Jimmy Greene Quartet - Live At Smalls (2010)

Those who know Greene through his articulate tenor saxophone work with Tom Harrell will be startled by the first track here. The title, “Sense of Urgency,” is an extreme understatement. Greene’s commanding opening calls accumulate complexity over an obsessive crashing vamp by bassist Ugonna Okegwo and pianist Xavier Davis. Drummer Gregory Hutchinson storms and rages. Greene’s solo gets caught up in wild spins then splinters into jagged fragments. The rest of the album is more measured, and even has two grainy soprano saxophone ballads, but stays intense. The very best thing about the smalls-LIVE series is how these recordings recreate the visceral experience of Smalls, the hang itself. Engineer (and celebrated jazz photographer) Jimmy Katz comes up close on every instrument-appropriate for a club with 60 seats-but also lets in the applause, the tinkling glasses, the night air. ~ Extract by Thomas Conrad, jazztimes.com. 

SmallsLIVE Records, SL - 0012, 2011
Recorded 19th & 20th February, 2010 Live at Smalls Jazz Club, Greenwich Village NYC 

Musicians:
Jimmy Greene - Saxophone
Xavier Davis - Piano
Ugonna Okegwo - Bass
Gregory Hutchinson - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Sense Of Urgency {Jimmy Greene} (11:59)
2. Ugly Beauty {Thelonious Monk} (10:37)
3. Soul Music {Jimmy Greene} (12:10)
4. Self Portrait #1 {Jimmy Greene} (9:14)
5. Home {Jimmy Greene} (7:03)
6. Bloomfield {Jimmy Greene} (11:42) 

Total Time: 62:46 

Credits:
Producer, Executive Producer, Liner Notes - Spike Wilner
Recording Engineer - Jimmy Katz
Producer, Mixing Engineer - Ben Rubin [House Of Cha Cha]
Mastering Engineer - Gene Paul, Jamie Polaski [G & J Audio]
Design, Photography - Michelle Watt

LINK

Ugly Beauty

Toshiyuki Honda, Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous, Roy Haynes - Dream (1984)

“Dream” is a 1983 jazz album by Japanese saxophonist Toshiyuki Honda, who is supported by an acclaimed American jazz trio consisting of Chick Corea on piano, Miroslav Vitouš on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. The album was recorded at Toshiba EMI 3rd Studio and originally released in Japan in 1984 on the Eastworld label. This recording is a notable collaboration where Honda, playing alto and soprano saxophone, joins the trio of Corea, Vitous, and Haynes, who had previously released their own acoustic trio album, Trio Music, in 1982. The album is a notable Japanese Jazz Fusion/Hard Bop record, offering avant-garde explorations and spiritual jazz, well-regarded by collectors and fans of Japanese experimental jazz. 

Eastworld Records, EWJ-90027, 1984
Somethin' Else, TOCJ-8040, 1998
Recorded 9th-10th August, 1983 at Toshiba EMI Studio III, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Toshiyuki Honda - Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Chick Corea - Piano
Miroslav Vitouš - Bass
Roy Haynes - Drums

Tracks:
1. Dream Comes True {Toshiyuki Honda} (5:39)
2. Sophisticated Lady {Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish} (7:51)
3. Co-Motion {Chick Corea} (12:16)
4. I Hear Rhapsody {George Fragos, Jack Baker, Dick Gasparre} (5:50)
5. Alice In Wonderland {Sammy Fain, Bob Hilliard} (6:58)
6. Ode To Siddhartha {Chick Corea} (9:58) 

Total Time: 48:37 

Credits:
Producer - Hiro Kaijwara, Toshiyuki Honda
Producer, Production Coordinator, Remixing - Chick Corea
Executive Producer - Nobuo Ohtani
Recording & Remixing Engineer - Yoshihisa Watanabe
Assistant Engineer - Fumisuke Usui
Remixing Engineer - Duncan Aldrich
Mastering Engineer - Shogo Takeuchi
Album Design - Heyglow Kobayashi
Photography [Front] - Tadayuki Naitoh
Photography [Back] - K. Abe

LINK

Dream Comes True

Claire Daly - Movin’ On (2002)

The CD title, Movin' On, won't be found among the 13 song titles, but the concept pervades the album. Some samples: "Softly as I Leave You," "Every Time We Say Goodbye," "After You’ve Gone," "Goodbye." Get the message? It’s Claire Daly’s way of dealing with a series of personal traumas, but if you’re expecting nearly 70 minutes of dirges played on that most appropriate instrument of sadness, the baritone sax, guess again. This is a gently swinging quartet session. This is Daly’s second album as a leader, but her resume as a side-woman stretches from Taj Mahal to the all-female big band Diva to Billy Taylor. Here she receives correct but uninspiring backing from pianist Eli Yamin, bassist Dave Hofstra and drummer Peter Grant. Daly’s improvisations-usually in the thinner air of the tenor range-are clean and well sculpted, but seldom adventurous. Her most heartfelt ballad efforts can be heard on "Every Time We Say Goodbye," and she responds nicely to guest trumpeter James Zollar when they trade eights on "If Ever I Would Leave You." Daly’s best moments can be heard on the swinger "You Said It," and when she digs down into the bowels of her horn for Monk's "Bye-Ya," Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat," Mulligan-inspired "Love Me or Leave Me" she truly captures the essence of farewell. Daly’s two vocals, "Smile" and "Some Other Time," are unadorned, almost tentative, but she knows how to leave out words in order to shape a line. ~ Harvey Siders, Jazztimes.com. 

Koch Jazz, KOC CD-51008, 2002
Recorded 30th & 31st May, 2001 at Nola Studios, New York City 

Musicians:
Claire Daly - Baritone Sax, Vocals (#5,13)
Eli Yamin - Piano
Dave Hofstra - Bass
Peter Grant - Drums
James Zollar - Trumpet (#2,7)

Tracks:
01. Softly As I Leave You {Antonio De Vita, Giorgio Calabrese, Hal Shaper} (4:22)
02. You Said It {Tommy Turrentine} (4:35)
03. Every Time We Say Goodbye {Cole Porter} (4:34)
04. Goodbye {Gordon Jenkins} (7:02)
05. Smile {Charlie Chaplin} (5:00)
06. After You’ve Gone {Henry Creamer, Turner Layton} (5:41)
07. If Ever I Would Leave You {Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe} (6:29)
08. Goodbye Porkpie Hat {Charles Mingus} (5:30)
09. Birdie Bye {Joel Forrester} (5:14)
10. A Bientot {Billy Taylor} (5:51)
11. Bye-Ya {Thelonious Monk} (4:13)
12. Love Me Or Leave Me {Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson} (5:56)
13. Some Other Time {Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Leonard Bernstein} (2:47) 

Total Time: 67:20 

Credits:
Producer, Editing - David Merrill
Engineer - Jim Czak
Engineer [Assistant] - Dan Hewins
Package Design - Colleen Cody
Photography - Enid Farber
Liner Notes - Lara Pellegrinelli

LINK

You Said It

Mayuko Katakura - The Echoes Of Three (2015)

“The Echoes of Three” is a 2015 jazz album by the Japanese pianist Mayuko Katakura. It is a piano trio session recorded in New York that features her reunion with former classmates from The Juilliard School, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Carmen Intorre. The album features six of Katakura's original compositions and interpretations of three jazz standards, one penned by Eric Dolphy, Wayne Shorter and Duke Pearson. She is noted for a balance of compositional planning and in-the-moment improvisation. Her style on the album has been described as incorporating elements of McCoy Tyner's angularity and Thelonious Monk's spontaneity. The album includes original tracks and covers of works by other jazz musicians. "Into Somewhere" originally, based on "Out Of Nowhere"; "At The Studio [Reunion]” is a group improvisation; "Directions" honors influences stemming from Mulgrew Miller and Geri Allen and "A Barfly's Hope" an original written for pianist Elmo Hope. Mayuko offers the listener a high-level jazz trio album, showcasing her brilliant playing and composing ability, enjoy! 

55 Records, FNCJ-5561, 2015
Recorded 10th & 11th March, 2015 at Samurai Hotel Recording Studio, Astoria, New York 

Musicians:
Mayuko Katakura - Piano
Yasushi Nakamura - Bass
Carmen Intorre - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Echo {Mayuko Katakura} (4:39)
2. Into Somewhere {Mayuko Katakura} (6:30)
3. A Dancer’s Melancholy {Mayuko Katakura} (7:25)
4. At The Studio [Reunion] {Mayuko Katakura} (5:24)
5. Directions {Mayuko Katakura} (6:45)
6. Serene {Eric Dolphy} (8:00)
7. Pinocchio {Wayne Shorter} (3:45)
8. You Know I Care {Duke Pearson} (6:51)
9. A Barfly’s Hope {Mayuko Katakura} (5:13) 

Total Time: 54:35 

Credits:
Producer - Mayuko Katakura
Recording, Mixing & Mastering - Katsuhiko Naito

LINK

Pinocchio

Joshua Redman Quartet - Passage Of Time (2001)

Talk about the passage of time, a turn of phrase that gives Joshua Redman’s new album its name, hard to believe that it’s been eight years since the saxophonist released his first album as a leader. Since then, Redman has consistently been the darling of a new generation of jazz lovers, while also raising the ears of those seasoned listeners who appreciate the sense of history and tradition that Redman lays bear with his horn. Although two of his previous records featured guitarists (namely, Pat Metheny and Peter Bernstein), Redman has remained committed to the quartet format and Passage of Time is no exception there (the latest group features Aaron Goldberg, Rueben Rogers, and Gregory Hutchinson). Our leader also likes to write his own material and this holds true for this new endeavor too, although it arguably contains some of his best work in this area. Firing things up, Redman starts the disc off by himself with a proclamation that utilizes the tenor’s full range and expressive manner. "Before" acts as a call to worship, leading us to the upbeat swing of "Free Speech, Phase I." Over a vamp, drummer Hutchinson develops a nice froth and foam that leads to the peaceful strains of "Free Speech, Phase II." Four lengthier cuts then provide the meat and potatoes. "Time" clocks in at over ten minutes and the ominous ballad is very close to a musical dialogue, with both Redman and Goldberg tossing phrases back and forth at each other. “Enemies Within” provides the up-tempo swing factor with Redman at his most animated, only to then cool the waters with the aptly titled vignette "After." Throughout Passage of Time, which in some ways functions almost like a suite, Redman’s writing and playing evolves through the use of extended forms that allow for plenty of expressive leg room. This takes the music to a new level that simply cannot be reached via your standard blowing session. ~ by C. Andrew Hovan, AAJ. 

Warner Bros. Records, 9362-47997-2, 2001
Recorded June, 2000 at Avatar Studios, New York City;
River Sound, New York & Sterling Sound, New York 

Musicians:
Joshua Redman - Tenor Sax, Arranger
Aaron Goldberg - Piano
Reuben Rogers - Bass
Gregory Hutchinson - Drums

Tracks:
1. Before (1:50)
2. Free Speech, Phase I (7:05)
3. Free Speech, Phase II (4:29)
4. Our Minuet (8:28)
5. Bronze (8:27)
6. Time (10:38)
7. Enemies Within (9:23)
8. After (3:44) 

All compositions by Joshua Redman 

Total Time: 54:08 

Credits:
Producer - Joshua Redman
Producer [Associate], Engineer - James Farber
Engineer [Assistant] - Anthony Gorman, Aya Nakamora
Mastering Engineer - Greg Calbi
Art Direction - Frank Olinsky
Photography - Duane Michals

LINK

Free Speech, Phase II - Discussion