Various Artists - Jazz For When You're Alone (1999)

The 32 Jazz label, under the leadership of Joel Dorn, continues to release compilations designed to fit a particular mood or state of being. Thus, there have been albums as Jazz for a Rainy Afternoon, Groove Jammy, and Songs That Made the Phone Light Up. Now we have an album dedicated to being alone, not loneliness as Dorn explains his liner notes. But with this play list, the line between the two gets really blurred. Whatever, this is a comprehensive collection of tracks by the top jazz luminaries for albums they cut for the now defunct Muse label and all of them are outstanding regardless of the mood you're in. The Sonny Stitt performance of "Sweet and Lovely" is one of the album's highlights as his sax works in, out, under, and through the piano of Duke Jordan and Sam Jones' bass. The credits list Stitt playing a soprano, but it's the alto he has in his hands for introspective blowing of this classic standard. Wallace Roney is the ostensible leader on "Lost." But his Miles Davis-like trumpet is subordinated to the classical oriented piano of Jacky Terrasson who penned this song. Donald Byrd, sounding even more like Miles than Roney, is united with Joe Henderson for a ruminative rendering of his "That's all There Is to Love." A memorable track is Houston Person's "Everything Happens to Me." Not only does Person's Ben Webster influenced tenor fit nicely with the tune's theme, but there's major soloing by Cecil Bridgewater's muted trumpet and the under recorded Stan Hope piano. The quintessential "alone" song, Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight," has been assigned to major electric guitar improviser Larry Coryell who gets considerable assistance along the way from Stanley Cowell's piano. Phil Woods creates a vision of a summer ending with "The Summer Knows" as his engages in musical discussion with bass player Richard Davis. Woods, and all the other artists on this album, are in fine fettle resulting in another superior compilation from jazz impresario Dorn's 32Jazz label. 

32 Jazz, 32106, 1999 

Personnel:
See included Tracks [Personnel].txt for further details. 

Tracks:
01. Willis Jackson, Pat Martino - Blue Velvet (7:41)
02. Red Garland - The Second Time Around (3:15)
03. Houston Person - Everything Happens To Me (6:06)
04. Les McCann - Sunny (8:09)
05. Larry Coryell - 'Round Midnight (4:39)
06. Sonny Stitt - Sweet And Lovely (7:09)
07. Wallace Roney - Lost (3:50)
08. Vincent Herring - Stars Fell On Alabama (6:25)
09. Donald Byrd - That's All There Is To Love (5:47)
10. Phil Woods - The Summer Knows (6:25)
11. Pat Martino - You Don't Know What Love Is (4:46)

Total Time: 64:17 

Credits:
Compilation Producer - Adam Dorn
Producer [Series] - Joel Dorn

The Drummonds feat. Renee Rosnes - When You Wish Upon A Star (1999)

Ray Drummond and Billy Drummond are not related, but they're two of the most in-demand rhythm section players in jazz, and here they've teamed up under the name the Drummonds for a delightful collection of standards. At the piano is Renee Rosnes, with her Midas touch. Rosnes, incidentally, is related by marriage to Billy Drummond, so technically, she too is a Drummond. The trio sticks to well-known standards, but they throw a good many curves. Highlights include a bossa treatment of "The Sound of Silence"; a grooving, non-ballad rendition of "Nature Boy"; a heavily re-harmonized "Autumn in New York"; a reworked bridge on "Over The Rainbow"; a brisk, Bill Evans-style waltz arrangement of "When You Wish Upon a Star"; and a passing reference to Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" at both the beginning and end of "Like Someone In Love." We may have heard these tunes many times before, but when these three play them together, it's an event. ~ by David R. Adler, AMG. 

Video Arts, VACY-1027, 1999
32 Jazz, 32204, 2000
Recorded 4th-5th August, 1999 at Avatar Recording Studio, New York City 

Musicians:
Ray Drummond - Bass
Billy Drummond - Drums
Renee Rosnes - Piano 

Tracks:
01. Nature Boy {Eden Ahbez} (7:11)
02. Autumn In New York {Vernon Duke} (6:09)
03. Over The Rainbow {Harold Arlen, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg} (5:33)
04. Alone Together {Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz} (7:02)
05. When You Wish Upon A Star {Leigh Harline, Ned Washington} (5:43)
06. Danny Boy {Frederick Edward Weatherly} (3:49)
07. Lullaby Of Birdland {George Shearing, George David Weiss} (5:54)
08. The Sound Of Silence {Paul Simon} (5:16)
09. Polka Dots And Moonbeams {Johnny Burke, James Van Heusen} (6:37)
10. Like Someone In Love {Johnny Burke, James Van Heusen} (6:05) 

Total Time: 59:19

Credits:
Producer - Todd Barkan, Makoto Kimata
Recording Engineer - Dan Gellert
Mastering Engineer - Todd A. Gerard [Gerard Sound Studio]

Ricky Ford - Ricky's Choice (1999)

This is a compilation of tracks picked out by Ricky Ford from his releases on the Muse jazz label released between 1980 - 1984.

Ricky has certainly chosen some wonderful tracks for the compilation. Half the tunes are his own compositions, two from Wayne Shorter and the rest well-known Jazz standards. He is joined by a solid cast of players, that include some great horn players; Wallace Roney, Jimmy Knepper, Bobby Watson, James Spaulding, pianists; John Hicks, Albert Dailey, Kirk Lightsey, guitarist; Larry Coryell and bassists; Walter Booker, Ray Drummond, Rufus Reid with the perpetual drummer Jimmy Cobb as a mainstay. This CD is just pure entertainment, Enjoy!

#1,2 - Flying Colors - Muse Records [MR 5227] (1980)
#4,9,10 - Future's Gold - Muse [MR 5296] (1983)
#3,8 - Interpretations - Muse Records [MR 5275] (1982)
#6,7 - Shorter Ideas - Muse Records [MR 5314] (1984)
#5 - Tenor For The Times - Muse Records [MR 5250] (1981) 

32 Jazz, 32172, 1999 

Musicians:
Ricky Ford - Tenor Saxophone
Wallace Roney - Trumpet (#3)
Jimmy Knepper - Trombone (#6,7)
Bobby Watson - Alto Saxophone (#3)
James Spaulding - Alto Saxophone (#6,7)
John Hicks - Piano (#1,2,3,8)
Albert Dailey - Piano (#4,5,9,10)
Kirk Lightsey - Piano (#6,7)
Larry Coryell - Guitar (#4,9,10)
Walter Booker - Bass (#1,2,3,8)
Ray Drummond - Bass (#4,9,10)
Rufus Reid - Bass (#5,6,7)
Jimmy Cobb - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Jordanian Walk {Ricky Ford} (8:37)
02. Take The Coltrane {Duke Ellington} (4:42)
03. Interpretations Opus 5 {Ricky Ford} (7:08)
04. You Don't Know What Love Is {Gene DePaul, Don Raye} (6:07)
05. This Our Love [Esse Nosso Amor] {Ricky Ford} (7:31)
06. Yes Or No {Wayne Shorter} (5:41)
07. Miyako {Wayne Shorter} (4:51)
08. Moon Mist {Mercer Ellington} (5:43)
09. A-Flat Now {Ricky Ford} (4:40)
10. Samba De Caribe {Ricky Ford} (4:34) 

Total Time: 59:34

Notes:
See Tracks [Personnel].txt for further details.
Ripped to WAV > Trimmed > Optimised > FLAC

Willis Jackson - Bar Wars (1978) [Bonus]

Willis Jackson, aka "The Gator", produced some of the finest examples of the "soul jazz" genre. This type of music was very popular in the late 50's, 60's and 70's but now seems to be forgotten. What’s a shame: If you dig jazz that has a heavy blues vibe, then Gator is your man. This disc is a stellar example, with the always solid Charles Earland on organ, as well as Jackson's most famous sideman, Pat Martino, by this time a legend in the jazz guitar world. While all the tracks feature stellar playing, the title track, and "The Goose is Loose" are especially noteworthy, with all three soloists giving you breathtaking work. Jackson in particular, takes chorus after fiery chorus, with each one building in intensity. There were few if any saxophonists who could hang with the Gator on an up-tempo blues. And as much as many fans wax poetically about Kenny Burrell being the master at combining blues with jazz guitar, for my money no one can touch the work Martino did with Jackson not only on this disc, but also on "Headed and Gutted" and "Single Action". Simply Superb!

Willis Jackson, a veteran of the jazz-oriented R&B music of the late '40s, was a powerful tenor in the tradition of Gene Ammons. This is a particularly exciting release with Charles Earland pumping away at the organ, guitarist Pat Martino offering a contrasting solo voice and Jackson in top form, wailing away on the uptempo pieces. The CD reissue of the original LP adds two alternate takes to the program. The chord changes might be fairly basic but Willis Jackson plays with such enthusiasm and exuberance that it almost sounds as if he had discovered the joy of playing music. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG.

Muse Records, MR 5162, 1978

32 Jazz, 32018, 1997

Recorded 21^st December, 1977 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood, New Jersey

Musicians:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Pat Martino - Guitar

Charles Earland - Organ

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Conga

Tracks:

A1. Later {Tiny Bradshaw, Sil Austin, Henry Glover} (5:53)

A2. Blue & Sentimental {Count Basie, Jerry Livingston, Mack David} (3:02)

A3. Bar Wars {Willis "Gator" Jackson} (7:00)

B1. The Breeze And I {Ernesto Lecuona, Al Stillman} (4:54)

B2. The Goose Is Loose {Willis "Gator" Jackson} (5:03)

B3. It's All Right With Me {Cole Porter} (7:11)

Bonus Tracks [32 Jazz]

07. The Breeze And I [Alternate] {Lecuona, Stillman} (5:11)

08. It's All Right With Me [Alternate] {Cole Porter} (7:02)

Credits:

Producer, Liner Notes - Joel Dorn

Executive Producer - Joe Fields

Production Coordination - Michael Weiner

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Mastering Engineer - Gene Paul

Art Direction, Photography - Hal Wilson

Design - Nancy Dwyer, Page Simon

Illustrations - Oliver Wasow

Liner Notes - W.A. Brower