Thursday, December 28, 2017

Enrico Rava - Jazz A Confronto 14 (1974) [vinyl>flac]

HORO Records, HLL 101-14, 1974
Recorded 18th November, 1974 at "Titania’s Studio" Rome, Italy

Musicians:
Enrico Rava - Trumpet
Massimo Urbani - Alto Saxophone
Calvin Hill - Drums
Nestor Astarita - Drums, Percussion

Tracks:
A1. Closer {Enrico Rava} (10:37)
A2. Maranhao {Enrico Rava} (7:08)
A3. Wrong Side {Enrico Rava} (5:25)
B1. Un Barco Hasta El Cielo {Enrico Rava} (10:41)
B2. Any Kind Of Birds {Enrico Rava} (6:33)
B3. Vento Rosso {Enrico Rava} (7:47)

Credits:
Producer - Aldo Sinesio
Assistant Producer - Roberto Gambuti
Engineer - Massimo Di Cicco
Cover Design - Piero Gratton
Photographs - Isio Saba

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Morgana King - Portraits (1984) [vinyl>flac]

Competent set presenting actress/vocalist Morgana King doing jazz-oriented pop, standards, and ballads backed by a tight combo. She has good technique, delivery, and style; there is nothing innovative or particularly original about either the material or the performances, but they are thoroughly professional and often enjoyable. ~ by Ron Wynn, AMG.

======================

When I was much younger, I asked a big question of a man named John Levy. The question was, "What is the essential ingredient for a musician to be great?" I have never forgotten his answer, which was, "To have your own sound." That answer has worn well with me over the years. Morgana King is the epitome of this criteria and it is a joy always to hear great quality which is instantly identifiable. She indeed has her own sound in the best sense of this concept. ~ by Bill Evans; extract from Liner Notes.

Muse Records, MR 5301, 1984
Recorded 19th & 21st October, 1983 At Songshop, New York City

Tracks:
A1. What's Going On?,  Save The Children {Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson} (5:49)
A2. You Go To My Head {Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots} (3:27)
A3. Moment Of Truth {Frank Scott, Tex Satterwhite} (3:24)
A4. Time Was [Duerme] {Anna Sosenko} (3:37)
B1. Send In The Clowns {Stephen Sondheim} (3:10)
B2. Lush Life {Billy Strayhorn} (4:09)
B3. You're Not The Kind {Irving Mills, Will Hudson} (3:44)
B4. If You Could See Me Now {Carl Sigman, Tadd Dameron} (5:47)

Personnel:
Morgana King - Vocals
Ben Aronov - Keyboards
Clifford Carter - Synthesizer
Joe Puma - Guitar
Art Koenig - Bass
Jay Leonhart - Bass (#A2,B2)
Ed Caccavale - Drums
John Kaye - Percussion

Credits:
Producer - Chuck Irwin, Mitch Farber
Executive Producer - Morgana King
Engineer - Chuck Irwin, John Tamburello, Wayne Vlcan
Mastering Engineer - Joe Brescio, The Cutting Room, NYC
Album Design - Ron Warwell
Album Photography - Arthur Paxton
Liner Notes - Bill Evans

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Johnny Griffin - Jazz A Confronto 10 (1974) [re-rip>true flac]

On this LP Griffin is featured in a quartet backed by renowned Italian pianist Franco D'Andrea, bassist Giovanni Tommaso and drummer Bruno Biriaco. This album is his only collaboration with D'Andrea, despite spending a number of years on the continent. It's a rhythm section that swings beautifully and remains tight, qualities essential to provide the necessary background to Griffin's playing. However not only do the Italian musicians support his work well their own solos are very effective and are an additional source of interest for this album. Above all the style of Franco D'Andrea and his Trio is very distinct compared with other groups Griffin led whilst in Europe. According to all available discographies this album is the only existing testimony of his playing during all of 1974. The bulk of his European dates were set around 1973 and the recordings held at the Jazzhus Monmartre in Denmark are of great interest to aficionados. The LP consists of two fiery numbers and two slower ballads. Three of the compositions are penned by Griffin; "Keep Going" is written by Giovanni Tommaso. In all this album further demonstrates a master tenorman at work, so give it a spin.

HORO Records, HLL 101-10, 1974
Recorded 7th April, 1974 at “Titania’s Studio”, Rome, Italy

Tracks:
A1. Music Inn Blues {Johnny Griffin} (8:34)
A2. For The Love Of {Johnny Griffin} (8:01)
B1. Always Forever {Johnny Griffin} (7:06)
B2. Keep Going {Giovanni Tommaso} (11:52)

Personnel:
Johnny Griffin - Tenor Saxophone
Franco D'Andrea - Piano
Giovanni Tommaso - Bass
Bruno Biriaco - Drums

Credits:
Director - Andrea Camilleri
Sound Engineer - Massimo di Cicco
Graphic Design - Giorgio Spadanuda
Photos - Ennio Antonangeli
Liner Notes - Marcello Piras

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Morgana King - Higher Ground (1980) [vinyl>flac]

Morgana King (born June 4, 1930) is an American jazz singer and actress. King was born Maria Grazia Morgana Messina in Pleasantville, New York. Her parents were from Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, Province of Catania, Sicily, Italy. She grew up in New York City. At age 16 she developed a love for big bands and as a result of her exposure she began a professional singing career along with receiving a scholarship to the Metropolitan School of Music. Historically when she sang in a Greenwich Village nightclub in 1953, a record label executive took interest after being impressed with the unique phrasing and multi-octave range. Three years later in 1956, her first album, For You, For Me, For Evermore, was released. In 1977 she signed up with Muse Records producing nine albums in all. Higher Ground is Morgana's third LP on Muse. As with her previous LP's King surrounds herself with a bunch of fine musicians and sets about interpreting a broad range of tunes of both pop and jazz standard derivation. Overall a fine outing for a great songstress, Enjoy!

Muse Records, MR 5224, 1980
Recorded 16th May, 1979 At CI Recording Studio, New York City

Personnel:
Morgana King - Vocals
Ben Aronov - Piano
Jack Wilkins - Guitar
Art Koenig - Bass
Eddie Caccavale - Drums
Ray Mantilla - Percussion

Tracks:
A1. Feel Like Flying {Gino Vanelli} (4:04)
Medley (5:01)
A2a. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else {Isham Jones, Gus Kahn}
A2b. You're Driving Me Crazy {Walter Donaldson}
A3. What Is This Thing Called Love {Cole Porter} (3:53)
A4. You Can't Hide Love {Skip Scarborough} (3:33)
B1. Higher Ground {Stevie Wonder} (3:50)
B2. The Long And Winding Road, Golden Slumbers {Paul McCartney, John Lennon} (3:20)
B3. You Stepped Out Of A Dream {Gus Kahn, Nacio Herb Brown} (4:42)
Medley (5:12)
B4a. When I Fall In Love {Victor Young, Edward Heyman}
B4b. Teach Me Tonight {Gene DePaul, Sammy Cahn}

Credits:
Producer - Mitch Farber
Recording Engineer - Chuck Irwin
Mastering Engineer - Joe Brescio (The Master Cutting Room, NYC)
Photography, Cover Design - Bobi Pierce
Liner Notes - Joe Fields

Saturday, December 16, 2017

PAUL GONSALVES - CLEOPATRA FEELIN' JAZZY - 1963 VINYL

1963
Impulse AS-41
My Vinyl Rip + Front & Back Covers
DR Value 13
WAVE

Tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves casts the Egyptian queen's life in a jazz set of originals and Alex North movie themes. One of just two dates Gonsalves did for Impulse and part of an all-too-thin solo catalog, Cleopatra -- Feelin' Jazzy finds the famed Ellington soloist in the prime company of hard boppers like pianist Hank Jones, organist Dick Hyman, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. The band shines throughout, with Hyman's organ adding exotic film theater ambience on the two North cuts that kick off the album. Switching over to more straightforward fare, Gonsalves and company stretch out on Burrell's "Bluz for Liz" (read Elizabeth Taylor, one of the leads in the movie) and Ellington's "Action in Alexandria." The album's conceptual framework is maintained on standouts like "Cleo's Asp," Burrell's second piece here, and the Manny Albam blues ballad "Cleopatra's Lament." Gonsalves impresses with both complexly swinging solos and breathy ballad statements. A very fine effort by one of the unsung giants of jazz....Stephen Cook All Music

The Tracks:
01 Caesar & Cleopatra / 02 Anthony & Cleopatra Theme / 03 Bluz For Liz / 04 Cleo's Blues / 05 Action In Alexanderia / 06 Cleo's Asp / 07 Cleopatra's Lament