varied as Jazz , New Age and even Pop.. With this first album, Kathy Sanborn laid the foundations for an excellent artistic career and the new record material that is about to be released has raised real expectations, both among specialized critics and the general public. "Small Galaxy" will be released by Pacific Coast Jazz Records and we are sure that it will be an album that will give a lot to talk about. We cannot forget that Kathy Sanborn is well known for her silky and pleasant vocal range.

In this new job, Kathy SanbornHe is going to be fully involved, both in the composition of the lyrics and in the musical arrangements. And it is that once again, as he did in his previous record work, he mixes Latin sounds and rhythms with musical genres such as R&B and Jazz , adding, as expected, that Pop ingredient , which makes the songs melt. listen with real interest. In addition to her contribution as a composer, we must not forget that we are dealing with an excellent musician. Kathy sanbornThroughout the ten themes of the album, he reliably plays keyboards, piano, bass, drums, percussion and everything related to programming, without forgetting that he also deals with choirs and integrates the album production. In this new musical adventure, Mrs. Sanborn will be accompanied by musician and trumpeter Wayne Ricci . Kathy Sanborn's new work starts with the title track of the album; we will also find songs like "Oh So Real" , "More Than You" , "Himalaya" or the one dedicated to Spain and entitled "Catalunya Breeze" . The common denominator in all the songs ofKathy Sanborn will be, without a doubt, her excellent voice, which alternates with fresh and well-constructed compositions. In short, a good option for those who like quality music. Translate By Google https://www.nosolosmoothjazz.com/2010/03/14/kathy-sanborn-small-galaxy/

Personnel: Kathy Sanborn (vocals); Wayne Ricci (trumpet)

Small Galaxy

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Enric Peidro & Richard Busiakiewicz - On The Move

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz, Swing
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:16
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:59) 1. You'd be so nice to come home to
(6:10) 2. Dainty
(4:45) 3. Nancy (With the laughing face)
(6:26) 4. Sunday
(7:30) 5. Love me or leave me
(4:01) 6. If I had you
(6:21) 7. Just squeeze me

Second album as a duo by Enric Peidro and Richard Busiakiewicz, This new Cd is also recorded live (as was their first Cd,entitled "Make someone happy") over two conscutive live performances in Nov 2015. In this relesase,the two players keep swingin' in their characteristic classy.easy-going way and displaying a great deal of musical rapport between them along the way. https://enricpeidro.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-move

Personnel: Enric Peidro - Tenor sax; Richard Busiakiewicz - Piano

On The Move

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New York Jazz Ensemble, Woody Allen - The Bunk Project

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:34
Size: 143,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:25) 1. In The Sweet By'n'By
(3:47) 2. The Old Rugged Cross
(3:18) 3. Margie
(5:19) 4. Mecca Flats Blues
(5:55) 5. Over In The Gloryland
(3:14) 6. Algiers Strut
(6:04) 7. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
(4:27) 8. Sobbin' Blues
(3:05) 9. Bogalusa Strut
(4:05) 10. Black Cat Blues
(5:22) 11. Red Light Blues
(3:23) 12. All The Whores Like The Way I Ride
(5:06) 13. Burgundy Street Blues
(4:57) 14. Weary Blues

For a bunch of players from New York, this ad hoc group does a pretty solid job of assaying New Orleans jazz circa the 1920s especially the amateur clarinetist, a balding, bookish-looking guy with red hair and glasses. Actually, no matter how well they played, this record probably would never have been released were it not for the participation of Woody Allen, who’s been spending his Monday nights for the last couple of decades playing just this kind of stuff at Michael’s Pub in Manhattan. But it’s no ego-induced star turn--Allen really does function as just one member of this band assembled by banjo player Eddy Davis. The album gets its name from one of the great early New Orleans cornet players: Bunk Johnson. It was Johnson and his peers--players such as Sidney Bechet and George Lewis who inspired Allen to try his hand as a jazz man. It’s not technically complicated music, but it can be emotionally rich. To play it correctly requires more heart than chops, and in that department, Allen is well suited to the task

As a soloist, he’s less assertive to the point of sounding timid occasionally than the other front-line players, trumpeters Simon Wettenhall and Peter Ecklund and trombonists Dan Barrett and Graham Stewart. But he has the right sound: his clarinet playing teeters on that edge between a cry and a squawk as the band moves from dirges to hymns to street-parade rave-ups. When I saw Allen play at Michael’s several years ago, I wondered how he could look so pained while playing music that’s so joyful. Here, only in the final cut, “Weary Blues,” does Allen sound like he’s given himself over to the spirit of the music. Then again, that state of musical nirvana is something that amateur and professional alike struggle to achieve. As for the sonic quality, the sessions were recorded in what must have been a cavernous room at the Harkness House in New York with what sounds like a single microphone placed, at times, at the far end of that room. In other words, no audiophiles allowed. Like the music itself, it all but shouts: “Strictly for fun.”By Randy Lewis https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-08-05-ol-20439-story.html

The Bunk Project

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Jessica Williams - With Love

Size: 131,9 MB
Time: 56:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Piano Jazz, Straight-Ahead/Mainstream
Art: Front

01. For All We Know (5:24)
02. My Foolish Heart (9:36)
03. I Fall In Love Too Easily (6:05)
04. Summertime (5:53)
05. But Beautiful (6:32)
06. When I Fall In Love (6:15)
07. Paradise Of Love (9:28)
08. It Might As Well Be Spring (4:06)
09. Somewhere (3:33)

Successful musicians play "the truth." If you want to hear some truth there are certain artists you can seek out. Thelonious Monk couldn't play anything but the truth, right from the beginning. Pianist Jessica Williams came upon the truth—a purer form of it, at least—after experiencing "the fix of Illness" that she has discussed on her website and in interviews. Her first "fix" came about via her struggle with hypothyroidism, and resulted in a string of gorgeous recordings on Origin Records: Songs for a New Century (2008), Art of the Piano (2009), Touch (2010), and Songs of Earth (2011).

Williams' second fix came about with the deterioration of the lumbar region of her spine and the surgery to ameliorate the problem—again, well-documented on her website. The malady and the subsequent surgery sidelined her. With Love is her first post-surgery release. It is all ballads—mostly show tunes, familiar and encoded in the jazz canon: "For All We Know," "My Foolish Heart, " "I Fall In Love too Easily, " Gershwin's "Summertime."

Williams, in the past, has been capable of impressive pyrotechnics, displayed up front on her marvelous Tatum's Ultimatum (Red & Blue Records, 2008) set, a tribute to the exuberant Art Tatum. And she's also capable of deep spiritual and musical depth as she is on her previous Origin Records outings. This time out that flash, and her enormous technique, take a big back seat. The music on With Love is about simplicity, melodic purity and the emotions—mostly love—contained in the lyrics to these enduring movie/show and standards.

This straight ahead approach, this marinating in the melody without artifice, without flash or a hint of pretention, reveals the human side of the lyrical content of these songs—the truth of these songs. And Williams offers up one of her own compositions, "Paradise of Love," that fits in with the familiar, a lovely, human, truthful tune. ~By Dan McClenaghan

With Love

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Doc Houlind Ragtime Band - In New Orleans(feat. Walther Payton & Ib K.Olsen)

Styles: New Orleans, Jazz Band Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:12
Size: 142,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:01) 1. See See Rider
(5:59) 2. Just a Little While to Stay Here
(4:59) 3. Martha
(6:36) 4. Blues for Guesnon
(3:23) 5. Girl of My Dreams
(5:26) 6. Tishomingo Blues
(5:41) 7. Milneberg Joys
(6:57) 8. What a Friend We Have in Jesus
(3:25) 9. Bogalusa Strut
(3:50) 10. The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise
(7:51) 11. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans

Doc Houlind International New Orleans Style Jazz Band can present the band and the music Søren Houlind has worked towards through his more than 50 years as a professional musician. The band consists of younger as well as very experienced musicians. Everyone owns the greatest passion for the true New Orleans style, as it was introduced to us by the first American bands that came to Europe representing the jazz revival period. It was precisely he who developed the European jazz boom in the 60s.

The most prominent examples of these groups that came to Europe and made people go crazy were e.g. Kid Ory's band. Perhaps even more Louis Armstrong with his soloist brilliance, and certainly not to forget the George Lewis Ragtime Band who took the breath away from everyone with their unique ensemble playing with a hugely fluctuating rhythmic foundation.The orchestra has played in almost all Danish jazz clubs and in most of Europe. Including an annual intensive tour to England. South Africa, Arabia and the Far East have not missed out either.

The repertoire is deeply rooted in the New Orleans tradition, All orchestra members are deeply passionate about the style, and are all experts on each their instrument. We play serious ragtime compositions, blues, gospel and good old American pop melodies (which were often published in a Danish version!). All in the catchy and inciting rhythmic "revival tradition" which i.a. George Lewis' Band and Louis Armstrong are known for. More well known is perhaps Papa Bue's style of play, from which we have of course borrowed their biggest hits. The orchestra has long been known for being the best of its kind in Europe… Today it is perhaps the only one…Translate By Google https://dochoulind.dk/band/

Personnel: Drums – Doc Houlind; Bass – Walter Payton; Clarinet – Jesper Larsen; Cornet – Ib K. Olsen; Piano – Marcello Bona; Trombone – Bjarne Emilo; Banjo – Søren Bryder

In New Orleans (feat. Walther Payton & Ib K. Olsen)

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Banu Gibson - Love Is Good For Anything That Ails You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:46
Size: 118,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:41)  1. Love Is Good For Anything that Ails You
(4:44)  2. Downhearted Blues
(2:52)  3. Me Minus You
(3:01)  4. Bacause Of Once Upon A Time
(3:02)  5. My Ideal
(2:54)  6. Wrap Your Cares in Rhythm and Dance
(3:15)  7. The Very Thought of You
(4:05)  8. Dinah
(4:02)  9. Junk Man
(2:56) 10. My Melancholy Baby
(2:18) 11. Eeny Meeny Miney Mo
(3:51) 12. Louisiana Fairy Tale
(2:33) 13. S' Posin'
(4:16) 14. As Time Goes By
(2:37) 15. 'Long About Midnight
(2:31) 16. How's About Tomorrow Night?

Banu Gibson, arguably the top singer in the trad jazz field of the '90s, not only understands the idiom but has a strong and versatile voice. Gibson is a well-rounded and good-humored entertainer, has very good taste in picking out material, and leads one of the hottest bands in classic jazz. For this CD, Banu uses her regular group (trumpeter Duke Heitger, Tom Fischer on clarinet and tenor, trombonist David Sager, pianist-arranger David Boeddinghaus, bassist Mike Karoub, and drummer Jeff Hamilton) plus rhythm guitarist Hank Mackie. The band often sounds like Fats Waller's Rhythm; Heitger brings back the chance-taking excitement of Bunny Berigan, and at one point, goes quickly from Jack Teagarden to a close imitation of Tricky Sam Nanton. 

Banu, whose roots are in the '20s, actually looks more toward the music of the mid- to late '30s this time around. A few of the numbers (particularly "As Time Goes By" and "The Very Thought of You") probably didn't need to be performed again, but they are more than compensated for by such obscurities as "Junk Man," "S'posin'," "How About Tomorrow Night," and "Wrap Your Cares in Rhythm and Dance"; on the latter, Gibson not only sings but tap dances a bit. Another highlight is "Me Minus You," which has Gibson overdubbing her voice to bring back the three-part harmony of the Boswell Sisters. Highly recommended to classic jazz fans, as are all of Banu Gibson's Swing Out releases. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-good-for-anything-that-ails-you-mw0000247620

Personnel: Banu Gibson (vocals); Hank Mackie (guitar); Tom Fischer (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Duke Heitger (trumpet); David Sager (trombone); David Boeddinghaus (piano); Jeff Hamilton (drums).

Love Is Good For Anything That Ails You

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Jessica Williams - In the Key of Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:05
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Bemsha Swing
(4:31)  2. Just a Gigolo
(6:02)  3. Reflections
(3:01)  4. I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams
(5:12)  5. Monk's Mood/Crepuscule With Nellie
(5:09)  6. Monk's Hat
(5:28)  7. San Francisco Holiday
(4:44)  8. I Remember Monk
(5:46)  9. The House That Rouse Built
(5:22) 10. Pannonica
(6:29) 11. Ask Me Now
(6:36) 12. Blues Five Spot

Jessica Williams' career took off during the 1990s with a series of memorable recordings for the Canadian label Jazz Focus, and this solo piano tribute to Thelonious Monk is one of her best live performances. She establishes her own voice right away with a playful approach to "Bemsha Swing," playing part of the introduction while muting the piano's strings with one hand, making use of the full range of the keyboard in the body of the piece. She throws Monk-like twists into her interpretation of one of his favorite standards, "Just a Gigolo." 

Not satisfied with just covering Monk's best-known works and songs by others that he enjoyed playing, she delves into the pianist's less-frequently played compositions, such as the discordant "San Francisco Holiday" and his loping "Blues at the Five Spot," while also dedicating pieces of her own to Monk (the reflective ballad "I Remember Monk") and his longest-serving sideman, tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse (the alternately tricky and jaunty "The House That Rouse Built"). Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-key-of-monk-mw0000058695

Personnel: Jessica Williams (piano); Jeanette Williams (piano).

In the Key of Monk

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Lee Ritenour - Dreamcatcher

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:12
Size: 124,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:22) 1. Dreamcatcher
(4:16) 2. Charleston
(4:55) 3. The Lighthouse
(4:28) 4. Morning Glory Jam
(4:01) 5. Starlight
(3:13) 6. Abbot Kinney
(4:30) 7. Couldn't Help Myself
(4:47) 8. For DG
(3:14) 9. Via Verde
(3:25) 10. Low & Slow
(2:41) 11. Storyteller
(4:10) 12. 2020, Pt. 1
(3:07) 13. 2020, Pt. 2
(1:56) 14. 2020, Pt. 3

It's hard to believe that in his over-50-year career, guitarist Lee Ritenour has never released a solo guitar album. He rectifies that fact on 2020's warmly delivered Dreamcatcher. The record follows Ritenour's star-studded 2015 album A Twist of Rit, in which he reworked songs from throughout his career with a bevy of special guests. Dreamcatcher finds him taking a more introspective, stripped-down approach, but one that still showcases his lyricism and adept fretboard skills. Recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ritenour produced the album himself at his home, working remotely with studio assistance by Gary Lee and Brian McShea. There's an intimacy to the recordings that has the feeling of a small private concert, or it's as if you're eavesdropping on Ritenour just jamming for his own pleasure. Comfortable in electric and acoustic settings, and with a career that has straddled the rock, jazz, and pop worlds, the guitarist takes an equally expansive approach on Dreamcatcher.

He dips into folky acoustic balladry on "Starlight," draws upon the sophisticated hollow-body style of Wes Montgomery on "The Lighthouse," and weaves a delicate patchwork of nylon-string harmonies on the classical-leaning title track. He even rips into far-eyed electric jazz-rock on "Abbot Kinney." There's a shimmering, textural quality to many of these songs as Ritenour laces together his warm melodies using just a modicum of aftereffects. We also get the nicely arranged "Couldn't Help Myself," a flowing instrumental that evokes Ritenour's '70s fusion work and features a mix of synths, percussion, and over 20 guitar tracks. Dreamcatcher is a relaxing, deceptively understated album that showcases Ritenour's laid-back virtuosity.~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/dreamcatcher-mw0003441954

Dreamcatcher

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Beverley Beirne - Dream Dancer

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:51
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:17) 1. Let's Face the Music and Dance
(4:58) 2. Weaver of Dreams
(3:46) 3. Now We're Just Friends
(3:46) 4. Let's Dance
(5:24) 5. Day Dream
(5:53) 6. Temptation
(4:10) 7. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:42) 8. Bill
(2:55) 9. Old Brazil
(4:56) 10. Winter Moon
(6:42) 11. Dream Dancing
(4:16) 12. Pieces of Dreams

Why haven't I heard this great singer before? I've been asleep on the job. This is Ms Beirne's third album, new takes on songs to do with dancing, a very enjoyable listen with a tinge of sadness for the late Duncan Lamont, ace saxman, who features on his own songs Now We're Just Friends and Old Brazil. No messing around, it's straight in from the start, fast drums and bass on Let's Face the Music and Dance, and a rich alto voice which can take higher notes in its stride.

A Weaver of Dreams gives us skilled bass accompaniment and solo work from Flo Moore, which really does flow more (joke, couldn't resist); Lamont's lyrics on Now We're Just Friends are unusual, 'We slashed at our lives, like children with knives'; Let's Dance is a samba with an extended coda, which Bowie, who wrote the song, would have loved.

Temptation is a Latin number with hand drums and voice introduction and a flute solo which reminded me of snake charming; Winter Moon is somewhat menacing, with a slow click on drums, sung feelingly, all about loneliness. The title track Dream Dancing is a swinger with sax and piano solos. Pieces of Dreams, is thought-provoking, apparently about finding an identity, an unusual song for the final track.

Beverley Beirne, a professional singer since the age of 19, began by singing classically, studied acting, completed a degree in English and Drama, worked for BBC Yorkshire TV, had a supporting role in Emmerdale, studied jazz with Tina May and Alan Barnes, performed at festivals and clubs in the UK and Europe and is currently the artistic director for Ilkley Jazz Festival, which is the venue for her next live show.https://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2021/06/cd-review-beverley-beirne-dream-dancer.html

Personnel: Beverley Beirne (vocals); Sam Watts (piano); Flo Moore (bass); Ben Brown (drums, perc, conga); Rob Hughes (sax, flute); Duncan Lamont (sax track 3, 9); Jason Miles (Fender Rhodes, strings, Hammond B3 on various tracks); Romero Lubambo (guitar track 9) Cyro Baptista (perc track 9)

Dream Dancer

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Susan Wylde - Shambhala

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:26
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. Fire In My Heart Will Burn Away These Blues
(4:14) 2. Let's Fall In Love
(3:52) 3. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
(3:26) 4. Driven To Shine
(4:00) 5. All Or Nothing At All
(4:01) 6. Nothing Compares To You
(3:55) 7. Fragile
(3:40) 8. Still Believe In Love
(3:25) 9. Eye Of The Hurricane
(4:00) 10. When We Kiss Another Angel Gets Her Wings
(3:47) 11. Miss Celie's Blues
(4:52) 12. Love's Divine
(4:46) 13. Icecream
(3:16) 14. Your Truth

Susan Wylde is a vocalist/songwriter/pianist. She has lived and/or performed in such culturally rich locations as Europe, Thailand, Hawaii, Japan, China, USA, Canada and Cuba. Susan is a classically trained pianist and a graduate of the Western Conservatory of Music. Her love of singing lead her into performing in musical theatre at a young age in Canada. Her new CD, co-written with Eddie Bullen, is called Shambhala. The 14 tracks on this CD draw from pop, traditional and contemporary jazz as well as blues and R&B. Susan’s songwriting and voice speak of clarity, vibrancy, emotional depth and soulfulness. “Not a copy act, she focuses attention on the individuality of her own artistic sensibilities” ~ JAZZ TIMES. Susan has worked with several other artists (vocal, piano, percussion) in the studio and on stage. However, this is her first jazz CD.

Shambhala has been nominated for a jazz award and several jazz festivals in Canada and outside Canada have invited her to perform on their mainstage. Susan’s diverse influences include: Herbie Hancock, Joe Jackson, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, John Legend, Sting, Spyro Gyra, Steeley Dan, and Joni Mitchell. Susan’s writing partner, Eddie Bullen, is a Juno award-winning producer, writer and performer. In 2008, Eddie was chosen for the job of music director for the Beijing Summer Olympics music gala.

Susan has shared the stage or studio with the following musicians: Charlie Wilson, Julian Fauth, Delfeayo Marsalis, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Hilario Duran, Simon Wilcox, Brian Griffith, Danny Lockwood, Emm Gryner, Esthero, Harrison Kennedy, Grace Kelley, Diana Braithwaite, Chris Whiteley, Jack Dekyzer, Jeff Rogers, Marissa Lyndsey, Adam Soloman, Adrean Farrugia, Kate Schutt, Eddie Bullen, Jochim Nunez, Ken Whiteley, Reg Schwager, Don Thompson, Roberto Sibony, Melissa McClelland, Kevin Dempsey, Mark Cashion, Cindy Fairbank. This year has been a great year for Susan Wylde Quartet. Highlights are: performing in Japan, New Orleans, Miami,New York City,Hawaii,China and Cuba, opening for Grammy Award winner Delfeayo Marsalis, working with prolific jazz musicians Reg Schwager and Don Thompson.

Susan is the Creator, producer and artistic director for Goddess Charity Events. These events have raised thousands of dollars for women’s and children’s shelters and have helped World Vision and several environmental charities. Susan has received a nomination for an Ontario Independent Music Award. The awards will take place at the Phoenix Concert Hall - Toronto. www.myspace.com/susanwylde You can join Susan Wylde on TWITTER and FACEBOOK Festival/Club Agents,Promoters, Reviewers,Licensing etc. - Check out Susan Wylde on Myspace and Sonic Bids.com. Radio - Music Directors, Reviewers etc. - Susan Wylde's music is available - Radiosubmit.com and Musicsubmit.com https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/susanwylde

Shambhala

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Paul Warburton & Dale Bruning - Our Delight

Styles: Post Bop, Guitar
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:40) 1. Our Delight
(4:55) 2. You Go To My Head
(5:03) 3. Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You
(6:34) 4. Ill Wind
(3:45) 5. Delaunay's Dilemma
(4:45) 6. You Don't Know What Love Is
(3:35) 7. Limehouse Blues
(6:11) 8. Recado Bossa Nova
(3:17) 9. Grant Street Azure

Here's One Of Those Unknown Gems That Has Everything I Like In An Album: Two Great Musicians Playing Jazz Standards And An Exceptional Recording To Boot. Dale Bruning Plays A D.W. Stevens Guitar And Paul Warburton Plays An 1888 Joseph Bohmann 5 String Bass Recorded Direct To Two-Track Digital. Tunes Are: "Our Delight," " You Go To My Head," "Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You," "Ill Wind," "Delaunay's Dilemma," "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Limehouse Blues," "Recado Bossa Nova" And "Grant Street Azure." "Recado Bossa Nova" Is One Of The Showcase Pieces On The Album. Words Cannot Describe The Brilliance Reflected By Both Players. Warburton's Solos On This Piece Are Astounding. https://www.audiophileusa.com/item.cfm?record=104228

Our Delight

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Bill Evans - On A Friday Evening

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 139,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:54) 1. Sareen Jurer (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 7:04) 2. Sugar Plum (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 7:43) 3. The Two Lonely People (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:10) 4. T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune) (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:18) 5. Quiet Now (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 6:20) 6. Up With The Lark (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:53) 7. How Deep Is The Ocean (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:26) 8. Blue Serge (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
(10:44) 9. Nardis (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)

Captured in 1975, On a Friday Evening is an engaging and deeply intimate album that finds pianist Bill Evans and his trio in performance at Oil Can Harry's in Vancouver, British Columbia. Recorded by radio host Gary Barclay, the album was initially broadcast on Barclay's CHQM jazz show before languishing unheard for the next 40 years. Fully restored, this 2021 archival release finds Evans backed by one of his best latter-career rhythm sections featuring bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Eliot Zigmund. Radio broadcasts of live concerts were not unheard of in the '60s and '70s, and On a Friday Evening works as a nice companion album to the similar 2017 radio restoration On a Monday Evening, which featured the same lineup and some of the same tunes.

That said, On a Friday Evening is an even better sounding restoration and truly represents the intricate group dynamics and virtuosity they'd developed on tour together. While Gomez had been with Evans since 1968, the trio's warm and enveloping style becomes even more impressive when you realize that drummer Zigmund was barely into his first year with the pianist when they hit the stage at Oil Can Harry's in June of 1975. Together, they play with a lithe focus that balances Evans' close-eyed intensity with moments of lively, contrapuntal group interplay. Particularly enrapturing is their take on "Sugar Plum," which Evans kicks off by himself, anchoring his twirling right-hand lines with steady left-hand chords before Gomez takes his own lyrical solo. We also get equally inspired renditions of such Evans' favorites as "Sareen Jurer," "Quiet Now," and "How Deep Is the Ocean."~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-a-friday-evening-mw0003518440

Personnel: Bill Evans - Piano; Eddie G¢mez - bass; Eliot Zigmund - drums

On A Friday Evening

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Freddie Redd - Reminiscing

Styles: Piano Jazz
Time: 61:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:08) 1. Oh! So Good
(7:46) 2. Love Is Love
(7:39) 3. Shadows
(8:30) 4. Blues Extra
(9:15) 5. Once In A Lifetime
(9:28) 6. Reminiscing
(6:19) 7. Blues X
(6:40) 8. There I Found You

Reminiscing is a slate of eight Redd compositions, on which New York ace Matt Wilson plays drums and Baltimorean Michael Formanek takes the bass. (There are also two guest saxophonists tenor Brian Settles on six tracks and alto/soprano Sarah Hughes on two.) Redd’s batch of tunes impress. They’re soulful, swinging, and deceptively lyrical; the phrases are so simple and catchy that the unconventional forms Redd deploys slip right past you. The title tune, for example, stitches together no less than five different four-bar sections; the moody ballad “Shadows” cycles through four. While the opener, “Oh! So Good,” has only two strains, it lures you in with an A so pithy it could be an ostinato, then sends you reeling with a linear, complex B.

It’s Redd’s piano playing, though, that delivers the knockout. There are no breakneck tempos here the leader has nothing left to prove. He doubles down on the melodicism instead. The solo on “Love is Love” is a reduction of the theme (albeit one with dense harmonies), and Redd’s spaces and condensations of the phrases are expressive. Where the speed does ramp up, as on “Blues X,” he takes it in stride, keeping pace through a scorching Settles solo. When it’s his turn, though, you can almost see him pulling the reins: He lets the first four bars go by without a single note, then digs deep into the blues at a leisurely, in-my-own-good-time gait, only to pick up again to comp for Linde’s solo.

Then comes Baltimore Jazz Loft, on which it’s quickly clear that Warren has also turned to making his point without fireworks. It’s Redd who’s the loquacious one on “Among Friends,” in which he unfurls chorus after improvised (if well-crafted) chorus. When Warren takes the spotlight, he doesn’t even break the walking bass cadence, firing off three measured blues choruses that could have been accompaniments. He does the same on “A Little Chippie,” which also has Warren playing the sly lead melody line, making him a bit more forthright here, though that melody is not flashy either.

When he lets loose with a more conventionally melodic solo, on the bossa nova “Barack Obama,” it’s tight, carefully constructed, and succinct. (He audibly says “OK” to the band after one chorus.) It’s also remarkably thoughtful and beautiful. Yet one quickly realizes that Warren expresses himself as clearly in his supporting role as in improvising. As lovely as he can get on “Barack Obama” or the standard “I Can’t Get Started,” there’s something profoundly declarative in the deep, resonant notes he places under Redd and Linde’s work on those same tracks.

Teaching a lesson on mastery through economy doesn’t seem to have been Linde’s goal with the releases. Throughout both albums, he’s not a run-on player, but not taciturn either. All the same, Linde has aged eight years since they were recorded and watched both revered veterans pass away in the meantime. One wonders how he, and his multitudes, will process their legacies in projects to come. https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/511940/two-new-releases-keep-freddie-redd-and-butch-warrens-legacies-alive/

Personnel: Freddie Redd - piano; Brad Linde - tenor saxophone; Michael Formanek - bass; Matt Wilson - drums; Sarah Hughes - soprano saxophone (on track 5), alto saxophone (on track 3); Brian Settles - tenor saxophone (on tracks 1,2,4,6-8)

Reminiscing

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