John Handy - New View! The New John Handy Quintet {New link to CD rip]

Well the holiday season is in full swing (no pun intended), and hopefully I can bring some cheer over the next few weeks.  I have posted the last of my 16 bit albums so starting with this post, everything going forward will be in 24 bit/ 48kbps.

John Handy belongs to a circle of jazz artists whom have, for the most part, been grossly overlooked by even the jazz buying community at large.  A musician's musician, he is joined by other sax players like Booker Ervin, Bunky Green, Nathan Davis & Curtis Amy (to name a few) who also belong to this tribe.

It turns out that I couldn't have picked a better recording for the nuanced detail of a higher resolution transfer.  New View! is a gorgeous offering from Handy, combining several styles to create an overall vibe of tremendous space and feeling.  With only three tunes, we are treated to what can only be described as a musical adventure.  Handy pulls the listener in gently, and before you know it, he has strapped you to your seat for a bumpy ride.

His style is best described as inside/outside but I feel that this album goes beyond just Handy himself.  The entire quintet create an atmosphere which is all at once soulful, melodic and at times, tense.  It's this tension and suspended moments of intensity which help set up Handy's voice and ultimately, his message. Wonderful and inspired soloing from all, but particularily Handy who is clearly motivated to get his message across.

This LP is infact a live recording, done at the infamous Village Gate.  The crowd are completely subdued and it's easy to forget the location and circumstances of the recording.  But the fact is, these musicians are truly in the moment and we are getting the best that jazz has to offer - the epitome of the craft.  My record is in great condition and cleaned up really nicely.  That combined with the wonderful fidelity of the recording itself makes for a fantastic listening experience.  The soundstage is surprisingly cavernous which really helps to convey that live atmosphere.  Ripped at 24bit/48kbps and converted to FLAC, this gift is ready for the most scrutinizing of ears... enjoy!!!!

Altoist John Handy's 1967 quintet included vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, the up and coming guitarist Pat Martino, bassist Albert Stinson and drummer Doug Sides. They really stretch out on three pieces (John Coltrane's "Naima" and an original), and New View is highlighted by Handy's emotional and episodic "Tears of Ole Miss (Anatomy of a Riot)," which clocks in at 23:45. The inside/outside music is quite picturesque, emotional, and ultimately logical. It is a pity that John Handy did not make more of an impact on the mainstream of jazz, but his three Columbia studio albums still sound fresh decades later. - Scott Yanow / AMG

Columbia CS9497
Recorded live at the Village Gate, New York City, June 28, 1967.

Alto Saxophone – John Handy
Bass – Albert Stinson
Drums – Doug Sides
Guitar – Pat Martino
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson

1. Naima (In Memory Of John Coltrane)  9:34

2. A Little Quiet  13:29

3. Tears Of Ole Miss (Anatomy Of A Riot)  31:00

Harold Land - A New Shade of Blue (1971) [vinyl]

A lost chapter in the legendary Harold Land/Bobby Hutcherson relationship – and a record that often gets overlooked. The set is a great moody mellow bit of jazz funk, recorded with Buster Williams on bass, Bill Henderson on electric piano, and Billy Hart on drums. Mtume sits in on congas, and the tracks have a very soulful groove that's different than the duo's work on Blue Note, but which also has the same sense of funkiness. Titles include "Mtume", "Ode To Angela", and "De-Liberation". © 1996-2012, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Well not my idea of jazz-funk, this is straight ahead jazz and a logical development from the previous Blue Notes!

1 A New Shade Of Blue (Land)
2 Mtume (Hutcherson)
3 Ode To Angela (Land)
4 De-Liberation (Land)
5 Short Subject (Land)

Harold Land (ts); Bobby Hutcherson (vib); Buster Williams (b); Bill Henderson (p); Billy Hart (d); Mtume (per)

Recording date unknown (released 1971), New York, NY

Link accessible to browsers now in comments (I'm amazed that everybody isn't using Jdownloader2 to download!)

Dave Burns - Warming Up! [Vinyl rip/FLAC]

When poppachubby posted this a couple years back, I had just purchased a new sealed copy which actually stayed that way until a few days ago. Obviously I've opened it and ripped a fresh copy. Sounds pretty damn good to me! Not only is the ripping rig much improved but I've learned some new tricks too!

Vanguard (VRS-9143)
1964

Dave Burns (tp);  Al Grey (tb);  Billy Mitchell (ts);  Herman Wright (bass fiddle);
Harold Mabern (p);  Bobby Hutcherson (vh);  Otis Finch (d);  *Willie Corea (tymboli)
* on Richie's Dilemma and Rigor Mortez only

1. Day By Day   2. Now Ain't It   3. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
4. Richie's Dilemma   5. Slippers   6. Warm Up   7. My Romance   8. Rigor Mortez

Donald Byrd [w Joe Henderson] - A City Called Heaven (1991)

This, the third of Byrd's Landmark recordings, was to be his final studio release. As far as I know he only made one other recording before his death in 2013, one track on a 1995 Ahmad Jamal album.

Review by Derek Ansell, Jazz Journal, July 1992:
This is a fairly straight ahead jazz album by Dr Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II who, understandably, prefers to be called Donald Byrd. King Arthur, Complete with back beat and Blues March type theme, is dedicated to Art Blakey and although no doubt sincerely meant, does not quite work. Only Art himself, behind the drums, could work magic with this type of thing. A City Called Heaven is a bit ponderous and both vocalist and musicians sound rather strained and self-conscious at times.
The rest is magic. I’ll Always Remember is a plaintive ballad with Byrd's muted trumpet warm and winsome and Hutcherson and Henderson in fine form. Byrd's bright, billowing tone and inventive lines are heard to good effect on Lu Easy Anna and Byrd Song, the latter much more effectively in a Jazz Messengers vein.
Remember Me is adapted from Dido & Aeneas—not jazz, but if you love Purcell's music as much as I do you won't complain. Lorice Stevens' vibrant voice carries the melody aided by Hutcherson and the continue part is shared by Brown and Reid with the bass sounding like a baroque cello. Half way through there is a jazz flavour as Byrd and Hendsrson contribute bluesy horn lines. Surprisingly, it works.
Not Necessarily The Blues is the blues, in free time; an experiment with symmetry and geometric shapes according to the leader in his liner notes.
This is an engaging, varied and highly original programme, and apart from the reservations expressed above it offers a rich musical experience.

1. King Arthur
2. I'll Always Remember
3. A City Called Heaven
4. Back Down In Lu Easy Anna
5. Byrd Song
6. Del Valle
7. Remember Me
8. Not Necessarily The Blues

Donald Byrd (t, flh) Joe Henderson (ts) Bobby Hutcherson (vb) Donald Brown (p) Rufus Reid (b)
Carl Allen (d) Lorice Stevens (voc -3,7)
Berkeley, CA, January 17-19, 1991

Harold Land - Choma (Burn) (1972) [vinyl]

The oddest of the Hutcherson-Land albums, at times driving mainstream post-bop, as expected, at times 70s jazz-funk fusion, perhaps the influence of Land's son? Personally I'd have preferred more subtlety and indeed suppleness from the drumming but overall there's much to enjoy here if, like me, your a devotee of these two.

1. Choma (Burn)
2. Our Home
3. Black Caucus
4. Up And Down

Harold Land (ts,fl) Bobby Hutcherson (vb, marimba) Bill Henderson, Harold Land, Jr. (p,el-p) Reggie Johnson (b) N'Dugu, Woody Theus(d)
1971

Al Grey - Basic Grey

Mwha...MMMwhaaaaaaaa.

That one of a kind, distinct sound was Al Grey's calling card. Infact, he literally wrote the book on it. Grey's career is the stuff of jazz legend, setting the bar for all who follow. He did it all...composer, arranger, player, performer, recording artist, author, educator and all around purveyor of all things jazz.

Al Grey played for years with Count Basie, but luckily for us, set out to lay down his own path. For the most part, he brought his Basie bandmates along forming firstly the Al Grey/Billy Mitchell sextet, and The Basie Wing. During the 60's he recorded several wonderful sides for Argo/Cadet, the jazz arm of Chess Records.


Basic Grey is a collection from his Argo sessions. More specifically, it's actually 3 full length sides released on two LPs. This album was released on the Chess Jazz Masters Series, which took a close look at their jazz catalogue, re-issuing some greats. Unlike many of the two-fers that Prestige or Riverside released, Chess decided to give the listeners the full experience of each album, even keeping the track listings as they originally appeared. We are treated to Snap Your Fingers, The Al Grey/Billy Mitchell Sextet and The Last Of The Big Plungers. "Sextet" is actually a live album, recorded in NYC.

I will keep this review limited to generalizations. Clearly from the list of sidemen, this collection is a monster. Grey favours larger groups as far as the "small" group goes, usually between 6 - 9 players. The front line is generally weighed down with brass and as a result is real, real heavy. Dynamically the impact is just like a big band...fantastic.


All manner of tunes are called upon, but the consistent theme with Al Grey is the blues. It's best fit to his style, and he is relentless during a full on blues jam.


This double set is in NM condition. The fidelity of these recordings is outstanding making these transfers a real joy. Of course, they were ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC. The tracks from the live set are best enjoyed with no dead space or cross fade between. I have included all images from the original gatefold, and the notes will help to guide anyone wishing to re-tag these into single sides. And here we go again...Crypt style!! Enjoy!!

Snap Your Fingers:
Al Grey (tb); Billy Mitchell (ts); Dave Burns (tp); Bobby Hutcherson (vibes); Floyd Morris (p); Herman Wright (b); Ed Williams (d) also Al Grey (tb); Billy Mitchell (ts); Donald Byrd (tp); Herbie Hancock (p); Bobby Hutcherson(vibes); Herman Wright (b); Ed Williams (d)

The Last Of The Big Plungers: Al Grey (tb); Bennie Powell (tb); Joe Newman (tp); Billy Mitchell (ts); Charlie Fowlkes (bs); Floyd Morris (p); Ed Jones (b); Sonny Payne (d)

The Al Grey/Billy Micthell Sextet: Al Grey (tb); Billy Mitchell (ts); Henry Boozier (tp); Gene Kee (p); Art Davis (b); Jule Curtis (d); Ray Barretto (c)

Dave Burns - Warming Up!

Dave Burns is another one of those top flight players who was consistently overlooked by listeners, and grossly under recorded by the labels. Probably his biggest, and best known date, was on Art Taylor's Blue Note, A.T.'s Delight. Burns played as a member of the Al Grey/Billy Mitchell sextet and cut a couple albums on the Argo imprint with that group.

This outing is essentially a septet, but the core members are the same as the Grey/Mitchell group.
Although Mitchell and Grey make their presence
known on this side, there's no doubt it's under DB's leadership. He gets most of the shine as far as solo's are concerned, and two of his own compositions are used. Aside from this album, Burns cut another for Vanguard which makes this the follow up. There's no doubt in my mind that this is the best session to get to know Burns as an artist.

That said, this group was well experienced and at this point, ultra tight. All the players are at the top of their game and it"s evidenced in the loose and creative solos. Billy Mitchell in particular is a wild man, playing behind and on top of the beat, inside and outside...he's absolutely inspired.

This LP is absolute mint and of the highest fidelity. It's never seen a CD reissue. Ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC, you guys are sure to be entertained to the utmost. Enjoy!!!

Vanguard (VRS-9143)
1964

Dave Burns (tp);  Al Grey (tb);  Billy Mitchell (ts);  Herman Wright (bass fiddle);
Harold Mabern (p);  Bobby Hutcherson (vh);  Otis Finch (d);  *Willie Corea (tymboli)
* on Richie's Dilemma and Rigor Mortez only

1. Day By Day   2. Now Ain't It   3. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
4. Richie's Dilemma   5. Slippers   6. Warm Up   7. My Romance   8. Rigor Mortez