Joe Pass, J.J. Johnson - We'll Be Together Again

Styles: Guitar And Trombone Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:04
Size: 106,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:39) 1. Wave
(4:25) 2. We'll Be Together Again
(5:03) 3. Naked As A Jaybird
(4:10) 4. Blue Bossa
(5:47) 5. Limehouse Blues
(5:29) 6. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(4:25) 7. Bud's Blues
(2:33) 8. Nature Boy
(4:23) 9. Solar
(5:07) 10. When Lights Are Low

Few would argue with the statement that there is not an excess of guitar-trombone duet albums. In fact, in terms of instrumentation, this date (which has been reissued on CD) may very well be somewhat unique in jazz history. Trombonist J.J. Johnson had already been the pacesetter on his instrument for nearly 40 years at the time, while guitarist Joe Pass proved in the 1970s that he could make his axe fulfill all the roles of an orchestra. Still, the strong success of this inspired outing is a bit of a surprise. While Pass often adds walking lines behind Johnson, the trombonist sometimes plays long tones behind the guitarist's solos. Most exciting are the spots where the two share the lead equally. Other than Bud Powell's "Bud's Blues" and Johnson's "Naked as a Jaybird," the duo sticks to standards. But obviously, these versions sound quite a bit different than usual. Highlights include "Wave," "Limehouse Blues," "Nature Boy," and "When Lights Are Low." Highly recommended.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/well-be-together-again-mw0000267680

Personnel: Guitar – Joe Pass; Trombone – J.J. Johnson

We'll Be Together Again

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Sophie Alour - Time For Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:38
Size: 109.1 MB
Styles: Ballads, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. Nos Cendres
[5:29] 2. I Loves You, Porgy
[4:19] 3. The Second Time Around
[4:49] 4. Left Alone
[4:39] 5. Skylark
[4:58] 6. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
[3:54] 7. Stars Fell On Alabama
[4:33] 8. Answer Me
[3:57] 9. I'm Old Fashioned
[3:37] 10. A Time For Love
[3:54] 11. Comptine

Sophie Alour (ts,ss); Sandro Zerafa (g); Sylvain Romano (b); Dédé Ceccarelli (ds); Stéphane Belmondo (tp); Rhoda Scott (org); Glenn Ferris (tb); David El Malek (ts); Alain Jean-Marie (p). QUINTET ALLEGRIA: Anne-Cécile Cuniot flûte traversière; Catherine Coquet hautbois et cor anglais; Gaëlle Burgelin clarinette; Cécile Hardouin basson; Camille Lebrequier cor.

"Time for Love", Sophie Alour's new opus is an album devoted to ballads and especially those immortalized by Shirley Horn, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald or Nina Simone. Surrounded by the very best jazz musicians in France (Stéphane Belmondo, David El Malek (who is in charge of the musical direction of the project), and a wind quintet arranged by François Théberge, Rhoda Scott, Alain Jean-Marie, Dédé Ceccarelli) Sophie Alour confirms its sensitivity and expressiveness in the Jazz ballads. Time for Love is a great collective adventure that will hit the road of France and elsewhere, throughout the 2018/2019 season.

Time For Love

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Marty Grosz & His Hot Combination - Marty Grosz & His Hot Combination

Styles: New Orleans Jazz Revival
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:28
Size: 162,1 MB
Art: Front

( 4:14)  1. Alabamy Home
( 4:52)  2. Did I Remember?
( 4:02)  3. If It Ain't Love
( 4:34)  4. You
( 4:55)  5. What'll I Do?
( 4:59)  6. Don't Let It Bother You
( 3:59)  7. I'd Rather Be With You
( 4:09)  8. Murder In The Moonlight
( 7:01)  9. Four Or Five Times
( 4:40) 10. Life Begins When You're In Love
( 6:06) 11. Spoken Introduction To Just A Gigolo
( 3:39) 12. Just A Gigolo
(10:00) 13. Spoken Introduction To English Blues
( 3:11) 14. English Blues

Marty Grosz is a fine guitar player and singer, and has earned a solid rep as a purveyor of classic jazz styles. He's joined on Marty Grosz and His Hot Combination by a number of other players associated with classic styles, including clarinetist Ken Peplowski and trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso. The main idea of the album, then, is fairly straightforward: surround yourself with great players, choose a handful of standards, and play your heart out. The collection begins with a spry, instrumental take on Dave Ringle and Duke Ellington's "Alabamy Home" before delving into a fine vocal version of Harold Adamson and Walter Donaldson's "Did I Remember?"

The track list includes lots of love songs and a neat take on "Just a Gigolo," revealing that Grosz has a romantic sensibility tinged with humor. The only item that distracts from the proceedings is Grosz's lengthy spoken introductions to "Just a Gigolo" and "English Blues." While both are more like funny monologues than introductions proper, they're too long and serve to interrupt the flow of music. Otherwise, Marty Grosz and His Hot Combination is a lovely album that reveals how joyful jazz was before the modern era. ~ Ronnie D.Lankford  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/marty-grosz-and-his-hot-combination-mw0000408647.

Personnel: Marty Grosz (vocals, guitar); Ken Peplowski (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet); James Dapogny (cornet, piano); Arnie Kinsella (drums).

Marty Grosz & His Hot Combination

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Pat Metheny - Down In Texas (Live Houston '81)

Styles: Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 147:55
Size: 339,3 MB
Art: Front

( 8:10) 1. Phase Dance
( 7:44) 2. Better Days Ahead
( 8:41) 3. The Windup
(11:40) 4. James
( 8:29) 5. Offramp
( 9:12) 6. It's For You
( 7:48) 7. The Bat Part ll
( 7:27) 8. Ozark
( 9:07) 9. Turnaround
(18:18) 10. Goin' Ahead
( 9:16) 11. Jaco
(15:53) 12. Au Lait (Suite)
(13:14) 13. San Lorenzo
( 8:41) 14. (Cross The) Heartland
( 4:08) 15. American Garage

In jazz terms, the Missouri born guitarist Pat Metheny is a global superstar. A musician who has always divided opinion, his forty eight album releases in a forty five year career to date have attracted thirty six Grammy Award nominations.

He has been the recipient of twenty outright Grammy awards, and is the only person to win in ten different categories. The sixty five year old’s musical career began in 1974 and his first major release, a trio recording “Bright Size life” with Jaco Pastorius on bass and drummer Bob Moses two years later, remains to this day a “go-to” album for legions of guitar enthusiasts. Total World wide sales of his albums exceed 20 million, his major period of success being with his fusion based group, known as “The Pat Metheny Group” or” PMG”, which was in existence for over three decades from 1977 and regularly filled large arenas and festival fields across the globe.

As well as “PMG”, plus his own duo’s, trio’s and quartet’s, Pat has also co-led bands with many other major players including Brad Mehldau, Ornette Coleman and Christian McBride, but it was with the recently departed Wisconsin born pianist and composer Lyle Mays that he formed a career long musical relationship, including this album, with its intriguing title that has been remembered by most jazz enthusiasts, whether they are Pat Metheny devotees or not. Its a mighty album throughout, with the Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos having a major part to play and elevating it to an iconic level.

The centre piece is of course the title track which occupies the whole of side one. It manages to be an ambient low tempo work while at the same time being both exciting and having the rare capacity to draw the listener into the somewhat mysterious musical landscape. From the leaders double bass intro’ (on an instrument he played only rarely) its easy to get hooked on the ethereal and mysterious musical conversations that abound between the twelve instruments at the trio’s disposal. There is no sense of urgency in the music, there doesn’t need to be, with nearly twenty one minutes of playing time, just constant invention and re-invention including a passage at high tempo and volume for three minutes or so half way through before calmer waters are revisited. Its a piece that gives much to the attentive listener and continues to expose more of its secrets with every listen.

Side two of the album is a little more upbeat and in line with the output we have expected from the Metheny fusion groups down the years. Ozark is a strong dramatically themed number with Lyle’s keyboards to the fore, followed by the Bill Evans tribute September 15th,(the day that the great pianist died in 1980). There is an orchestral backdrop to this with profound and poignant exchanges between piano and guitar. From the acoustic opening from the leader on Its For You the mood is very laid back and light with background vocals and broad low key chords from the synthesizer preceding an amplified solo from Pat that pointed the way to his expansive guitar style of future decades. The final track is the brief but melodic Estupenda Graca, another low key excursion to conclude an album that stands on its own, due in part to the impact of its title track, but also begins to form the style that has led to the continued success of all Pat Metheny Groups. http://jazzbluesnews.com/2021/05/26/cd-review-pat-metheny-down-in-texas-live-houston-81-2021-video-cd-cover/

Personnel: Pat Metheny (electric & acoustic six & twelve string guitars, bass); Lyle Mays (piano, synthesizer, organ, auto harp); Nana Vasconcelos (berimbau, percussion, drums, vocals)

Down In Texas (Live Houston '81)

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Sonny Stitt, Don Patterson - Legends Of Acid Jazz vol 2

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:36
Size: 166,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:54) 1. Ratio And Proportion
(4:33) 2. Airegin
(6:15) 3. Little Angie
(4:43) 4. My Man String
(5:24) 5. Funk In 3/4
(6:05) 6. It's You Or No One
(6:02) 7. All The Things You Are
(3:29) 8. Lover Man
(5:39) 9. P.S. I Love You
(5:25) 10. Stella By Starlight
(5:34) 11. Bye Bye Blackbird
(4:01) 12. Over The Rainbow
(5:53) 13. Candy
(3:33) 14. Strike Up The Band

Two-fer CD reissue combines two 1968 sessions, both featuring Stitt and Patterson, that were recorded on consecutive days (September 23-24, 1968), although one was issued under Patterson's name and the other under Stitt's. The first six songs were issued as the Patterson LP Funk You!, on which Patterson leads a date that also has Sonny Stitt and Charles McPherson on saxes and Pat Martino on guitar. The other players get about as much space as Patterson, and as 1960s jazz with organ goes, this is pretty straight-ahead and boppish, rather than soul-jazz (as so much organ jazz from that decade was). For the bop factor, listen especially to the cover of Sonny Rollins' "Airegin," on which Martino in particular shines. Patterson does get in a more soulful mood on his composition "Little Angie," which has an elegiac mood somewhat similar to occasional slow instrumentals cut by Booker T. & the MG's during that period. The other eight songs were issued as the Stitt LP Soul Electricity!, an album that got its name because, for this session, Stitt plugged his alto and tenor saxophones into a Varitone attachment. What came out, though, was not fusion by any means, but a pretty straight-ahead session that found Stitt his usual competent self. The program is actually on the conservative side, leaning toward standards. Stitt's quartet is rounded out by Don Patterson on organ, Billy Butler on guitar, and Billy James on drums. This isn't the most logical package Stitt's half is more straight-ahead in flavor and, more importantly, neither album fits too well into the soul-jazz or acid jazz category but for fans of either artist, the material is worth hearing.~ Richie Unterberger https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-sonny-stitt-don-patterson-vol-2-mw0000602490

Personnel: Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Stitt; Organ – Don Patterson; Alto Saxophone – Charles McPherson; Drums – Billy James; Guitar – Billy Butler, Pat Martino.

Legends Of Acid Jazz vol 2

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Sophie Alour - Uncaged

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 113,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:26) 1. Uncaged
(4:11) 2. Comptine
(4:07) 3. Haunted Part 1
(3:57) 4. Haunted Part 2
(6:49) 5. Sparkling Water
(2:45) 6. Snow In May
(4:24) 7. Sadrak
(5:26) 8. Nos cendres
(1:56) 9. Guerrier
(4:26) 10. Addict
(4:32) 11. Goodbye

Sophie Alour was born in 1974, she learned the saxophone by herself after she studied the clarinet at Quimper Music School in France. She learned jazz "on stage". In 2004, Rhoda Scott approached her to form her lady quartet, and the same year she played in the Wynton Marsalis' Big Band. She recorded her first album in 2005 'Insulaire', in 2007 she recorded 'Uncaged' with pianist Laurent Coq, double bass player Yoni Zelnik and drummer Karl Jannuska. She won several awards for this album and got the "Young Talent Django D'Or 2007". She has performed all around the world, exploring her repertoire, looking for its limits. She came back with 'Opus 3' in 2010 , closer to the jazz tradition. For her last album 'Géographie des rêves', Sophie Alour has decided to play with Yoann Loustalot (tp and flugelhorn), Nicolas Moreau (double bass), Stéphan Caracci (vibraphone) and Frederic Pasqua (drums). https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/sophie-alour

Uncaged

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Steve Kuhn - At This Time

Styles: Piano Jazz 

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:50

Size: 137,3 MB

Art: Front

(6:32)  1. My Shining Hour

(9:19)  2. Ah Moore

(6:10)  3. The Pawnbroker

(7:33)  4. All the Rest is the Same

(5:48)  5. The Feeling Within

(5:51)  6. Carousel

(5:47)  7. Lonely Town

(5:44)  8. This is New

(6:02)  9. I Waited for You

The wonderful and deeply satisfying At This Time... brings together pianist Steve Kuhn leading a trio comprised of electric bassist Steve Swallow and the ubiquitous (and always smiling drummer) Joey Baron. The immediate impulse for the recording was an extended set by this trio at Birdland, in New York City in 2015. Swallow and Kuhn go back forty years to Kuhn's ECM debut, Trance, with Kuhn knowing Baron for more than twenty years. This trio also recorded Kuhn's latest ECM release, Wisteria in 2012. The set list comes from the tunes played at the gig, and, even though these players all know each other very well, this very feeling of familiarity is enhanced by the fact that they had just played together. Granted, pros can be called together on short notice to play live or record and perform admirably, but there is an ineffable something about the atmosphere created by this album that gives it its special sound. The nine tracks are mostly in the six-minute range, with Kuhn's "All The Rest Is The Same" taking seven and a half minutes, and "Ah Moore" by Al Cohn reaching over nine minutes, so there is quite enough room for stretching out. However, the record feels as if it flies by, primarily because of the multitude of details that fit together perfectly and which flow ever forward. There is not a moment of fluff or indecision; each tracks sounds like first take, spontaneous creation with nothing to improve upon by trying again. This feeling of spontaneous perfection is only enhanced by the quality of the recording itself -the piano is crystalline (as is Kuhn's touch), Swallow's amazingly smooth electric bass sound is centered and full, but soft on the edges, while Baron knows exactly what to do and when to do it. The tunes themselves range from the well known opener, "My Shining Hour" to lesser known standards such as Kurt Weil's "This Is New," "Lonely Town" by Leonard Bernstein and Quincy Jones' "The Pawnbroker" among others. The Kuhn originals are placed in the middle of the set, with the perfect choice of "The Feeling Within" being performed solo, adding just the right touch of intensity. At This Time... will command attention without demanding it, and the attentive listener will find much in which to revel many times over. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/at-this-time-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-budd-kopman.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Joey Baron: drums.

At This Time

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Charlie Ventura - East Of Suez

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:41
Size: 83,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:51) 1. Synthesis
(3:02) 2. Blue Champagne
(2:43) 3. Stop 'n' Go
(3:03) 4. Soothe Me
(3:13) 5. Pennies From Heaven
(2:47) 6. Eleven-Sixty
(2:50) 7. East Of Suez
(3:12) 8. Baby, Baby All The Time
(2:43) 9. Let's Jump For Rita
(3:01) 10. Out You Go
(3:09) 11. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:01) 12. C.V. Jam

Tenor man Charlie Ventura was was a prominent fixture on the jazz scene during his era. Born Charles Venturo he was one of thirteen children from a musical family who went on to become a jazz legend, and was named “Number One Tenor Saxophonist” by Down Beat Magazine in 1945. In the summer of 1942, Charlie got a call at his day job at the Philadelphia Navy yard to join Gene Krupa's band. Unwilling to relinquish the security of a paycheck, he turned them down. Then came the second phone call and before long, Charlie was on the road with the band becoming a featured soloist, along with trumpet star, Roy Eldridge and singer Anita O'Day. Throughout the forties, fifties and sixties, Charlie Ventura and Gene Krupa made music history together as America's leading jazz greats.

Ventura was one of the first jazz musicians to make the transition from swing to be-bop. In 1946, he formed his own “Bop for the People” band, playing a commercially-oriented form of be-bop. Continuing to play with The Gene Krupa Trio, he cut “Dark Eyes,” which led to over a dozen released albums, including “Charlie Ventura With Special Guest Charlie Parker”(1949) “Bop For The People”(1949-53) and “Charlie Ventura And His Orchestra.”(1954-55) Many fans will remember the succession of great jazz groups, fronted by Charlie, that appeared at The Open House nightclub he owned in Lindenwold, New Jersey. Playing Las Vegas with Jackie Gleason, and Atlantic City, New York and Philadelphia, Charlie Ventura was the consummate jazzman. “Jazz is maturing and maturity carries responsibilities. I feel that I'm supposed to make people laugh, make them cry, make them day dream and give them some excitement,” Charlie explained. His lifetime of musical achievement ended in January, 1992, but his legacy to the world of jazz lives on. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/charlie-ventura

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Ventura; Bass – Al Hall, Chubby Jackson, Gus Cole; Drums – Dave Tough , Shelly Manne , Specs Powell; Guitar – Bill DeArango , Eddie Yance; Piano – Bill Rowland, Lou Stein, Ralph Burns; Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Ventura; Trombone – Bill Harris, Kai Winding; Trumpet – Buck Clayton, Charlie Shavers ; Vocals – Buddy Stewart

East Of Suez

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Mel Tormé And Friends - Mel Torme and Friends: Recorded Live at Marty's, New York City

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Swing
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:59
Size: 181,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:51) 1. Let's Take a Walk Around the Block
(5:06) 2. New York State of Mind
(4:28) 3. When the World Was Young
(4:27) 4. Pick Yourself Up
(4:24) 5. Silly Habits
(3:46) 6. Mountain Greenery
(4:03) 7. Cottage for Sale
(2:29) 8. Take a Letter Miss Jones
(5:53) 9. Real Thing
(3:15) 10. Medley: Watch What Happens / Fly Me to the Moon / You And The Night And The Music / Shaking the Blues Away
(3:25) 11. Isn't It Romantic
(8:15) 12. "Porgy & Bess" Medley
(3:37) 13. The Folks Who Live on the Hill
(4:26) 14. The Best Is yet to Come
(3:54) 15. Isn't It a Pity
(4:36) 16. Wave
(5:02) 17. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
(4:54) 18. Love for Sale

Recorded live at the nightclub Marty's in New York City, Mel Tormé and Friends was originally released as a double LP in 1981. It's a welcome reissue, presenting prime later Tormé who was, as usual, performing a nightclub show with a trio backup largely devoted to standards like Rodgers and Hart's "Mountain Greenery," Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields' "Pick Yourself Up," Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" and a medley of songs from the Gershwins and DuBose Heyward's Porgy and Bess. What is unusual is the "and Friends" part, as Tormé is joined by such complementary guests as Cy Coleman (who plays piano on his and Carolyn Leigh's "The Best Is Yet to Come"), Gerry Mulligan (who performs on his and Tormé's composition "Real Thing," but whose solo medley has been cut), Jonathan Schwartz (who sings Lorenz Hart's original lyric for the song that became "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan") and one surprising but appropriate one: Janis Ian (who duets with Tormé on her own "Silly Habits").~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-martys-mw0000875927

The Friends Are: Cy Coleman/Janis Ian/Gerry Mulligan/Jonathan Schwartz

Personnel: Bass – Jay Leonhart, Rufus Reid; Drums – Donny Osborn; Piano – Mel Tormé, Mike Renzi

Mel Tormé And Friends

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Lady Blackbird - Black Acid Soul

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:57
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. Blackbird
(2:58) 2. It's Not That Easy
(4:51) 3. Fix It
(3:42) 4. Ruler of my Heart
(3:38) 5. Nobody's Sweetheart
(3:17) 6. Collage
(3:20) 7. Five Feet Tall
(4:21) 8. Lost and Looking
(3:39) 9. It'll Never Happen Again
(4:13) 10. Beware the Stranger
(3:54) 11. Black Acid Soul

The highly-anticipated and debut album Black Acid Soul, due for its long awaited release on September 3rd via Foundation Music/BMG. With a voice that has stopped critics in their tracks, Lady Blackbird is a revelatory new talent with music that transcends the jazz scene through which the LA-based artist is rooted. Reflecting influences as varied as Billie Holiday, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner and Chaka Khan, with critics drawing comparisons to Adele, Amy and Celeste, Lady Blackbird’s distinct and beguiling talent is not one to be missed. Honouring the great's has come as a musical process to Lady Blackbird, having recorded her highly anticipated debut album Black Acid Soul in legendary Studio B (Prince’s room) in Sunset Sound, produced by Grammy-nominated Chris Seefried. Minimal yet rich, classic yet timely, the album connects backwards to Miles Davis (his pianist, Deron Johnson, plays Steinway Baby Grand, Mellotron and Casio Synth throughout) and forwards to Pete Tong (he made the Bruise mix of ‘Collage’ his Number Two Essential Selection tune of 2020) and, yes, Victoria Beckham Matthew Herbert’s remix of second single ‘Beware The Stranger’ soundtracked the designer’s Spring/Summer 2020 Fashion show. https://iamladyblackbird.bandcamp.com/album/black-acid-soul

Line-up: Lady Blackbird, Vocals | Deron Johnson, Steinway Baby Grand, Mellotron, Casio Synth | Jon Flaugher, Double Bass | Jimmy Paxson, Drums, Percussion | Chris Seefried, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar | Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, Trumpet.

Black Acid Soul

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Dizzy Gillespie - Free Ride

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:56
Size: 110,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:54) 1. Unicorn
(4:29) 2. Fire Dance
(6:44) 3. Incantation
(4:37) 4. Wrong Number
(5:23) 5. Free Ride
(6:33) 6. Ozone Madness
(4:38) 7. Love Poem for Donna
(4:32) 8. The Last Stroke Of Midnight

Although Lalo Schifrin is justifiably praised for his soundtrack work, many jazz purists turn up their noses at his jazz dates, such as his '60s work with Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery. The things that make Schifrin an anathema to the diehards the huge orchestras, the pop and soul riffs, the general air of over the top theatricality are all over 1977's Free Ride, his reunion date with Dizzy Gillespie. (Schifrin had been Gillespie's arranger in the late '50s.) In fact, Free Ride is so painfully dated that it's transformed into cockeyed cool, just the sort of record ironic hipsters should listen to while they're reading the novelizations of '70s cop shows that they bought for a bundle off of eBay. Gillespie plays with his usual wit and panache, but most of the time, he sounds like a sideman on his own album; the real focus of Schifrin's arrangements is the funky wah-wah guitars and ARP synthesizer solos that take center stage on tracks like "Fire Dance" (which sounds exactly like it should be the theme for a Charlie's Angels spinoff) and the mellow disco of the closing "Last Stroke of Midnight." Occasionally, Gillespie gets to break out on his own album, with the lovely solo on "Love Poem for Donna" his particular standout. For what it is, Free Ride is really quite good (guests include Lee Ritenour and future star Ray Parker, Jr.), but it's very much a record of and for its time.~Stewart Mason https://www.allmusic.com/album/free-ride-mw0000102458

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet; Lalo Schifrin - keyboards, arranger, conductor; Oscar Brashear, Jack H. Laubach - trumpet; Lew McCreary - trombone; Jerome Richardson - flute; Ernie Watts - saxophone; James Horn - saxophone, flute; Sonny Burke - piano, electric piano; Charles E. Spangler - synthesizer; Ray Parker Jr., Lee Ritenour, Wah Wah Watson - guitar; Wilton Felder - bass; Ed Greene - drums; Paulinho Da Costa - percussion

Free Ride

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Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass - Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass

Styles: Vocal, Big Band
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:34
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:47) 1. Just Friends
( 4:57) 2. September Song
( 4:28) 3. Don'cha Go 'Way Mad
( 3:38) 4. A House Is Not A Home
( 3:46) 5. The Song Is You
( 4:03) 6. Cow Cow Boogie
( 5:36) 7. A Handful Of Stars/Stars Fell On Alabama
(12:15) 8. Duke Ellington Medley

This was a very logical matchup that came out as well on record as it looked on paper. Valve trombonist/arranger Rob McConnell has long led one of the top mainstream jazz big bands, while Mel Tormé blossomed into one of the truly great jazz singers in the 1980s. McConnell's charts suited Tormé perfectly, and the result is this consistently enjoyable and swinging album. The singer is quite enthusiastic and in top form on "Just Friends," a touching "September Song," "Don't 'Cha Go 'Way Mad," "A House Is Not a Home," "The Song Is You," a whimsical "Cow Cow Boogie," a "Stars" medley, and an exciting six-song Duke Ellington medley. Highly recommended.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/mel-torm%C3%A9-rob-mcconnell-and-the-boss-brass-mw0000188380

Personnel: Mel Tormé - vocals

The Boss Brass: Arnie Chycoski - trumpet, flugelhorn; Erich Traugott, John MacLeod, Ian McDougall - trombone; Dave McMurdo, Bob Livingston, Ron Hughes - bass trombone; James MacDonald - french horn; Eugene Amaro - flute, tenor saxophone; Moe Koffman - clarinet, flute, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Bob Leonard - flute, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; Rick Wilkins - clarinet, tenor saxophone; Dave Woods - trumpet, violin, flugelhorn; Robert Leonard - flute, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; George Stimpson, Jerry Toth - flute, alto clarinet; Jimmy Dale - piano, electric piano; Guido Basso - harmonica, trumpet, flugelhorn; Ed Bickert - guitar; Jerry Fuller - drums; Brian Leonard - percussion; Steve Wallace - double bass; Rob McConnell - arranger, conductor, trombone.

Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass

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Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:28
Size: 137,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:45)  1. Recorda Me
( 9:56)  2. Mamacita
( 9:18)  3. Afro-Centric
(11:15)  4. Black Narcissus
( 8:52)  5. Blue Bossa
( 8:20)  6. Inner Urge

So what makes The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson different from trombonist Conrad Herwig's previous Latin Side albums? Well, for starters, Herwig played with Henderson for several years, an experience which gave him great insight into the music and the man who made it. Then there's the material itself. Henderson's music, more so than that of previous Latin Side honorees like Herbie Hancock or John Coltrane, is tailor-made for this type of project, as some of the songs already lean toward the Latin side. This album, recorded live at New York's Blue Note in July of 2012, gives Herwig and some other A-list musicians featured guest Joe Lovano and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin chief among them a chance to cut loose on six spicy numbers. Stellar arrangements, feisty percussive tides, and strong solos are all here, as expected, but that doesn't mean things are predictable. Plenty of surprises await. Herwig and company cook right out of the gate with a sizzling "Recorda Me." Hot saxophone work, fun exchanges between Herwig and Sipiagin, winning piano work from Bill O'Connell, and over-a-vamp soloing from drummer Robby Ameen and percussionist Richie Flores all help to make this a memorable one. Next comes the Latin hard bop blues of "Mamacita," which proves to be another album highlight, followed by "Afro-Centric," which features some tight ensemble work and memorable soloing. 

The gentler flow of "Black Narcissus" serves as a brief respite from the heat, but the temperature rises again with the musical one-two punch that brings the album to its end. First up is "Blue Bossa," which finds Sipiagin in fiery form and features a thrilling percussion breakdown over a vamp in seven. Then the group finishes off with "Inner Urge," which may be the best showcase for Herwig's writing; the band sounds like it's twice its true size here. Herwig finished a stint at the Blue Note with his Latin Side Of Horace Silver project shortly before this review went to press, so it's fairly certain that this won't be the final Latin Side release. This will, however, be hard to top. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-latin-side-of-joe-henderson-conrad-herwig-half-note-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Conrad Herwig: trombone; Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone; Ronnie Cuber: baritone saxophone; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Bill O'Connell: piano; Ruben Rodriguez: bass; Robby Ameen: drums; Richie Flores: percussion.

The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson

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Joe Krown - Just The Piano... Just The Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:16
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Pudding Time
(4:53)  2. All That
(4:39)  3. Rockhouse
(4:29)  4. Midnight Boogie
(4:42)  5. Grind
(4:40)  6. 15@7
(4:44)  7. Pinetop Boogie
(2:35)  8. Swinging the Gate
(2:49)  9. Allie's Lament
(4:04) 10. Easy Does It
(4:31) 11. Big Chief/Mess Around
(3:56) 12. Jump Rope

Joe Krown is a resident and is based out of the city of New Orleans. He is a New Orleans styled piano and Hammond B-3 player. He has been nominated twice and won a New Orleans Big Easy Award in the Blues category in April 2001. His blues trio, Sansone, Krown & Fohl won a 2004 Big Easy Award. Krown has been highlighted in a feature article in the September 2000 and April 2005 OffBEAT Magazine. Joe's third compact disc, Buckle Up, was picked #4 CD, "Best of 2000CDs" in the Times Picayune, and "Best CDs of 2000" in OffBeat magazine. Joe was also selected "Best Keyboardist, Editor's Choice" at CitySearch.com for New Orleans. Joe's fourth CD, Funkyard was picked #4 CD in Gambit Magazine and #15 in the Times Picayune "Best CD's of 2002" and "Critic's Choice Best of 2002" in Offbeat Magazine. Joe's band, the Joe Krown Organ Combo was the front page feature "Fest Focus" article for the Times Picayune 2003 Jazz Festival Focus series. Joe's latest CD, Livin' Large clocked in at #11 in overall sales for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2005.

Joe held the keyboard chair with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown & Gate’s Express from 1992 until Gatemouth's passing in the fall of 2005. Joe is featured on the chart topping albums The Man, Gate Swings, American Music, Texas Style and most recently Back to Bogalusa albums. In 1995, Gatemouth and the Gate's Express including Joe on keyboards, did a 62 date world tour as the opening act for Eric Clapton. The band, Gate’s Express won an Offbeat 2004 Best Band in the Blues Category. More... http://www.jambase.com/Artists/6738/Joe-Krown/Bio

Just The Piano... Just The Blues

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Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side of Horace Silver

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:58
Size: 182,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:38) 1. Nica's Dream
(10:38) 2. Song for My Father
(11:39) 3. The Gods of Yoruba
( 8:11) 4. Peace
( 9:27) 5. The Cape Verdean Blues
(10:52) 6. Filthy McNasty
( 8:55) 7. Silver's Serenade
(11:34) 8. Nutville

New York-based trombonist Conrad Herwig began exploring the "Latin side" of various jazz musicians in 1996, with The Latin Side of John Coltrane, which earned him the first of four Latin Grammy Award nominations. Since then, Herwig has done the same for Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson and, now, pianist Horace Silver. The formula is trim and solid; choose several of an artist's more notable compositions and recast them in a rhythmic Latin framework. For The Latin Side of Horace Silver, recorded live in 2017 (the notes don't say exactly where), arrangements are in the capable hands of Herwig (three), pianist Bill O'Connell (four) and Marc Stasio ("The Gods of the Yoruba").

This is basically an octet, which can sound larger or smaller than its size, depending on the context and the chart. (For examples of each, compare "Nica's Dream" or "Filthy McNasty" with "Peace" or "Silver's Serenade.") Herwig shares the front line with alto saxophonist Craig Handy, tenor saxophonist Igor Butman and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin. O'Connell plays the keyboard on five tracks, guest Michel Camilo on the other three, with Ruben Rodriguez on bass, Robby Ameen on drums and Richie Flores on congas. The other selections each of which, beyond any doubt, is well known to Silver's many fans are "Song for My Father" and "Nutville," which wraps up the concert.

The album's generous seventy-nine-minute running time affords ample room to stretch, and there are engaging south-of-the-border solos along the way by everyone on the front line, as well as by O'Connell, Camilo and Flores who also adds considerable energy and weight to the Latin pulse. The easygoing "Silver's Serenade" offers nearly nine minutes of (relative) calm, with Handy on flute and Sipiagin on flugelhorn (as they are on "Peace"). Even here, however, the Latin temperament holds sway and the rhythm never flags. Herwig, who has long been a champion of Latin music and culture, takes great pleasure in sharing that passion with others, and The Latin Side of Horace Silver looks to be a splendid candidate for a fifth Latin Grammy nomination.~Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-latin-side-of-horace-silver-conrad-herwig-savant-records

Personnel: Conrad Herwig: trombone; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Craig Handy: saxophone, alto; Igor Butman: saxophone, tenor; Bill O'Connell: piano; Michel Camilo: piano; Ruben Rodriguez: bass; Robby Ameen: drums; Richie Flores: congas.

The Latin Side of Horace Silver

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Sonny Stitt, Don Patterson - The Boss Men

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:52
Size: 176.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
[4:41] 2. Answering Service
[5:28] 3. Tangerine
[5:53] 4. Night Crawler
[3:19] 5. Who Can I Turn To
[5:58] 6. Star Eyes
[5:49] 7. Diane
[8:22] 8. Someday My Prince Will Come
[5:44] 9. Easy To Love
[5:35] 10. What's New
[3:13] 11. Big C's Rock
[7:52] 12. They Say It's Wonderful
[5:42] 13. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
[5:22] 14. 42639

In another of those two-fers that are going to tangle discographies for some time to come, this bears the title of a Don Patterson album, The Boss Men, and includes all of the material from that LP. However, this CD, though it's also called The Boss Men, is billed to both Sonny Stitt and Don Patterson, and combines the original Patterson The Boss Men LP with another album cut in 1965, Night Crawler, that was billed to Sonny Stitt, although it featured the exact same lineup (Stitt on alto sax, Patterson on organ, Billy James on drums) as The Boss Men. Not only that, the CD adds two cuts from a Patterson 1964 LP, Patterson's People, also featuring the Stitt-Patterson-James trio. As for the original The Boss Men, it's a respectable straight-ahead jazz-with-organ session. It's also very similar to so many other Prestige dates from the mid-'60s -- not to mention the other dates with featured the exact same three players as this LP does -- that it challenges the reviewer to come up with anything new, fresh, and exciting to say about the music. It's an even-tempered mix of up-tempo tunes and more meditative ones, the only original being Patterson's "Big C's Rock," which is far by the bluesiest and most riff-driven tune of the bunch. Night Crawler is a standard Stitt Prestige session (not to say a standard mid-'60s Prestige jazz session) that's not so much soul-jazz as solid, unexceptional straight-ahead boppish jazz with organ (just two of the six numbers are Stitt originals). He swings pretty hard on the opener, "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm," in which Patterson takes his own solo, with a skittering intensity that makes it the highlight of the LP. The soul-blues element comes more to the fore on the title track, with its syncopated beat; a bit of Afro-Cuban tempo sneaks into "Star Eyes"; and the interpretation of the pop standard "Who Can I Turn To?" is the lone slowie. ~Richie Unterberger

The Boss Men

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Maynard Ferguson - Dimensions

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1956
Time: 36:37
Size: 43,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:46) 1. Egad, Marths
(3:55) 2. Breakfast Dance
(2:55) 3. Maiden Voyage
(2:40) 4. Thou Swell
(2:50) 5. The Way You Look Tonight
(2:50) 6. All God's Children Got Rhythm
(2:37) 7. Slow Stroll
(3:24) 8. Wonder Why
(2:59) 9. Willie Nillie
(2:30) 10. Hymn To Her
(3:04) 11. Lonely Town
(3:01) 12. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

This Trip LP is a reissue of an earlier EmArcy album that has not yet appeared on CD. The always-impressive trumpeter Maynard Ferguson is featured with a nonet arranged by Bill Holman in 1955 and a septet from 1954. The concise performances include both standards and originals with all but two four-minute songs clocking in around three minutes; the soloists include Ferguson, trombonists Milt Bernhart and Herbie Harper, altoists Herb Geller and Bud Shank, baritonist Bob Gordon and Bob Cooper on tenor. Although not essential, the bop-oriented music is well-played and gives one a good taste of early Ferguson.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/dimensions-mw0000919103

Personnel: Trumpet – Conte Candoli, Maynard Ferguson; Alto Saxophone, Flute – Bud Shank, Herb Geller; Baritone Saxophone – Bob Gordon ; Bass – Curtis Counce, Red Mitchell; Drums – Gary Frommer, Shelly Manne; Piano – Russ Freeman; Tenor Saxophone – Bob Cooper, Nino Tempo; Trombone – Herbie Harper, Milton Bernhart

Dimensions

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Curtis Fuller - The Story Of Cathy & Me

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:38
Size: 149,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:03) 1. Interlude 1: My Name Is Curtis DuBois Fuller
(7:26) 2. Little Dreams
(4:16) 3. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(3:43) 4. I Asked & She Said Yes
(7:52) 5. The Right To Love
(5:27) 6. My Lady's Tears
(1:50) 7. Interlude 2: My Children
(3:08) 8. Sweetness
(5:30) 9. Look What I Got
(1:25) 10. Interlude 3: Cancer, A Horrible Experience
(4:24) 11. Life Was Good, What Went Wrong
(3:57) 12. Love Was Everything When Love Was You And Me
(5:40) 13. Too Late Now
(5:07) 14. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
(2:43) 15. Interlude 4: My Wish For Cathy And My Friends

Legendary trombonist Curtis Fuller pays heartwarming tribute to his wife, Catherine Rose Driscoll Fuller, on The Story of Cathy & Me, a musical tale of how they met, how they lived and how he now lives without her (she passed away in January, 2010). The album's many soft and intense pieces reflect Fuller's deeply personal memories, and range of emotions from excitement to sadness. With titles like "My Lady's Tears," "Too Late Now," and "Life Was Good, What Went Wrong," and a somber theme to boot, it might seem that this is an entirely down-tempo and dreary affair. Not so, as the lively, swinging "I Asked & She Said Yes" is taken for a ride on dazzling solos from tenor saxophonist Akeem Marable and trumpeter Lester Walker, with a percussive foundation provided by Clarence Levy. "Sweetness" another Fuller composition referring to his late wife is another upbeat track where Walker is featured. Despite its title, there's nothing wrong with "Life Was Good, What Went Wrong," as it turns out to be the high-octane even funky boisterous tune of the set.

Fuller delivers warm phrasings on "Look What I Got," its gorgeous, relaxing melody departing from the album's main theme. The soft texture of the project begins to come through on "Little Dreams," followed by a light rendition of the pop classic "The First Time I Saw Your Face." With delicate accompaniment from Fuller and pianist Nick Rosen, Tia Michelle Rouse lays down tender vocals on "The Right To Love," which, along with the lovely "Too Late Now" and "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year," completes the mellow tribute to Fuller's soul mate. Speaking to light background music, Fuller includes four interludes where he first introduces himself, subsequently talking about his children, reflecting on learning of his wife's illness, and finally affirming to the world that Cathy was the "love of his life." A touching tribute to his late wife, The Story of Cathy & Me is an inspirational love story from Fuller, expressed beautifully through music.~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-story-of-cathy-and-me-curtis-fuller-challenge-records-review-by-edward-blanco

Personnel: Curtis Fuller: trombone; Lester Walker: trumpet; Daniel Bauerkemper: tenor saxophone; Akeem Marable: tenor saxophone (1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 14); Henry Conerway III: drums; Clarence Levy: percussion (4, 8, 10); Nick Rosen: piano; Kenny Banks, Jr.: piano (1, 3, 5, 9, 14); Brandy Brewer: bass; Kevin Smith: bass (4, 5, 8); Tia Michelle Rouse: vocals (5, 11).

The Story Of Cathy & Me

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Charles Earland - Unforgettable

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:52
Size: 105,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:26)  1. Unforgettable
(12:48)  2. Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)
( 6:32)  3. Sheila
( 5:46)  4. Commitment to Love
( 4:52)  5. Heart Attack
( 6:52)  6. Yes, I Love Her
( 3:33)  7. The Kicker

Charles Earland is definitely a survivor. The Hammond hero had lost his first wife to cancer when he made a triumphant return to soul-jazz in the late '80s, and he had recovered from a major heart attack when he recorded the appropriately titled Unforgettable. Earland was in the Intensive Care Unit in August 1991, and by December 1991, was back in the studio to record this superb and varied CD. The Philadelphian stressed that he was lucky to be alive, and he celebrates his survival with imaginative interpretations of everything from Joe Henderson's "The Kicker" to Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" (which he takes a medium speed instead of its usual ballad tempo) to Santana's "Europa." Earland has consistently demonstrated that commercial appeal and accessibility can go hand-in-hand with musical integrity, and Unforgettable is one of many fine examples. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/unforgettable-mw0000177413

Personnel: Organ – Charles Earland; Drums – Buddy Williams (tracks: 3, 4, 6, 7), Gregory Williams (6) (tracks: 1, 2, 5); Guitar – Oliver Nevels; Percussion – Lawrence Killian; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Eric Alexander; Tenor Saxophone, Producer – Houston Person (tracks: 1, 5, 7); Trombone – Clifford Adams; Trumpet – Kenny Rampton

Unforgettable

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Sonny Stitt - Legends of Acid Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:06
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:10) 1. Turn It On
( 7:59) 2. Bar-B-Que Man
( 9:28) 3. Miss Riverside
( 3:54) 4. Cry Me a River
( 4:02) 5. There Are Such Things
( 7:26) 6. Goin' to D.C.
( 5:34) 7. Aires
( 6:43) 8. Black Vibrations
( 6:27) 9. Calling Card
( 2:23) 10. Where Is Love?
( 7:55) 11. Them Funky Changes

This CD reissues the complete contents of two former Lp's by saxophonist Sonny Stitt: Turn It On and Black Vibrations. These are rather unusual entries in Stitt's huge discography in that Sonny often sounds like a guest performer on his own sessions rather than the leader. During the earlier date, Stitt uses an electrical device (a Varitone) on his tenor that waters down his tone a bit. With organist Leon Spencer, guitarist Melvin Sparks and drummer Idris Muhammad setting down unrelenting grooves on most of the five numbers (including the 11-minute title cut), Stitt only seems to be making cameo appearances although trumpeter Virgil Jones gets in a few good solos on three of the numbers.

The later date (which also has some good Jones trumpet) finds Stitt playing acoustically and switching to alto on two of the six jams, but once again it is the nonstop chugging of Sparks, Muhammad and either Leon Spencer or guest organist Don Patterson that fuels the fire. It is silly to call these soul jazz outings "acid jazz" since Sonny Stitt's solos are essentially bebop, but the grooves are danceable and funky.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-mw0000190589

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Sonny Stitt; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Guitar – Melvin Sparks; Organ – Don Patterson , Leon Spencer; Trumpet – Virgil Jones

Legends of Acid Jazz

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