David S. Ware - Shakti

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320Ks/
Time: 68:16
Size: 157,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:43) 1. Crossing Samsara
(18:14) 2. Nataraj
(12:43) 3. Reflection
( 8:31) 4. Namah
( 9:30) 5. Antidromic
( 9:33) 6. Shakti : Durga, Devi, Kali

Shakti is the triumphant return of tenor saxophonist David S. Ware. His first studio recording since 2003's Threads (Thirsty Ear), this album marks the recorded debut of his first working group since he disbanded his famously prolific quartet of 1989-2006. An acknowledged master of the tenor saxophone, Ware's influence spans his seminal days in the seventies loft-era to the early Downtown scene, where his exuberant performances encouraged a new generation to investigate the expressive potential of free jazz. His 23rd release as a leader, Shakti reveals Ware's deepening interest in Eastern philosophy and religion, exemplified by the exotic kalimba introduction to "Namah." Other than a reworking of "Antidromic" from his first AUM Fidelity album, 1997's Wisdom of Uncertainty, this session consists of all new pieces. Conceived around folk-like themes and lyrical fragments, these expansive tunes showcase a darkly poetic side of Ware's strident expressionism. With a mixture of sublime restraint and impassioned yearning, Ware channels his renowned volcanic intensity, concentrating his ecstatic detours and excessive pyrotechnics into a more nuanced approach. Although his circuitous cadences still brim with unfettered altissimo cries, braying multiphonics and coruscating lower register drones, they are tempered by an architectural sensibility that provides incisive focus.

Joined by assiduous bassist William Parker, Ware finds accord in two new ensemble mates, iconic guitarist Joe Morris and legendary drummer Warren Smith. Morris is one of today's most innovative and distinctive guitar stylists, a singular artist with an unparalleled approach and technique. Smith's career dates back to his seminal loft-era collaborations with such visionary avant gardists as Sam Rivers and Muhal Richard Abrams. Morris's first recording session with Ware reveals him to be a brilliant front-line foil for the master saxophonist. Morris's spiky, percolating phrases and bright, round tone create a brilliant contrast to Ware's vociferous linearity and dark, burnished timbre. Ware's effusive commentary dominates the proceedings, but Morris's unique contributions, such as his meticulously metered motifs on "Nataraj" or his spitfire needling on "Antidromic," are equally impressive. While no contemporary rhythm pairing can compare to Parker's clairvoyant work with drummer Hamid Drake, Parker's conversational interplay with Smith yields a malleable pan-African sensibility perfectly attuned to Ware's aesthetic. Their pliant dialogue provides a fluid undercurrent of forward momentum that gracefully modulates tempos and meters. Their sensitive rapport on "Reflection" is supple, while "Nataraj" demonstrates their ability to maintain a hypnotic groove even in the throes of deep abstraction. Ware presents another aspect of his artistry here, one whose seeds were planted early on with the archival 1999 studio recording BalladWare (Thirsty Ear, 2006). A refreshingly lyrical and emotionally committed performance by masterful improvisers, Shakti ebbs with soulful intensity and inspired interplay, making this one of the most compelling, yet accessible, recordings of Ware's career.
~Troy Collins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/shakti-david-s-ware-aum-fidelity-review-by-troy-collins.php

Personnel: David S. Ware: tenor saxophone and kalimba (4); Joe Morris: guitar and percussion (4); William Parker: bass; Warren Smith: drums and percussion.

Shakti

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Walt Weiskopf - European Quartet: Diamonds and Other Jewels

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:12
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:30) 1. Spartacus
(7:50) 2. Black Diamond
(5:47) 3. Other Jewels
(5:03) 4. Incantation
(6:11) 5. Thad Nation
(6:18) 6. My Old Flame
(6:52) 7. Blood Diamond
(3:38) 8. Everybody

Two distinct types of jazz album have emerged in the difficult Covid pandemic times: the do-it-yourself statements, usually recorded in a home studio, often with internet sound swapping; and the pent-up energy, post-pandemic energy bursts, musicians getting together again after a year or more of minimal in-person collaboration. Diamonds And Other Jewels, from the Walt Weiskopf European Quartet, is of the latter type. Saxophonist Weiskopf, pianist Carl Winther, bassist Andreas Lang and drummer Anders Mogensen jump out of the speakers from the start with "Spatacus," one of the seven dynamic originals offered up here.

The quartet began its life under Weskopf's leadership in 2017. Diamonds And Other Jewels is its sixth release, and after mostly lying dormant as a group during the pandemic they reconvene with a special expressive gusto, and a palpable sense of joy and adventure.

"Black Diamond," less ferocious than 'Spartacus," rolls with a smooth flow. Weiskopf's solo is freewheeling and muscular, bringing sax man Joe Henderson to mind with an on-edge adventurousness. "Thad Nation" nods to trumpeter & bandleader Thad Jones, with a colorful and upbeat mood, and "Blond Diamond" broods beautifully.

"My Old Flame," the disc's only non-original, was recorded in 1944 by Billie Holiday. It adds a welcome bit of soothing familiarity to the set. Overall the sound seems to owe a debt to saxophonist John Coltrane's quartet with pianist McCoy Tyner, drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Jimmy Garrison, before things went into interstellar space a fine era for Coltrane, and a fine one for the Walt Weiskopf European Quartet,too.
~Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/diamonds-and-other-jewels-walt-weiskopf-european-quartet-amm-records

Personnel: Walt Weiskopf: saxophone; Carl Winther: piano; Andreas Lang: bass, acoustic; Anders Mogensen: drums.

European Quartet: Diamonds and Other Jewels

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Nellie McKay - Bagatelles

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 17:31
Size: 42,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:07) 1. How About You
(1:32) 2. Up a Lazy River
(1:51) 3. The Best Things in Life Are Free
(2:00) 4. Rockabye Your Baby
(2:34) 5. I Concentrate on You
(2:10) 6. Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah
(1:59) 7. Accentuate the Positive
(3:15) 8. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)

On the heels of her atmospheric 2018 standards album Sister Orchid, singer/pianist Nellie McKay offers an equally lowkey and misty follow-up EP with 2019's Bagatelles. As with Sister Orchid, here McKay performs a handful of beloved classic songs in a distinctly spare style. Along with singing, she also plays all the instruments here, accompanying herself at various times on piano, ukulele, bass, Fender Rhodes, and even Theremin.

There's a laid-back, bedroom cabaret quality to these performances, as if McKay is flipping through one of her favorite song books and giving off-the-cuff takes on songs that catch her fancy. In particular, her swaying take on "Up a Lazy River" evokes the feel of relaxed summer's day as she sings while strumming a ukulele. Even when she goes for a more robust arrangement, playing bass and ukulele on "Accentuate the Positive," the result sounds pleasingly spontaneous.

That said, the minimalist vibe belies McKay's knack for conceptual, almost cinematic presentation. One could almost take her whistling intro "How About You" for granted until she brings it back, whistling along with her vocals at the end. She takes this deft conceptualism even further on Cole Porter's "I Concentrate on You," framing her delicate a cappella vocals with nature sounds, including a seagull's call and waves softly hitting a beach. Perhaps most affecting, McKay juxtaposes her arty conceits with her sweetly earnest delivery, a choice that helps make the album both intriguing and surprisingly moving.~Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/bagatelles-mw0003320558

Bagatelles

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Nicole Zuraitis - Pariah Anthem

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:37
Size: 93,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:44) 1. Stinger
(5:04) 2. Watercolors
(4:50) 3. Try, Love
(3:54) 4. Staring Into the Sun
(5:03) 5. To the Hive
(3:41) 6. Dagger
(4:33) 7. The Bridge
(4:32) 8. If Only for Today
(5:13) 9. Pariah Anthem

In my younger days, I used to frequent what we called “Wine and Cheese Cafés”, where you could usually find some very good and reasonably priced wines, a diverse assortment of cheeses and more often than not, an eclectic assortment of some of the best music around, setting the atmosphere. It was generally a mix of soft rock, mellow but funky R&B and tasty contemporary jazz of the type that was popularized by CTI Records. Often, I would hate to leave because the music mix was more intoxicating than any alcoholic beverage being served. Invariably, there would be an artist that captured that perfect mix of the genres and I would ask the waiter “Who is that playing now?” If now was then, I would have certainly asked about the music of Nicole Zuraitis.

Nicole Zuraitis is a young New York based singer/songwriter/keyboardist. The NYU graduate has performed or recorded with Winard Harper, Jane Monheit and Don Braden. Her own music as evidenced on Pariah Anthem, which is her second album, is a well crafted hybrid of rock, jazz and R&B, which fits very well around her impressive voice. And that voice is hard to ignore. On most selections, Ms. Zuraitis hangs out in that corner of the alto range that was once so well occupied by the great Angela Bofill. Then just as soon as you’ve gotten comfortable there, Ms. Zuraitis will suddenly sweep into a glissando through several octaves that places her close to Minnie Riperton territory. I couldn’t help but stop and take notice.

The songs on Pariah Anthem were all written by Zuraitis and many of them are quite good. “Secret” is sweetly soulful, with a swirl of jazz chords and a dreamy rhodes backdrop by Julian Shore. It sounds like a lost track from Ms. Bofill’s Angel of the Night album. “Staring Into the Sun” is a lovely duet between Ms. Zuraitis and Victor Gould’s piano. It gives her a chance to show off her remarkable range to great effect. “To The Hive” starts as an insistent jazz-rock tune that takes an unexpected turn with the addition of a Hindi verse by Indian singer Nandini Srikar. When Srikar and Zuraitis rush toward the coda in an English/ Hindi counterpoint, it is exhilarating. On “Dagger”, Ms. Zuraitis and company drop a nice neo-soul groove, led again by Julian Shore’s rhodes. This cat knows how to pull an atmosphere out of his keyboard. “If Only for Today” is a torchy ballad, performed again as a duet between Ms. Zuraitis and Mr. Gould. They are so good together that I would gladly listen to an evening of them playing duets.

Nicole Zuraitis is a gifted performer and Pariah Anthem is an album that will grow on you with repeated listening as the nuances reveal themselves. It’s music that doesn’t easily categorize itself. And you know what? That’s not a necessarily a bad thing. Keep an eye on Ms. Zuraitis, for I think that she has a bright future ahead of her.~By Curtis Davenport http://curtjazz.com/2014/02/11/album-review-nicole-zuraitis-pariah-anthem/

Personnel: Nicole Zuraitis, vocals, piano; Dan Pugach, drums; Scott Colberg, double bass; Julian Shore, rhodes, organ; Victor Gould, piano; Ilan Bar-Lavi, guitar; Billy Buss trumpet, flugelhorn; Jon Paul, acoustic guitar; Nandini Srikar, vocals

Pariah Anthem

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Monty Alexander - Love Notes

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:17
Size: 111,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:59) 1. Day in Day Out
(4:54) 2. These Love Notes
(6:02) 3. The Nearness of You (feat. Roy Hargrove)
(4:56) 4. As Time Goes By
(4:45) 5. Faith Can Move Mountains
(4:07) 6. Island in the Sun
(4:58) 7. To the Ends of the Earth
(4:30) 8. Moon River
(2:55) 9. Too Marvelous for Words (Live)
(2:32) 10. Straighten up and Fly Right (Live)
(4:33) 11. For Sentimental Reasons

Pianist Monty Alexander is set to release Love Notes this year, fulfilling a decades-long desire to record his first vocal album.

The iconic jazz musician has released 75 recordings as a bandleader over the course of his illustrious career spanning more than 60 years. Alexander’s recording career also includes work as a session musician with Ray Brown, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Milt Jackson and many more. Now, he’s finally making his debut as a vocalist.

“My desire was emboldened ever since one of our great jazz vocalists, Carmen McRae, heard me sing a tune at the end of a concert and told me, ‘Don’t stop singing!,’ admonishing me like a loving aunt would,” Alexander recalls. “That was back in the 1970s, so it took me 50 years … but I am glad to finally introduce Monty the vocalist and this collection of love songs.”

The 11 tracks on Love Notes are new arrangements of some of Alexander’s favourite songs ever since he was a child in Jamaica; the exception is one original composition, These Love Notes, a previously instrumental fan favourite that’s been newly re-recorded here with lyrics by Brian Jobson. Among the album’s track listing are romantic standards famously recorded by the likes of Henry Mancini, Nat King Cole, Harry Belafonte, Sam Cooke, Frank Sinatra and more.

“These songs harken back to innocent times, the 1950s, when I would hear calypsos and mentos in the streets,” Alexander says, “before I came to America, before the rise of Bob Marley, and certainly before I knew I would have this incredible career as a jazz pianist with over 75 albums recorded to date. Seventy-five albums as a pianist and one as a singer!”

Love Notes features an impressive cast of musicians that includes George Benson, Ramsey Lewis, Joe Sample, Courtney Panton, Karl Wright, Rubens de la Corte, Arturo Sandoval, Paul Berner, Steve Williams, Bobby Thomas Jr., Hassan Shakur and Quentin Baxter. The late Roy Hargrove also makes a posthumous appearance on two of the tracks.The album’s release will be accompanied by tour dates worldwide.

There’s also a biographical documentary in the works called The Monty Alexander Movie. Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Arthur Gordon, the project is currently in production in Jamaica, the U.S. and Europe.~Adam Feibel https://jazz.fm/monty-alexander-love-notes-first-vocal-album/

Love Notes

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Stephen Riley - I Remember You

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:19
Size: 161,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:58) 1. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(7:45) 2. My Ideal
(8:17) 3. I'll Remember April
(8:22) 4. Wild Flower
(6:58) 5. I Remember You
(7:14) 6. Ugly Beauty
(8:22) 7. Alone Together
(9:07) 8. God Bless The Child
(7:11) 9. Equinox

American tenor saxophonist Stephen Riley lists John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz and Lester Young as his influences. When he just 17, Riley won the Stan Getz/Clifford Brown fellowship, and he has toured and recorded with a host of musicians including, Wynton Marsalis, Joe Levano, Joe Henderson and Michael Brecker. In other words, this man has chops. Riley had recorded around a dozen albums before this one as a leader, and decided that he wanted a change of direction, and use a guitarist rather than a pianist.

The player he chose was in fact, an old music teacher of his, Vic Juris, a guitarist who had played with the likes of Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock, Dave Liebman and Joe Locke. Sadly, these would be the last sessions Juris played, because he died from cancer soon after their conclusion. This gives the album’s title a certain poignancy, and on the band photograph on the back of the CD booklet, the three other band members have a trace of a smile on their faces, while Juris looks haunted. The album is dedicated to him.

Bassist Jay Anderson has been a sideman for many including, Bob Belden, Paul Bley, George Cables, Lee Konitz, Bob Mintzer and Maria Schneider. He’s also played with Frank Zappa and David Bowie. Drummer Jason Tiemann’s resume includes Benny Gilson, Dave Liebman and Harold Mabern.

This is a straight-ahead jazz album, with the band playing nine covers, some of them standards from the pop and jazz worlds the composers include Wayne Shorter, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. The complementary nature of guitar and sax is strongly evident throughout the album, from the opening bossanova-tinged ‘You Stepped Out Of A Dream’ to the powerful closer, Coltrane’s ‘Equinox’. On the former, the influence of Getz is easy to discern, with Riley’s s airy sax phrases producing a cascade of wispy, sighs, and Juris comping excellently, before playing a solo with such touch and delicacy, that the notes sparkle like raindrops dancing off a lake.

On the nine-minute plus Billie Holiday number ‘God Bless The Child,’ Riley and Juris play together softly and tenderly - Juris’s opening, delicate chords and harmonics are a joy to listen to. The band plays a lovely swinging version of Arthur Schwartz’s ‘Alone Together.’ Riley’s opening, snaking solo is accompanied by more superb comping by Juris (just listen to the chiming chord he strikes at around the 1.45 mark). Wayne Shorter’s waltz-time composition ‘Wild Flower’ is played with some zest, while the title track composed by Gene DePaul is an uptempo, feet-tapping, rendition. A note should be made about the great support provided by the rhythm section of Anderson and Tiemann, Anderson also solos excellently on many tracks including, ‘You Stepped Out Of A Dream,’ ‘Equinox,’ and the band’s excellent interpretation of Monk’s haunting waltz, ‘Ugly Beauty.’

This album was a great pleasure to listen to, and one hopes that Riley reaches an even wider audience with it he deserves too. And it’s a fitting swansong to the talented and much-missed Vic Juris.~George Cole https://www.jazzviews.net/stephen-riley---i-remember-you.html

Personnel: Stephen Riley (tenor sax); Vic Juris (guitar); Jay Anderson (bass); Jason Tiemann (drums)

I Remember You

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Gary Bartz Quintet - West 42nd Street

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:47
Size: 158,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:51) 1. West 52nd Street
(19:10) 2. Speak Low
(11:45) 3. Its Easy to Remember
(10:02) 4. Cousins
(18:56) 5. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

After a long period of indifferent recordings, altoist Gary Bartz started to fulfill his potential in the early '90s. Joined by a superb rhythm section (comprised of pianist John Hicks, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Al Foster) and trumpeter Claudio Roditi (whose restrained power complements rather than competes with Bartz), the altoist really stretches out, particularly on "Speak Low" and "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" which both clock in at within seven seconds of 19 minutes apiece. Bartz is quite lyrical on a superior version of "It's Easy to Remember" and also takes inventive solos on his modal blues "Cousins" and Wilbur Harden's "West 42nd Street." A highly recommended gem. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/west-42nd-street-mw0000073378

Personnel: Saxophone [Alto, Soprano] – Gary Bartz; Bass – Ray Drummond; Drums – Al Foster; Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Claudio Roditi; Piano – John Hicks

West 42nd Street

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Abdullah Ibrahim - Solotude

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:41
Size: 99,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:10) 1. Mindiff
(1:56) 2. Trieste My Love
(2:24) 3. Nisa
(2:08) 4. Blue Bolero
(5:04) 5. In-Tempo
(2:30) 6. Dreamtime
(0:38) 7. Blue Bolero (First Reprise)
(1:49) 8. Peace
(1:05) 9. Blues For A Hip King
(1:02) 10. District 6
(0:39) 11. Tokai
(0:14) 12. District 6 (Reprise)
(0:42) 13. Pula
(3:20) 14. Sotho Blue
(0:23) 15. Blue Bolero (Second Reprise)
(1:29) 16. Did You Hear That Sound?
(1:33) 17. In The Evening
(6:27) 18. Once Upon A Midnight
(4:52) 19. The Wedding
(1:06) 20. Signal On The Hill

Abdullah Ibrahim once told a seminar at his M7 Academy in Cape Town, "The devil lives on the stage. This is where the ego comes out." On the strength of Solotude, recorded live on his eighty-sixth birthday, Ibrahim has crushed such personal demons and now lets angels guide his performing. One takes his point though, given that even the most spiritual music needs some sense of conceit to create and promote it. But this is an artist with nothing left to prove or justify, having laid down musical markers since emerging on record as Dollar Brand in 1968.

Solotude is neatly titled, with its aching sense of seclusion and repose. The record was made at Hirzinger Hall in east Germany, during the 2020 lockdown, with no audience beyond a technical crew. If anything, this format works better as each piece is left framed by brief silence rather than applause. The only background noise is actually supplied by Ibrahim with his occasional grunts and gasps of concentrated pleasure. Just possibly they could be groans of annoyance at a fluffed note, inaudible to any but himself. But more probably Ibrahim was captivated in the moment at his piano, just as the listeners are left enrapt.

The opening cut, "Mindif," is one of several which he revisits from a stellar career. Shorn of its previous orchestration, the track's blend of mystic light and golden silence sets a tone; also the album's most spectral cut, it echoes some of Espen Eriksen's noirish turns. "Trieste My Love," reworked from Dream Time (Enja Records, 2019) conveys a sweet sense of longing, while the playful rolls and jabs of "Nisa" are distinct from the brassy rendering on The Balance (Gearbox Records, 2019).

More geeky fun can be had with hearing "District 6" retain its funky swagger from the vibrant African Magic album (Enja Records, 2002). Elsewhere, a stark version of "Sotho Blue" supremely mimics the original's haunting sax and flute parts. Trying to unravel Ibrahim's sonic secrets is probably futile, though his fingertip sensitivity and use of sustain are evident on the romantic contemplations of "Blue Bolero" and "Once Upon A Midnight." Further, several short fragments, such as "Peace," "Blues For A Hip King" and "Tokai," echo a philosophical quality found in Franz Liszt's more intimate works.

Ibrahim presents one of his most enduring songs, "The Wedding," near the end like an encore. New numbers include the rhapsodic "In-Tempo" with its ripples of trilling birdsong, plus the closing cut, "Signal On The Hill," which brings a final note of serenity.

The meditative strength of this outing is born of one who recognises martial arts, medicine and movement as key elements. Ibrahim offers his symphonic poems to us here with quiet reverence. Who could refuse such a gift?~Gareth Thompsonhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/solotude-abdullah-ibrahim-gearbox-records

Personnel: Abdullah Ibrahim: piano.

Solotude

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Georgia Cécile - Only the lover Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:38
Size: 102,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:38) 1. The month of may
(3:31) 2. Come summertime
(3:18) 3. Always be right
(3:57) 4. He knew how to love
(3:19) 5. Goodbye love
(4:58) 6. Harpoon
(4:57) 7. Bittersweet
(3:55) 8. Ever burning flame
(3:01) 9. Blue is just a colour
(3:59) 10. Love the stars you're under

2021 was definitely something of an annus mirabilis for the vocalist and songwriter, Georgia Cécile. She won a host of new fans supporting Gregory Porter on his four dates at the Royal Albert Hall, made her Ronnie Scott's debut, delivered a standout performance at the EFG London Jazz Festival's opening gala, Jazz Voice, and released her debut album, Only The Lover Sings, which scooped ‘Best Album’ at the 2021 Scottish Jazz Awards.

With 10 superbly-crafted original songs, outstanding arrangements courtesy of Cécile's long-standing songwriting partner pianist and composer Euan Stevenson plus a central vocal performance which mixes passion, power and playfulness, this debut is an astonishing achievement. Cécile kickstarted proceedings at ‘Jazz Voice’ with her fine original and album opener ‘The Month Of May’. It's one of several songs (‘He Knew How To Love’ and ‘Goodbye Love’ are two more) which possesses a Bacharach-like richness both in terms of its arrangement and its harmonic journey. The moving ballad ‘Come Summertime’ showcases Cécile's ability to sustain and really sing through the melodic line. Tempos and textures are nicely varied, with ‘the radio-friendly ‘Always Be Right For Me’ shifting easily through the gears, while the pulsating ‘Blue Is Just A Colour’ emphasizes what an incredibly tight band this is.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/georgia-cecile-only-the-lover-sings

Only the lover sings

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David Linx - Be My Guest: The Duos Project

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:30
Size: 157,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:48) 1. Letter to Trevor
(3:59) 2. Hunter
(4:26) 3. Página de Dor
(3:59) 4. Close to You
(5:19) 5. Waves
(4:46) 6. Making Do, Making New
(7:50) 7. Round Midnight
(5:25) 8. My Bee
(2:28) 9. Tonight You Belong to Me
(4:20) 10. By the Seine
(2:59) 11. The Bystander Effect
(6:51) 12. Vanguard
(3:28) 13. I Think It's Going to Rain Today
(3:18) 14. Emportez-moi
(5:27) 15. Como la Cigarra

By turns visceral, touching, transporting and illuminating, this set of 15 duets featuring the Brussels-born, Paris-based vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist David Linx is a collection that stays with you long after the final bar of the extraordinarily powerful ‘Como La Cigarra’ fades away. Penned by the Argentinean writer and composer, Maria Elena Walsh, Linx is accompanied on this particular song by the gorgeous playing of pianist Gustavo Beytelmann.

Appropriately, Linx describes the album as being “a way of continuing to evolve over and over again and remind me of my youth when I rushed into everything I didn't know, with a curiosity that is still intact”. And it’s this incredible artistic curiosity which makes Be My Guest such an enriching listening experience. Whether it’s the nearly eight-minute meditation on ‘Round Midnight’ in the company of pianist Tigran Hamasyan, the intricate polyphonic web of interlocking lines that Linx creates with fellow vocalist Theo Bleckmann in ‘Waves’, or the incredibly poignant album opener, ‘Letter to Trevor’, in which writer and filmmaker Trevor Baldwin recites a letter penned to him when he was a two-month-old baby by his uncle, the late, great writer and playwright, James Baldwin, Linx’s unerring choice of collaborators enables each song to take flight in a magical way.

Other highlights include the exquisite sound of the cavaquinho(a small, four-stringed member of the guitar family) in ‘Pagina De Dor’, courtesy of Rio-born musician Hamilton De Holanda, the incredibly beautiful timbre of cellist Éric-Maria Couturier in ‘Making Do, Making New’, and the understated electronica of ‘The Bystander Effect’, featuring keys player Diederik Wissels, which sees Linx’s increasingly stacked-up vocal riff panning left to right and back again.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/david-linx-be-my-guest-the-duos-project

Be My Guest: The Duos Project

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Martin Speake - Two Not One

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 66:29
Size: 153,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38) 1. Ablution
(8:03) 2. Besame Mucho
(6:39) 3. For Heavens Sake
(3:34) 4. I Found A New Baby
(4:09) 5. Coleman Hawkins
(6:39) 6. If I Had You
(4:22) 7. I'll Never Forget You
(6:02) 8. Skylark
(4:29) 9. Lester's Blues
(6:01) 10. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(4:37) 11. Happy
(2:59) 12. The Nearness Of You
(4:10) 13. Two Not One

Martin Speake's alto saxophone tone is such a beautiful thing in itself, pure and limpid, that it would be possible to float off on it without noticing what he was actually playing. This would be a pity, because his improvised lines are full of ideas and unemphatic elegance. Colin Oxley, best known for his long tenure as Stacey Kent's guitarist, makes the best possible partner, providing rich, subtle harmonies and discreet but firm rhythmic support. Outstanding in a mixed programme of originals and well-chosen standards is a marvellous two-part invention on a blues by Lester Youg.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/mar/25/speake-oxley-two-not-one

Two Not One

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Count Basie Orchestra - This Time By Basie

Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:30
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
(2:29) 2. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
(3:59) 3. One Mint Julep
(3:12) 4. The Swingin' Shepherd Blues
(4:33) 5. I Can't Stop Loving You
(3:06) 6. Moon River
(3:11) 7. Fly Me To The Moon
(2:48) 8. What Kind Of Fool Am I
(2:36) 9. Walk, Don't Run
(3:14) 10. Nice 'n' Easy
(3:15) 11. Theme From The Apartment
(3:05) 12. The Hucklebuck
(2:54) 13. Oh, Pretty Woman
(3:05) 14. Oh Soul Mio
(3:43) 15. Shangri-La
(2:57) 16. At Long Last Love

Three decades after the fact, people looking at releases like This Time by Basie would tend to dismiss it as pandering, Count Basie doing a "pops" type outing the cheesy cover art even emphasized the songs over Basie and his band. Nothing could be further from the truth, however this 16-song release reveals a wonderful body of work, and deserves to be better known. For starters, This Time by Basie swings, smooth and easy but taut, or hot and heavy. From Sonny Payne's understated cymbal intro to "This Could Be the Start of Something Big" to the bluesier notes of "One Mint Julep," Basie and company sound like they're enjoying themselves, whether elegantly stretching out on "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" or "Moon River," or soaring into the air on the hotter numbers one of the more surprising covers here is "Walk Don't Run," which even works in a big-band arrangement.

Highlights amid all of this surprising splendor include Marshall Royal's alto sax on "What Kind of Fool Am I" and Frank Foster's tenor sax on "Something Big." Quincy Jones arranged and conducted This Time by Basie, and the record was successful, returning the Count to the pop charts on the eve of the British Invasion. The last five songs here are drawn from Pop Goes the Basie, a 1965 album arranged and conducted by Billy Byers, and produced by Teddy Reig the playing is as good as the companion work on numbers like "The Hucklebuck." Their version of Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" is a big-band blues rendition of the song (sung by Leon Thomas) that buries the original's grand operatic romantic sensibilities in a posed soulfulness. "Oh Soul Mio" (highlight by Al Grey's trombone work), "Shangri-La" and "At Long Last Love" (both prominently featuring Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis) come off better the last number could've come off of any of Basie's best post-1951 albums. The remixing from the original three-track studio asters has yielded an especially clean sound with vivid stereo separation, enhancing the solos (check out Davis' on "At Long Last Love") and the overall ensemble.~Bruce Eder

This Time By Basie

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Pat Bianchi - In the Moment

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:54
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:43) 1. Humpty Dumpty
(7:20) 2. Blue Gardenia
(7:29) 3. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(3:46) 4. Mr. PM
(7:51) 5. Barracudas (General Assembly)
(5:25) 6. Crazy
(6:51) 7. No Expectations
(5:43) 8. I Want to Talk About You
(7:11) 9. Fall
(4:29) 10. Four in One

If you glance at the tracks listed here, you may be tempted to start out with two notable collaborations and one Willie Nelson-penned country classic. Not a bad move, as it turns out. The cameos by vocalist Kevin Mahogany, who died in late 2017, and guitar legend Pat Martino, organist Pat Bianchi’s mentor and bandmate, swiftly live up to expectations, albeit in sharply contrasting performances.

And the thoroughly reinvigorated reprise of Nelson’s “Crazy” somehow manages to salute both Patsy Cline and vintage organ-combo traditions with as much ingenuity as ease. It’s just one of several reminders of Bianchi’s flair for devising fresh, compact arrangements. Over the course of 10 tracks, Bianchi and a seasoned cast of session mates cover a lot of ground. Besides Nelson and Billy Eckstine the prime inspiration for Mahogany’s luxe, soulful rendering of “I Want to Talk About You” In the Moment features compositions by Chick Corea (“Humpty Dumpty”), Stevie Wonder (“Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing”), Miles Davis/Gil Evans (“Barracudas [General Assembly]”), Wayne Shorter (“Fall”), and Thelonious Monk (“Four in One”).

Throughout, Bianchi, guitarist Paul Bollenback, and drummer Byron Landham make an agile, tightly cohesive trio. The keyboardist and guitarist often display a mutual talent for offsetting resonating atmospherics with flashing chromaticism, while Landham is busy neatly negotiating dynamic tempo shifts and tricky rhythmic displacements. It soon becomes clear that the trio’s special guests are prepared for similar challenges. So don’t be surprised when guitarist Peter Bernstein, vibist Joe Locke, and drummer Carmen Intorre, Jr. suddenly snare, and reward, your attention. ~ Mike Joyce https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/pat-bianchi-in-moment-savant/

Personnel: Pat Bianchi (organ); Paul Bollenback (guitar); Byron Landham (drums). With special guests: Peter Bernstein (guitar); Carmen Intorre Jr.(drums); Joe Locke (vibes); Kevin Mahogany (vocal); Pat Martino, (guitar)

In the Moment

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Burak Bedikyan - Introspection

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:39
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:55) 1. Warm At Heart
(3:49) 2. See It For Yourself
(4:01) 3. Call For Peace
(5:11) 4. Can't Hear The Unheard
(4:59) 5. Free Your Mind
(5:18) 6. Simply For You
(3:16) 7. Seven Gates
(4:45) 8. Y
(3:12) 9. Deluded
(4:47) 10. Darkness Falls, Still There's Light Alone
(5:21) 11. Finale

Pianist Burak Bedikyan's sixth release on Steeplechase, the absorbing Introspection, took shape around a short, commissioned piece. The organizers of Turkey's oldest jazz festival, the Akbank, asked for the composition for its thirtieth anniversary in 2021. As Bedikyan started work on this, he improvised extensively on his home piano and recorded these experiments. The result is moving and contemplative music which is melancholic yet hopeful, simultaneously ethereal and earthy.

The angular "Call for Peace" opens with sparse chimes and a hymn-like mood. It is easy to imagine these resonant chords echoing inside a church. The crystalline melody that coalesces out of these bursts of notes and cascading lines retains the original spirituality yet transcends specific religious roots. Similarly, the sober "Deluded" has a meditative ambience yet one with an undercurrent of an insistence due to its driving cadence. The gradual build-up of tempo transforms the wistful tune into a simmering, passionate one while maintaining the eastern motif at its core. The percussive conclusion expresses a mix of ire and confidence.

"Free Your Mind," in contrast, has more buoyancy and joy. Its theme has bluesy undertones and Bedikyan's breathtaking virtuosity gives it a boppish thrill. The densely woven phrases brim with clever twists and inventive ideas. The lithe and elegant performance is vibrant, with a polished spontaneity which retains a slight gritty edge. "Finale," the aptly named album closer, is a lyrical, otherworldly lullaby laced with mysticism and enveloped in an expectant atmosphere. The meandering extemporization flows effortlessly and with grace, and forms a forlorn yet brightly-hued piece.

Although the impetus for Introspection was the aforementioned celebration in his native Istanbul, Bedikyan put in this, very personal, recording his experience during Covid19. This life-altering world event and its impact on Bedikyan's life resulted in these sublime and reflective tracks. The brilliance of Bedikyan's artistry and its maturity make this music speak to anyone, regardless of the type of encounter with and even beyond the pandemic.
~ Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/introspection-burak-bedikyan-steeplechase-records

Personnel: Burak Bedikyan: piano.

Introspection

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Jonah Jones - Confessin'

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:50
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:39) 1. Love Is Just Around The Corner
( 4:46) 2. Confessin'
( 7:09) 3. Saint Louis Blues
(16:49) 4. Ellington Medley Don't Get Around Much Anymore I Let A Song Go Out Of
( 4:05) 5. The Sheik Of Araby
( 3:37) 6. Birth Of The Blues
( 4:43) 7. Confessin' (Take 2)

Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1909, trumpet player Jonah Jones turned professional at the age of 17. After working in many bands, he formed his own quartet, the Jonah Jones Quartet, in 1955. He made a string of successful albums with Capitol in the late fifties. After that he rarely recorded again, but continued playing until his death in 2000.

Confessin'

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Giacomo Gates - You

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:22
Size: 126,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:33) 1. Exactly Like You
(2:30) 2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(1:46) 3. With Plenty of Money and You
(2:21) 4. I Didn't Know About You
(3:15) 5. The Nearness of You
(1:52) 6. It Had to Be You
(1:52) 7. I Thought About You
(2:37) 8. I Want to Talk About You
(2:12) 9. I Mean You
(3:11) 10. P.S. I Love You
(2:16) 11. Are You Havin' Fun Yet?
(3:25) 12. I Remember You
(4:40) 13. You're Blasé
(2:31) 14. Everything But You
(2:29) 15. You've Changed
(4:34) 16. Since I Fell for You
(3:40) 17. I've Got News for You
(2:28) 18. You Never Miss the Water 'Till the Well Runs Dry

It is an interesting linguistic and grammatical fact that the word "I," capitalized and without its lower case pal's head-dot, appears only in the English language. It is also the most frequently seen word residing in popular song titles. With You the high priest of hip, Giacomo Gates, turns the tables on that not-so-lonely letter and salutes I's near-runner up, "You" with a "book" of 18 genuinely swinging "Yous."

As a jazz singer, Gates has historically been in a sumptuous love affair with words. On over a dozen albums he's demonstrated that he's a "vocalese" vizier and scat-singing jongleur. On this album arguably his best effort to date he and a very involved rhythm section run through "You" tunes in an experience that brings to mind a time when lyrics had a more poetic aspect and pungency; when a vocalist fronting a rhythm trio was a most common format, and when track lengths were produced within strict time limits.

Gates launches the session with an up-tempo take on "Exactly Like You" with surprise contrafacts and scat. His rhythmic play with melody parlayed with his shrewdly toying with a lyric's presentation is at the forefront on "How Could I Know About You" and "It Had to Be You." His takes on "I Want to Talk About You," "P.S. I Love You" demo the vocalist's dynamic range and ability to wring emotional juice from a ballad's lyric. Thelonious Monk's jazz classic "I Mean You" offers a feisty piano solo by Tim Ray following Gates' pointing the finger. A verbal prologue prefaces a very soulful take on the Lenny Welch 60's hit, "Since I Fell for You."

While there are well-known GAS workhorses here, additional gems emanate from You that haven't been heard in ages, i.e., "Are You Havin' Any Fun?" and Ray Charles' "I've Got News for You," (both with scatted solos) and the Mills Brothers hit, "You Never Miss the Water 'Till the Well Runs Dry." All are performed with superior style, subtle humor, and soul. Those unique selections also point to brilliant production savvy.

The dynamic rhythm section is completely tied into Gates' energies and buys in whole hoagie. They're obviously having a ball. Pianist Tim Ray is outstanding, ghosting Gates and slyly answering and feeding the leader with great taste and flair. Bassist John Lockwood is rock- solidly swinging throughout. Drummer James Lattini is hands-down the perfect trio presence. When Gates, as he frequently does, toys with the time or throws in melody-altered triplets, the entire section embraces and joins the parade.

Rest assured this effort is no novelty. There's everything here that ultimately results in a most enjoyable experience. Simply put: You is an ideal way to cure your cabin fever, COVID Blues, or whatever ails you.~ Nicholas F. Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/you-giacomo-gates-savant-records

Personnel: Giacomo Gates: voice / vocals; Tim Ray: piano; John Lockwood: bass; James Lattini: drums.

You

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Manhattan Jazz Quintet - 25-Tribute to Art Blakey

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:06
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:51) 1. Les Liaisons Dangereuses
(9:15) 2. Moanin'
(6:00) 3. Mosaic
(7:09) 4. Blues for Buhaina
(6:17) 5. Quick Silver
(5:33) 6. Split Kick
(7:30) 7. Come Rain or Come Shine
(6:28) 8. Blues March

Manhattan Jazz Quintet, an all-star band led by pianist and arranger David Matthews and a brainchild of Japanese producer Shigeyuki Kawashima, celebrates its 25th anniversary with this strong tribute album to Art Blakey. This is also the super-group's second release from the Birds Records label, following the extremely successful V.S.O.P. which not only became Swing Journal Gold Disc but also won the prestigious magazine's 2008 Jazz Disc Silver Award. In addition to Matthews, the current edition of band features trumpeter Lew Soloff, tenor saxophonist Andy Snitzer, bassist Charnett Moffett and drummer Victor Lewis. They perform the quintessential tunes associated with Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers, including "Moanin'", "Mosaic" and "Blues March," all arranged by Matthews with a few modern twists. According to the MJQ's tradition, Matthews also wrote an original tune "Blues For Buhaina," a funky blues dedicated to the legendary drummer. The all-star band sounds terrific here. The rhythm section provides kinetic grooves and pushes the entire group. The horn players' performances are inspired and intensely hot! The sound quality of the recording is also quite good. Recommended for fans of hard bop jazz! Produced by Shigeyuki Kawashima. Recorded at Sear Sound Studio, New York, February 27 & 28, 2009.~Swing Journal Gold Disc http://www.eastwindimport.com/product info.asp?ProductId=1186

Personnel: David Matthews (piano); Lew Soloff (trumpet); Andy Snitzer (tenor sax); Charnett Moffett (bass); Victor Lewis (drums)

25-Tribute to Art Blakey

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Lauren Bush - Dream Away

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:49
Size: 128,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:04) 1. You stepped out of a dream
(6:08) 2. Dream away
(6:11) 3. If this isn't love
(5:35) 4. The shadow of your smile
(5:06) 5. Keep it to yourself
(5:28) 6. Blackfriars
(4:42) 7. You're everything
(6:12) 8. In a mellow tone
(5:34) 9. Spring can really hang you up the most
(5:44) 10. Hopelessly devoted to you

There's no "i" in "team," or so the motivational speakers of the world will have us believe, but as far as music is concerned every effective team needs an ear or two. The team responsible for Dream Away from vocalist and lead artist Lauren Bush to the instrumentalists and producers is well-served by ears and uses them to excellent effect. Throughout this album of standards and contemporary songs it's clear that everyone listens to the words, the music and each other crafting a collection that is very much an ensemble work, albeit with Bush's vocals to the fore.

This is the second album from Canadian-born and London-based Bush, following, at something of a distance, 2016's self-released All My Treasures. It maintains the high standard set by that debut. Bush is joined once again by pianist Liam Dunachie, drummer David Ingamells and trumpeter Miguel Gorodi, with Conor Chaplin replacing Andrew Robb on bass.

The producers pianist Dunachie and Ian Shaw, a fine singer and performer in his own right and engineer John Prestage have together ensured that the album benefits from superb sound, ensuring crystal clear vocals and instrumentation. Bush is an excellent interpretive singer, whether she's giving an edge to the lyrics of "You Stepped Out of a Dream," bringing a laid-back and mellow approach to "In a Mellow Tone," adding a dewy-eyed torch-song quality to the Olivia Newton-John hit "Hopelessly Devoted to You," or engaging in some lively scatting. Throughout the album, the instrumentalists offer sympathetic backing as well as contributing engaging solos.

Dream Away is a consistently fine album, but one or two tracks deserve special mention for the quality of the performances. "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," a voice and piano duet between Bush and Dunachie, is a delightful take on this well-known number. "If This Isn't Love" warms up the coldest day, Bush's cheerily upbeat vocal driven by Chaplin and Ingamells' bouncy bass and drums (which also underpin Dunachie's equally upbeat solo).

"Keep it to Yourself" music by Geoff Gascoyne, lyrics by Bob Dorough is a gently swinging song, with a burst of scat from Bush, a Dunachie piano solo and some considered trumpet phrases from Gorodi. On "Blackfriars," a new song written by Bush and saxophonist Fliss Gorst about events on a bridge over the river Thames, Bush and Gorst channel the ghosts of musical stars of the 1930s, invoking romantic scenes in a Hollywood version of London that would suit Fred and Ginger just fine.~Bruce Lindsayhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/dream-away-lauren-bush-self-produced

Personnel: Lauren Bush: voice / vocals; Liam Dunachie: piano; Conor Chaplin: bass, acoustic; David Ingamells: drums; Miguel Gorodi: trumpet; Fliss Gorst: saxophone, tenor.

Dream Away

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Chris Byars - The Music Of Duke Jordan

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:46
Size: 154,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:07) 1. Jordanish
(7:15) 2. Undecided Lady
(6:54) 3. There's A Star For You
(5:22) 4. If I Did - Would You
(5:24) 5. The Bullet (Shinkansen)
(3:05) 6. Gabrielle's Wish
(4:07) 7. Lesson In Love
(6:32) 8. Paula
(9:07) 9. Glad I Met Pat
(6:41) 10. Sultry Eve
(6:07) 11. Table Chess

Award-winning saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator Chris Byars, explores the music of another bebop great, this time pianist Duke Jordan.

Apart from his focus on composing his own music, Chris Bryars has been highly interested in studying the vast repertoire of jazz composers of the 20th century. His endeavour has so far culminated in 'Blue Lights - The Music of Gigi Gryce' (SCCD31662), 'Lucky Strikes Again - The Chris Bryars Octet Plays the Music of Lucky Thompson' (SCCD31713) and his exploration of the music of Freddie Redd on 'Music Forever' (SCCD 31743). Now to add to this impressive list Chris Byars compiled eleven gems from the book of Duke Jordan (1922 - 2006), who was one of the early and most original bebop pianists. Israeli-born singer Yaala Ballin wrote lyrics and sang two of the Jordan melodies ("Sultry Eve" and "Lesson in Love").

Personnel: Chris Byars (alto saxophone), Stefano Doglioni (bass clarinet), John Mosca (trombone), Pasquale Grasso (guitar), Ari Roland (bass), Stefan Schatz (drums), Yaala Ballin (vocal - 4 & 7) and others

The Music Of Duke Jordan

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McCoy Tyner & Freddie Hubbard Quartet - Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1986

Styles: Piano And Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 127:08
Size: 291,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:15) 1. Inner Glimpse
( 0:42) 2. Announcemet
(14:36) 3. Latino Suite
(14:53) 4. Body and Soul
(25:47) 5. Nero-Terra
(17:44) 6. Island Birdie
(14:43) 7. Round Midnight
(17:10) 8. Blues For Basie
(10:13) 9. What Is The Thing Called Love

Warning! Highly Flammable Material! This superb album, recorded in Hamburg in 1986 and never previously released, ought to come with a caution, so incendiary is it.

Strictly speaking, Live At Fabrik presents pianist McCoy Tyner's trio with bassist Avery Sharpe and drummer Louis Hayes and guest artist Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and flugelhorn. In actuality, Hubbard's power-packed presence transforms the unit into a co-led quartet, as the cover art acknowledges. The 2 x CD album is, in effect, the chronicle of a summit meeting between two giants of post-bop jazz one of them, Hubbard, on the rebound from a fall from grace occasioned by his embrace of fusion in the 1970s, the other, Tyner, a bandleader who had never let his standards drop.

Hubbard exploded on to the scene at the start of the 1960s with a series of Blue Note albums under his own name and that of tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks and lest we forget, Tyner was the pianist on Hubbard's 1960 own-name debut, Open Sesame. Sideman dates followed for the likes of tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Herbie Hancock, drummer Art Blakey and reed player Eric Dolphy. The 1970s, by contrast, were for the most part a wasteland, as Hubbard hitched his wagon to fusion and the pursuit of big bucks.

Tyner, on the other hand, after spending the first half of the 1960s as a member of Coltrane's classic quartet, kept the faith, metaphorically and literally (he had changed his name to Suleiman Saud in 1955), unencumbered, unlike Hubbard, by the need to maintain an expensive lifestyle which included a heavy late-1970s cocaine habit. But by the mid-1980s, Hubbard was back on the same page as Tyner and keen to prove it. The opening track on Live At Fabrik is a fiery performance of Tyner's propulsive "Inner Glimpse," on which Hubbard matches Tyner's intensity lightning flash by lightning flash, and the temperature rarely drops for the next two hours.

In a 2001 interview with All About Jazz's Craig Jolley, Hubbard said that, back in the 1960s, "Lee Morgan was the only young cat that scared me when he played. He had so much fire and natural feeling. I had more technique, but he had that feeling." Many listeners, including hardcore Morgan fans, would dispute the "natural feeling" part of that judgement, both as regards high-octane material such as "Inner Glimpse" and ballads such as John Green's "Body And Soul" and Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight," both of which are given emotionally charged readings by Hubbard (and Tyner).

Disc one concludes with a twenty-six minute performance of Hubbard's "Neo-Terra," previously heard on his ghastly Bob James-produced 1976 Columbia album, Windjammer. This time out it makes for exhilarating rather than infuriating listening (although to nitpick, Hubbard's pyrotechnics do at times touch on flash rather than substance).

And so the party continues. Side two highlights include Tyner's high spirited "Island Birdie" and raucous "Blues For Basie." The sound is perhaps a little boomy at times, but that may have been unavoidable in the cavernous converted-factory space of Fabrik which appropriately, the liner notes tell us, at one period manufactured explosives. Tyner and his trio are high impact throughout Live At Fabrik, but perhaps the biggest cause for celebration is Hubbard, back with a bang.
~Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-fabrik-mccoy-tyner-freddie-hubbard-quartet-jazzline-classics

Personnel: Freddie Hubbard: trumpet; McCoy Tyner: piano; Avery Sharpe: bass; Louis Hayes: drums.

Live at Fabrik Hamburg 1986

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