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

The Bossa Tres & American friends

 

Let's call this one a loner from the Kingston to Rio blog:

A somewhat oddly put together CD that combines the 12 tracks of this trio album with 7 tracks from a leaderless album  from 2 years later where they serve as the rhythm section with a group of Americans. The Brazilian version was Os Bossa Tres e sues Amigos so it is rightfully their album. That full second album also had 12 tracks and I don't see anything which describes criteria for why these 7 chosen. I have an mp3 version with the extra tracks, but I don't really see much point in cutting up the CD.

"The Bossa Três was the first instrumental group of the bossa nova. In 1961, Luís Carlos Vinhas (piano), Tião Neto (bass), and Edison Machado (drums) teamed up to form the trio. They went to the U.S. to accompany the dancers Lennie Dale, Martha Botelho, and Joe Benett on The Ed Sullivan Show. They remained in the U.S. and recorded three albums in New York, which were released by Audio Fidelity in 1962 (one of them accompanying Jo Basile). The group continued to perform in jazz nightclubs until its dissolution. Returning alone to Brazil, Vinhas regrouped the trio with other musicians and continued to work, recording and performing throughout Latin America. The Bossa Três recorded with Pery Ribeiro in 1966 and, in 2000, with Wanda Sá." AMG

The Cedar Walton Trio w/ Clifford Jordon - A Night at Boomer's, Vol 2 Muse 5022, Vinyl LP

Per a request from one of our old friends.

The Cedar Walton Trio w/ Clifford Jordon - A Night at Boomer's, Vol 2
Muse 5022, Vinyl LP
1) Naima
2) Stella by Starlight
3) All The Way
4) I'll Remember April
5) Blue Monk
6) Bleeker Street Theme

Cedar Walton - piano, Sam Jones - bass, Louis Hayes - drums, special guest Clifford Jordan - tenor sax

When I went to rip this, I found that this very long album had been mixed in a way that each side was a contiguous whole; it was possible to split the tracks using fade ins and outs but I just couldn't see the point, this is how the album was meant to be heard so I leave to each of you if you want to take on that task.

Where volume One featured originals that had the feel of standards, volume Two features standards given fresh life through interpretation by four masters of the art. This is wonderfully beautiful music and the warmth and charm of the night club manages to be communicated without interfering with the music.

(Keno Duke) Jazz Contemporaries - Reasons In Tonality (1972

A re-post request fulfilled. 

This one was a gift from our friend wid who hasn't been around for quite awhile now.

(Keno Duke) Jazz Contemporaries - Reasons In Tonality (1972 Strata-East 1972-2)

01 - Reasons In Tonality
02 - 3-M.B.

George Coleman - Tenor Sax
Julius Watkins - French Horn
Clifford Jordan - Tenor Sax
Harold Mabern - Piano
Larry Ridley - Bass
Keno Duke - Drums
John Sadler - Recording Eng.

Recorded Live at the Village Vanguard, NYC, Feb. 13, 1972One of the greatest Strata East albums, and one of the few albums ever by Keno Duke (and all of them are great). Duke leads a crack group of soul jazz players, featuring Clifford Jordan and George Coleman on tenor, plus Julius Watkins on French horn, and Harold Mabern on piano, who is in excellent excellent form, and who really drives the whole thing with beautiful crashing chords. Two extended tracks, both of them over 20 minutes in length. Beautiful!

Clifford Jordan - The Complete Strata East Sessions

No explanation required, eh?

Clifford Jordan - Dr. Chicago (1984) [vinyl>flac]

Re-upped from the old Crypt. I couldn't resist a sealed copy of this, so ripped from mint vinyl. On the BeeHive label, a catalogue that has never been issued on CD.

This excellent Bee Hive LP features tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan on three quartet numbers with pianist Jaki Byard, bassist Ed Howard and drummer Vernel Fournier, welcoming trumpeter Red Rodney to two other selections and taking "If I Had You" as a duet with the very versatile Byard. The repertoire is colorful and diverse (three jazz standards, an obscurity, Jordan's bluesy title cut and Fournier's intriguing "Zombie"), and the very consistent Jordan is up to his usual high level. ~ Scott Yanow

01 Dr. Chicago
02 Something To Live For
03 Zombie
04 Touch Love
05 If I Had You
06 Be Bop

Clifford Jordan (ts) Red Rodney (t, flh) Jaki Byard (p) Ed Howard (b)
Vernel Fournier (d)
Vanguard Studios, NYC, August 3, 1984

Clifford Jordan/Von Freeman - Hyde Park After Dark (1981) [Bee Hive 7014]

I couldn't let a comment to my previous Jordan post go unchallenged so I've re-upped this from the old Crypt. Never issued on CD, I was fortunate to acquire a sealed copy of this LP - so ripped from mint vinyl.

Review by Brian Davis, Jazz Journal, July 1994

"This is not a blowing session ambling through a couple of standards, I Got Rhythm and a blues. As the titles show this is a challenging choice of two rarely played ballads, three compositions by other jazzmen, one by Simmons (Sad Sam which, as it happens, is the only weak track, a slowish minor-keyed thing in samba rhythm progressively losing impetus) and one, the title track, by Jordan.
This latter with a nice 'head' by Simmons (as on all others) refers to the long gone Chicago nightlife area which also housed the famed BeeHive Lounge where many NYC bebop pioneers played alongside their Chicago brethren. Simmons immediately shows his mettle jumping in as first man up with a grooving, meaty percussive solo, followed by Touff's bass trumpet. Touff has proportionately less exposure throughout than the others. His sound is pleasantly burry, resembling an abrasive toned Bob Brookmeyer; his ideas are similar but he has less to say. You're Blasé is Simmons and rhythm only and here the pianist commands attention with a beautiful loping solo.
The central interest is the two tenors. Jordan is a strong player and never less than interesting. Easily his best is his ballad feature, an expressive and sensitive reading of the one-time Gillespie big band theme, I Waited For You. Freeman's ballad choice, I'm Glad There Is You, is typical of his unconventional approach. Speech-like in delivery, his phrasing stark and effecting a wide vibrato, he achieves a maximum of drama. Sproles is a rock-solid no frills bassist and anchor man throughout, while Campbell swings lightly but a bit too politely at times.
Good to see BeeHive buzzing again and up to that label's expected high standard."

01 - Hyde Park After Dark
02 - You're Blasé
03 - Lotus Blossom
04 - Sad Sam
05 - I Waited For You
06 - I'm Glad There Is You
07 - 2° East, 3° West

Clifford Jordan, Von Freeman (ts); Cy Touff (b-t); Norman Simmons (p); Victor Sproles (b); Wilbur Campbell (d). Chicago, September 5, 1981

Clifford Jordan - Hello Hank Jones

New link now available. From the original direct to disc LP.

Review by Ken Dryden
"Direct-to-disc recordings were highly sought by audiophiles during their heyday in the late '70s and early '80s, prior to the widespread availability of digital recordings. The technology had its advantages, especially during jazz sessions, where musicians the caliber of Clifford Jordan weren't handicapped by the engineer's inability to splice takes or overdub afterwards. Jordan, who is the leader of the session, shines on tenor sax, driven by an outstanding rhythm section with seasoned pianist Hank Jones, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Freddie Waits. Following an extensive exploration of Jordan's very catchy post-bop Vienna (which he previously recorded nine years earlier for the LP In the World), the quartet shifts into a bop mode with a superb take of Oscar Pettiford's Bohemia After Dark and a hard-blowing interpretation of Cole Porter's Love for Sale. Like all direct-to-disc recordings, this long unavailable LP is a limited edition that was in short supply and difficult to find even when it was issued. Any jazz fan fortunate enough to locate a copy decades later will enjoy the performances and marvel at the warm, very intimate sound achieved by the musicians and the engineers on that summer day in 1978."

1. Vienna
2. Bohemia After Dark
3. Love For Sale

Clifford Jordan (ts) Hank Jones (p) Reggie Workman (b) Freddie Waits (d)
NYC July 5, 1978
(East World EWLF-98003 - Japan)

Clifford Jordan – Repetition (1984) [vinyl>flac]

Barry McRae, Jazz Journal, December, 1984:
This is a predictably good quartet record with the Chicago tenor man in the driving seat. He does not take the session by force, however, and the way in which he makes use of rests allows the Harris-led rhythm team to breath freely and is just right for the balance of the music. Jordan is a saxophonist who uses his fluency to serve his improvisational ends and he has especially inventive solos on Third Avenue, House Call and Quit 'N Time. He is very much a man concerned with his sound and in every solo he matches this with genuine content and a natural sense of formal organisation.
Harris is as immaculate as ever, his lines are firmly wrought and his ideas are concise and personal. Booker and Fournier are professional in the best sense of the word and the group is a well integrated unit. The final accolade must go to art director Sandy Jordan for a fine sleeve design. It completes a very pleasing package.

Review by Ken Dryden:
Clifford Jordan was in top form for this marathon, noon-to-midnight quartet studio session with Barry Harris, Walter Booker, and Vernel Fournier. The veteran hard bopper brought three potent originals to the date, and the group collaborated on the driving up-tempo "Fun." Neal Hefti's "Repetition" could be subtitled "Relaxation" for its easygoing tempo. The short but effective rendition of Monk's "Evidence" packs plenty of punch, while the medley of Fats Navarro's "Nostalgia" and Tadd Dameron's "Casbah" is also a masterful performance. The only downside to this release is the self-serving liner notes by the enormously egocentric Stanley Crouch.

01 - Third Avenue
02 - Fun
03 - Repetition
04 - Evidence
05 - Nostalgia~Casbah
06 - House Call
07 - Quit 'N Time

Clifford Jordan (ts); Barry Harris (p); Walter Booker (b); Vernel Fournier (d).
NYC. February 9, 1984

Clifford Jordan - Inward Fire

I had to reload this for a different site and figured to give it a run here too. 

 

Clifford Jordan - Inward Fire

 Muse Records

 

A1. Inward Fire 06:44
A2. Abracadabra 06:43
A3. The Look 08:17
B1. Toy 06:21
B2. Buddy Bolden's Call 07:03
B3. Eat At Joe's 09:24


Recorded at CI Recording, NYC on April 5, 1977.

Clifford Jordan, tenor saxophone & flute
Dizzy Reese, trumpet
Pat Patrick, tenor saxophone & flute
Howard Johnson, tuba
Muhal Richard Abrams, piano
Richard Davis, bass
Azzedine Weston, congas
Louis Hayes, drums
Jimmy Ponder, guitar
Grover Everette, drums (A2 - B2)
Joe Lee Wilson, vocals (B2)
Donna Jewell Jordan, vocals (A2) 

 

Quite an unusual set for Clifford Jordan – a large group effort that stands in stark contrast to some of his smaller combo work of the time! The ensemble features an incredible array of respected avant and soul jazz players – including Pat Patrick, Muhal Richard Abrams, Dizzy Reese, Louis Hayes, and Jimmy Ponder – and a few tracks also feature vocals by singers Joe Lee Wilson, Donna Jewell Jordan, and Grover Everette. The tracks still have that wonderful Jordan deeply soulful sound forged on some of his work for Strata East – a vision that's complicated, but never cluttered – and which always comes across with swinging soul!
(Dusty Groove)

Thanks to onxidlib for the vinyl rip.