Charles Earland - Infant Eyes (1979) [re-rip]

Who says you can't go back and do traditional jazz in '79? For those who digressed from the 70's fused and funky side of jazz should heed to this release. And for all you jazz guitar purists should surely enjoy the first couple of tracks. Brilliant just brilliant manic guitar playing by Jimmy Ponder. I also really love the laid-back title track. The flute by Frank Wess makes it all worthwhile. ~ SomaWaxDollarBin

As of this writing, I've been straying away from the majority of classic/traditional jazz (but not all) and find my liking geared towards the 60's & 70's input, especially with jazz-funk, soul-jazz and jazz-fusion. However, there are some really good grooves (not funk) on this LP and it's just jazz, really good jazz and not jazz-funk, jazz-fusion, etc. Man, I just listened to the last track ("Is It Necessary") and love that drumming and Earland's Hammond. Do I recommend this album? Oh yeah, no doubts. ~ RateYourMusic.com

A solid set from some cats I would list as soft-spot personal favorites...Charlie Earland, Melvin Sparks and Jimmy Ponder trading tracks on guitar... The great Frank Wess and Mack Goldsbury on tenor saxes, Bill Hardman on trumpet, and Lawrence Killian on "percussion." Can't go wrong with some Charles Earland. ~ DestinationFunk

Muse Records, MR 5181, 1979

Recorded At Van Gelder Recording Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Charles Earland - Hammond Organ

Bill Hardman - Trumpet

Frank Wess - Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Mack Goldsbury  - Tenor Saxophone (#A2)

Jimmy Ponder - Guitar (#A1,A2)

Melvin Sparks - Guitar (#B1-B3)

Grady Tate - Drums

Lawrence Killian - Percussion

Tracks:

A1. We Are Not Alone {Charles Earland} (5:04)

A2. Blues For Rudy {Charles Earland} (11:43)

B1. The Thang {Charles Earland} (7:11)

B2. Infant Eyes {Wayne Shorter} (6:17)

B3. Is It Necessary? {Charles Earland} (4:56)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Cover Design - Ron Warwell

Cover Photograph - Clarence Eastmond

Liner Notes - Michael Rozek

Charles Earland - Pleasant Afternoon (1978) [re-rip]

With Houston Person on tenor sax, Bill Hardman on trumpet, and Melvin Sparks on guitar, not to overlook the master of the Hammond B3 himself, Charles Earland nothing can go wrong. All tunes, penned by Earland, are masterfully crafted into a wonderfully sonorous soul jazz excursion. Earland's Hammond licks add a dynamic unique to this genre, something that modern day players have not been able equal. The music is as vitalising as it was back in the late seventies.  Of course it goes without saying that all players set this album on fire.

Yes this is the one with the monster jazz dance banger "Murilley" on it-enough said!!! ~ Orgy In Rhythm

Thanks for another Mighty Burner album, his Muse sessions was a kind of "back to the roots" after all those Mercury disco/fusion oriented LPs. ~ Sergio

"Murilley" is great and fun, but I like the other tracks even more, especially "Organic Blues". The playing throughout this album is so raw and direct, not perfect, but soulful. ~ instagib

His sound & groove is so POWERFUL. ~ Pekis

Muse Records, MR 5201, 1981

Recorded 19th April, 1978 at Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Charles Earland - Organ [Hammond B3], Vocals (#A1)

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Bill Hardman - Trumpet

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Grady Tate - Drums

Ralph Dorsey - Percussion, Conga

Tracks:

A1. Murilley {Charles Earland} (6:35)

A2. A Prayer {Charles Earland} (3:47)

A3. Organic Blues {Charles Earland} (7:25)

B1. Pleasant Afternoon {Charles Earland} (11:00)

B2. Three Blind Mice {Charles Earland} (6:16)

Credits:

Producer - Houston Person

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Michael Rozek

Art Blakey - Art's Break (1976) [vinyl>flac]

New link in comments.

This obscure Blakey release on the Italian Lotus label presents a typical Messengers' live date from the group with Hardman & Schnitter. The recording date of 1972, given on the sleeve, is obviously incorrect and 1976 seems far more likely, this being the same band that appeared on an Umbria Jazz Festival video.

Bird Like
Whisper Not
Blues March
Perception

Bill Hardman (tp) David Schnitter (ts) Mickey Tucker (p) Cameron Brown (b) Art Blakey (d)
label claims: Oslo, Norway & Tunis, Tunisia, 1972 but most likely Tunis, 1976.

Alpax suggests Perception sounds like it's from another date, possibly 1969 or 1972 with Woody Shaw on trumpet.

Bill Hardman – Home (1978) [vinyl 24/48]

Newly ripped from the danair vinyl collection.

Review by Mike Hennessey, Jazz Journal, November 1980:
Bill Harman has spent a good part of his musical career with various editions of Blakey's Jazz Messengers and in more than 30 years on the jazz scene has scant opportunity to record under his own name. This Muse album is thus a welcome release — the more so because Hardman probably comes closer than most trumpet players of his generation to capturing the spirit and attack of his great idol, Clifford Brown.
This is a fine album. Hardman has assembled an excellent team of musicians and the soloists have a good chance to stretch out. Victor Jones isa splendid drummer, and with forceful and ever-creative Hampton storms through the date with tremendous zest; Junior Cook can rarely have been heard to better effect, Mickey Turner comps and solos with unflagging energy and invention and Hardman crackles away on trumpet and flugel horn in the best Brownie tradition.
Samba Do Brilho — the sort of music to play in your pad? — has excellent solos from the front line; Jones's driving drums give tremendous lift to Once I Loved and there is magnificent solo work from Hardman, a powerful contribution from Cook, playing in what could be described as a "Rolltrane" style, and a fluent, vigorous solo from Hampton.
My Pen Is Hot (a Tucker original whose title may or may not be connected with the fact that the band includes a Hampton and a Hardman) doesn't quite work as a jazz vehicle because the chord sequence is too tricky and militates against continuity of line. The solos are nevertheless impressive again, with Tucker in distinctly Silverish mood.
Rancho Cevarro is another Tucker composition with rapid changes of texture and rhythmic foundation. Tucker certainly has a flair for unexpected changes and the horn players cope remarkably well.
I Remember Love is a forgotten Dameron song which features Hardman on flugel horn — though still with that crackling, biting tone. He gives it a moving reading and sets a lustrous seal on a very fine album.

1. Samba Do Brilho
2. Once I Loved
3. My Pen Is Hot
4. Rancho Cevarro
5. I Remember Love

Bill Hardman It, flhl; Junior Cook Its); Slide Hampton (tb); Mickey Tucker (p); Chin Suzuki (b); Victor Jones (d); Lawrence Killian (perc).
RVG. New Jersey, January 10, 1978.
(Muse MR 5152)

Art Blakey - Jazz Messengers '70 [vinyl>flac]

Originally posted at the old Crypt.

This was Blakey's first studio recording for four years, thank Heavens for the Japanese!
Many of the old warhorses surface here, what makes them special is the presence of Carlos Garnett, sadly his only recording with Blakey, and Joanne Brackeen, both virtually unknown at the time.
I've heard rumours that this had a CD reissue in Japan but I think you'd be lucky to find a copy!

"When I had Joanne Brackeen in the band, we were playing down South. This was in Georgia or somewhere. This guy came up and said, 'Hey, there, Mr. Blakey. You know you got a white gal in the band!' I said, 'No shit, I have to check it out. I thought I had a piano player!'"
- Art Blakey, Jazz Magazine, Winter 1979.

01 - Moanin'
02 - Blues March
03 - Whisper Not
04 - It's Only A Paper Moon
05 - What The World Needs Now Is Peace And Love
06 - Politely
07 - A Night In Tunisia

Bill Hardman (tp) Carlos Garnett (ts) Joanne Brackeen (p) Jan Arnet (b) Art Blakey (d)
Tokyo, Japan, February 19, 1970

Lou Donaldson - Fried Buzzard (1965)

In the light of Chris' recent posts I couldn't resist sharing this!

I've always felt that Donaldson's Argo/Chess recordings have been unjustly overlooked in favour of his Blue Notes. Now some of his 50s and early 60s Blue Notes are classics - Blues Walk, for example, but many of his later ones were pretty ordinary and the Argo are clearly better!
This particular LP benefits from the presence of the perpetually underrated Hardman. It's also interesting to hear the drummer in his pre-funk days.

01 - Fried Buzzard
02 - Summertime
03 - Peck Time
04 - The Thang
05 - The Best Things In Life Are Free
06 - We

Bill Hardman (t) Lou Donaldson (as) Billy Gardner (org) Warren Stephens (g) Leo Morris (d)
Live "Bon Ton Club", Buffalo, NY, August 6 & 7, 1965

Ronnie Mathews - Legacy (1979) [vinyl>flac]

New link now available. Ripped from a mint LP in flac with scans.
Aside from the songs on Johnny Hartman's LP "Once In Every Life" that were featured on the "Bridges of Madison County" soundtrack, none of the material released on the Beehive label has been reissued. The man who owns the catalog has resisted repeated urgings to reissue the music himself or to let someone else do it for him. Sad.

Review by Scott Yanow:
Pianist Ronnie Mathews assembled an all-star group (tenor saxophonist Ricky Ford, trumpeter Bill Hardman, bassist Walter Booker, Jr. and drummer Jimmy Cobb) for this hard bop set. Mathews had long been a distinctive but underrated player and is heard in prime form on a varied program including two of his songs, a pair of Tex Allen originals, "Suicide Is Painless," "A Child Is Born" and "Once I Loved." The musicians all live up to their potential, making one wish that the Bee Hive releases of the late 1970s were available on CD.

01 - Legacy
02 - A Child Is Born
03 - Once I Loved
04 - Ichi Ban
05 - Theme From Mash
06 - Loose Suite
07 - Four For Nothing

Ronnie Mathews (p) Ricky Ford (ts) Bill Hardman (t) Walter Booker Jr (b) Jimmy Cobb (d)
Rec: NYC, Setember 21, 1979

Incidentally, 'Ichi Ban' composed by Mathews, is revisited here, having first been released on the marvellous 1963 Prestige recording 'Doin' The Thang', which featured Freddie Hubbard.

Charles Earland - Muse Albums [vinyl>flac]

5126 - Smokin' (1977)
5156 - Mama Roots (1978)
5181 - Infant Eyes (1979)
5201 - Pleasant Afternoon (1981)
5240 - In The Pocket (1982)

These albums represent the output on Muse Records of the great Hammond B-3 master, Charles Earland throughout the seventies and early eighties. Many of these records are not easily found and have been ripped from the original vinyl LPs. The listener is given an opportunity to hear some dynamic Soul Jazz. He is joined by a vast number of players that were well-known or emerging stars. Just take a cursory glance at the personnel lists below you are sure to find the makings of some super group combinations.

[1] Smokin’

Muse Records, MR 5126, 1977

A1. Penn Relays {Charles Earland} (6:00)

A2. Danny Boy's Blues {D. Paul} (3:50)

A3. Milestones #2 {Miles Davis} (8:50)

B1. Soon It's Gonna Rain {Tom Jones, Harvey Schmidt} (9:30)

B2. Strangers In The Night {Bert Kaempfert} (5:30)

Charles Earland - Organ [Hammond B-3]

Dave Schnitter - Tenor Saxophone

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone

Jimmy Ponder - Guitar

Bobby Durham - Drums (Tracks: A1, A2), Keyboards (Track: A2)

Walter Perkins - Drums (Tracks: A3, B1, B2)

Herb Fisher - Percussion

[2] Mama Roots

Muse Records, MR 5156, 1978

A1. Undecided {Charlie Shavers} (7:45)

A2. The Dozens {Charles Earland} (3:46)

A3. Red, Green & Black Blues {Charles Earland} (4:54)

B1. Mama Roots {Charles Earland} (6:34)

B2. Old Folks {Willard Robison} (5:27)

B3. Bluesette {Toots Thielemans, Norman Gimbel} (6:38)

Charles Earland - Organ

Dave Schnitter - Tenor Saxophone (#A1)

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone

Jimmy Ponder - Guitar

Walter Perkins - Drums (#A1,A2,B1,B2)

Bobby Durham - Drums (#A3,B3)

[3] Infant Eyes

Muse Records, MR 5181, 1979

A1. We Are Not Alone (5:06)

A2. Blues For Rudy (11:43)

B1. The Thang (7:11)

B2. Infant Eyes (6:17)

B3. Is It Necessary? (4:56)

Charles Earland - Hammond Organ

Bill Hardman - Trumpet

Frank Wess - Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Mack Goldsbury  - Tenor Saxophone (#A2)

Jimmy Ponder - Guitar (#A1,A2)

Melvin Sparks - Guitar (#B1-B3)

Grady Tate - Drums

Lawrence Killian - Percussion

[4] Pleasant Afternoon

Muse Records, MR 5201, rec. 1978; rel. 1981

A1. Murilley (6:29)

A2. A Prayer (3:47)

A3. Organic Blues (7:25)

B1. Pleasant Afternoon (11:00)

B2. Three Blind Mice (6:16)

Charles Earland - Organ, Hammond Organ, Vocals

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Bill Hardman - Trumpet

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Grady Tate - Drums

Ralph Dorsey - Percussion, Conga

[5] In The Pocket

Muse Records, MR 5240, 1982

A1. Tackhead {Charles Earland} (9:47)

A2. In The Alley {Charles Earland} (8:04)

B1. Grant's Groove {Melvin Sparks} (4:51)

B2. A Good Date {Charles Earland} (5:09)

B3. Ballad For Mom {Charles Earland} (6:49)

Charles Earland - Organ

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Mickey Tucker - Sojourn

When we made the move to our new home I tried an experiment in creating false history by backdating posts to before we actually came here. I thought it might provide some continuity....yeah, okay THAT didn't work out so well so I am saving these one by one by bringing them forward.

This comes once again from Wid and I'm putting it both here and at Kublah's Crib mostly because I don't think anyone will notice the upgraded links over there since they don't expect any new postings anymore. We had an mp3 link previously that is now replaced with a FLAC lp rip!

Mickey Tucker - Sojourn
Xanadu 143, 1977

1: Fast Train To Zurich
2: Norwegian Nights - Norwegian Days
3: Tunisian Festival
4: The Silent Mind of Fraulen Stein
5: French Fables
6: Dusseldorf Dance

Bill Hardman tp
Junior Cook ts
Ronnie Cuber bs
Mickey Tucker p
Cecil McBee b
Eddie Gladden d

RCA Studios, NYC, March 28, 1977
Engineer: Paul Goodman

Whoever said it is under-rehearsed never listened to that album. All tracks were composed and arranged by Tucker and are his impressions of a European tour with the Jazz Messengers - his quotes in Bob Blumenthal's notes are much fun to read, and the music is full of Tucker's own take on humour in music - if I had but one album to pick as Tucker's most impressive, I'd probably choose Sojourn! Great playing from all involved. Highly recommended!

"One of the greatest sessions – if not the best – cut as a leader by pianist Mickey Tucker, and a soaring set of spiritual tunes that best shows his talents as a player and arranger! The group's a sextet, with Junior Cook on tenor, Bill Hardman on trumpet, and Ronnie Cuber on baritone – and most tracks have a fast comping sound that's part Horace Silver Blue Note and part Strata East post-Coltrane grooving. Titles include "Dusseldorf Dance", "Fast Train To Zurich", "Tunisian Festival", and "The Silent Mind Of Fraulein Stein"." © 1996-2012, Dusty Groove America, Inc.