Dick Griffin - Now Is The Time (1979, 1997)

Here we have a great example of a deep and spiritual jazz album from trombonist Dick Griffin. He is joined by a stunning line-up including Clifford Jordan on tenor sax, Bill Saxton on both tenor & soprano, Hubert Eaves on piano, flute, piano, vocals from Lonnie Liston Smith's brother Donald Smith and then if that's not enough to exhilarate a listening frenzy there’s Calvin Hill on bass, Lawrence Killian on percussion, congas and finally Billy Hart, Freddie Waits sharing drums. The initial LP release on provided six tracks but with the CD reissue another two bonus tracks are added. All compositions are penned by Dick Griffin, a truly an underrated trombonist and composer. A classic of its time, Enjoy! 

Trident Records, TRS-504, 1979
Boplicity Records, CDBOP 021, 1997 

Musicians:
Dick Griffin - Trombone
Clifford Jordan - Tenor Saxophone
Bill Saxton - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Donald Smith - Flute, Piano, Vocals
Hubert Eaves - Piano
Calvin Hill - Bass
Billy Hart, Freddie Waits - Drums
Lawrence Killian - Percussion, Congas 

Tracks:
A1. Now Is The Time (6:18)
A2. Madrid (8:20)
A3. Multiphonic Blues (5:10)
B1. Waltz My Son (5:40)
B2. The Queen (7:21)
B3. Peaceful Thinking (6:25) 

CD Bonus Tracks:
7. Darkness Of Duke (4:46)
8. Come Dance With Me aka Come And See (6:26) 

All Compositions by Dick Griffin 

Total Time: 50:20

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

HORO Records, HLL 101-14, 1974

Recorded 18^th 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

Ted Curson - Sugar 'N Spice (1999)

Ted Curson's incandescent flame burns bright in this impassioned salute to bebop, the music that inspired the trumpeter to want to play jazz. The underrated Curson, it should be pointed out, is one of modern jazz's true innovators. In the late 1950s, he was a key participant in the seminal probes of avantgardist Cecil Taylor. A year later, he and Eric Dolphy helped ignite Charlie Mingus' tempestuous upheavals. In the mid-1970s, he led one of the era's great small groups, a bop-based sextet at once open-ended and disciplined.

Here, in a congenial setting with pianist Michael Cochrane, guitarist Lenny Argese, bassist Calvin Hill, and drummer Bruce Cox, the trumpeter flies with a brio reminiscent of Clifford Brown. Also impressive is Curson's "voice." Even in his more abstract work, Tears for Dolphy (1964), for instance, the trumpeter has displayed a brassy yet warmly centered sound. It's a sonic signature that continues to serve him well. Mixing standards like "Georgia" with originals such as the exuberant title track, Curson declaims with a heart that "sings." ~ by Chuck Berg, Jazztimes.

Level Green, 22008, 1999

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered 11^th April, 1999 at BIOYA Recording Studios, Paterson, New Jersey

Personnel:

Ted Curson - Trumpet

Michael Cochrane - Piano

Lenny Argese - Guitar

Calvin Hill - Bass

Bruce Cox - Drums

Track Listing:

01. Playhouse March {Ted Curson} (6:16)

02. Jordu {Irving "Duke" Jordon} (6:26)

03. Marjo {Ted Curson} (5:39)

04. Summertime {Dubose Heyward, George Gershwin} (5:59)

05. Sugar 'N Spice {Ted Curson} (5:50)

06. All The Things You Are {Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern} (8:53)

07. Tin Tin Deo {Chano Pozo} (8:09)

08. Georgia {Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell} (7:42)

09. Dig {Miles Davis} (7:49)

10. Milestones {Miles Davis} (5:34)

Credits:

Producer - Lenny Argese

Executive Producer - James Spitznagel

Recording, Mixing and Mastering - Lenny Argese

Photography - James Spitznagel

Design - Iron Design

Liner Comments - Ted Curson