Masato Honda - Saxes Street (2015)

As of 2015, this is saxophonist Masato Honda's first full-length album in six years after transferring to Universal Music. A work that colored various songs with his own sound, from proprietary Hyper Fusion and Funk to jazz-style numbers. Session includes luxurious members such as Jun Kajiwara (g), Yuya Komoguchi (g), Keiji Matsumoto (key), Mitsuru Sutoh (b), and Hiroyuki Noritake (dr). Masato Honda delivers another vividly colorful album. Here he showcases a diverse range of original tunes joining together sounds of fusion and jazz funk combined in a wonderfully entertaining selection that suits a multiplicity of musical moods. Enjoy! 

GRP/Universal Music LLC, UCCJ-2126, 2015
Recorded at NK Sound Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Masato Honda - Saxophone (#1,5,6), Trumpet (#1,5), Flute (#2), Alto Sax (#3,7,8),
Soprano Sax (#4), Trombone (#5), Trumpet [muted] (#6), Flugelhorn (#6),
Programming [Synth], Arranger
Eric Miyashiro - Trumpet [last hi c] (#1)
Keiji Matsumoto - Keyboards (#1,5,7), Organ (#3), Piano (#4,8)
Satoru Shionoya - Piano (#2,6)
Jun Kajiwara - Electric Guitar (#1,3,5-8), Acoustic Guitar (#2)
Yuya Komoguchi - Electric Guitar (#4), Acoustic Guitar (#4), Electric Guitar, Soloist (#5,8)
Mitsuru Sutoh - Electric Bass (#1,4,7)
Inoue Yosuke - Acoustic Bass (#2,6)
Teppei Kawasaki - Electric Bass (#3,5,8)
Hiroyuki Noritake - Drums (#1,4,5,7,8)
Hideo Yamaki - Drums (#2,3,6) 

Tracks:
1. Seven (5:15)
2. Memories (6:04)
3. We're Of The Sun (5:00)
4. Pinocchio (5:09)
5. Beyond The Time (6:50)
6. JURAKI [Jurassic] (8:25)
7. Sax Street (6:32)
8. See You Tomorrow (5:32) 

All compositions by Masato Honda 

Total Time: 48:50 

Credits:
Producer, Director - Masato Honda
Recording & Mixing - Neeraj Khajanchi
Recording [Assistant] - Taishi Watanabe
Mastering - Hiroshi Kawasaki
Art Direction, Design - Akira Fueki
Photography - Masahiro Ihara
Management [Artist] - Mariko Onodera
A&R - Koichiro Azami 

Beyond The Time

Woody Herman And His Thundering Herd - Keep On Keepin' On (1968-1970)

After the period of the Young Thundering Herd (documented by Philips and Columbia) and prior to his projects for Fantasy, Woody Herman recorded three generally commercial albums for Cadet. Herman always believed in having his band stay updated and modern, and he supported his younger musicians in their quest to perform new and current music. His output for Cadet, however, was quite streaky, ranging from worthwhile new originals to covers of pop and rock tunes that sometimes sounded a bit awkward. This single CD from 1998 has six of the ten selections originally on Light My Fire, four of the ten tunes from Heavy Exposure, and three of the six numbers (plus a previously unreleased "The Indigenous Artifact") from 1970's Woody. Completists will want to search for the three earlier LPs but should be warned that they are quite erratic and often dated. Even in this best-of collection, there are some throwaways (such as "My Cherie Amour" and "Aquarius"), but the better selections ("Keep On Keepin' On" which has some heated Sal Nistico tenor; "Impressions of Strayhorn," and Alan Broadbent's massive everything-but-the-kitchen-sink reworking of "Blues In The Night") make the set overall better than expected. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Chess\GRP Records, GRD-818, 1998
Recorded October, 1968 - 30th October, 1970 in Chicago, Illinois 

Musicians:
Woody Herman - Clarinet, Alto, Soprano & Tenor Saxes
Gary Grant, Harry Hall, Sal Marquez, Rich Murphy, Nat Pavone - Trumpet
Tom Harrell, Tony Klatka - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Tom "Bones" Malone, Ira Nedus, Vincent Prudente, Henry Southall - Trombone
Steve Lederer, Frank Vicari, Frank Tiberi, Sal Nistico - Tenor Saxophone
Alan Gauvin, Jim Thomas - Baritone Saxophone
Donny Hathaway - Organ
John Hicks - Piano
Mick Goodrick, Phil Upchurch - Guitar
A'nt Idy Harper, Arthur Harper, Gene Perla - Bass
Ed Soph - Drums
Morris Jennings - Drums, Percussion
Marshall Thompson - Percussion 

Tracks:
01. Light My Fire {Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Bob Krieger, John Densmore} (3:37)
02. Keep On Keepin' On {Richard Evans} (4:19)
03. Impressions Of Strayhorn {Richard Evans} (3:27)
04. Pontieo {Edú Lobo, Capinan} (3:46)
05. I Say A Little Prayer {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (3:35)
06. Hush { William "Mickey" Stevenson} (4:18)
07. My Cherie Amour {Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy} (2:48)
08. Catch That Bird {Loonis McGlohon} (2:54)
09. I Can't Get Next To You {Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield} (2:57)
10. Aquarius {James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Gait MacDermot} (4:31)
11. Blues In The Night {Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen} (13:43)
12. A Time For Love {Paul Francis Webster, Johnny Mandel} (6:49)
13. Smiling Phases {Steve Winwood, James Capaldi, Chris Wood} (5:27)
14. The Indigenous Artifact {Alan Broadbent} (6:23) 

Total Time: 68:40 

Credits:
Producer [Original Albums] - Richard Evans
Reissue Producer - Orrin Keepnews
Digital Transfer, Audio Enhancement, Remastering - Erick Labson
A&R [Direction] - Steve Backer
Art Direction, Design - Hollis King, Kerosene Halo
Photography - Chuck Stewart
Liner Notes [Annotation] - Jack Tracy 

Notes:
#1-6 originally on Woody Herman - Light My Fire.
#7-10 originally on Woody Herman - Heavy Exposure.
#11-13 originally on Woody Herman - Woody.
#14 previously unissued. 

Light My Fire

Shirley Scott - Roll 'Em: Shirley Scott Plays The Big Bands (1966) [CD]

Shirley Scott’s Roll ‘Em is interesting on several levels, the first being that you are no doubt already keenly aware of the songs Shirley is laying down here with her seventeen-piece big band, so it’s a hoot to simply sit back and listen to the tunes without the due consideration jazz-listening often requires. Secondly, there’s nothing unexpected delivered on this record, everything … the enunciation, the chords, the notes, the take, it’s all been done before, leaving Roll ’Em to simply be a breezy foray into the musical insights and sounds that are created here. Though when "Stompin' At The Savoy" washed across my listen space, I was raptured with the flanking path Scott’s organ took this song. Oddly enough, when one considers women in jazz, the first names that come to mind are usually the singers, Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday, perhaps because singers are easier to spot and identify. Shirley was a lush beautiful petite and very powerful for her size and time, so it sparked my imagination that she might be taking on these songs purposely, numbers that seemed rather too large or expansive for a woman to embrace, where Scott shows the world that she’s more than capable of helming a big band, charting its course, and coming out the other side proving that she can stand toe to toe with anyone when it comes to music that is easily compared. So, while I don’t want to dismiss this outing as uninventive or not being challenging enough, it is impressive to hear Shirley create perfect flawless circles, that while not bold or majestic, hit at the heart of all that’s pure, and dare I suggest innocent, when it comes to the purest elements of sophistication. After all, a simple black dress with an understated string of pearls speaks volumes, without the need for showiness or exuberance. ~ by Jenell Kesler, discogs.com. 

Impulse! Records, AS-9119, 1972
GRP Records, GRD-147, 1994
Recorded 15th (#7-10) & 19th (#1-6) April, 1966 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 

Personnel:
========
#1-4:
Shirley Scott - Organ
Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Jimmy Nottingham, Ernie Royal, Clark Terry - Trumpet
Paul Faulise, Quentin Jackson, Melba Liston - Trombone
Tom McIntosh - Trombones
Phil Woods, Jerry Dodgion - Alto Saxophone
Bob Ashton, Jerome Richardson - Tenor Saxophone
Danny Bank - Baritone Saxophones
Attila Zoller - Guitar
George Duvivier - Bass
Grady Tate - Drums
Oliver Nelson - Conductor, Arranger 

#5-6:
Shirley Scott - Organ, Arranger (#5)
George Duvivier - Bass
Grady Tate - Drums 

#7-10:
Shirley Scott - Organ
Richard Davis - Bass
Ed Shaughnessy - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Roll 'Em {Mary Lou Williams} (4:08)
02. For Dancers Only {Don Raye, Sy Oliver, Vic Schoen} (3:43)
03. Sophisticated Swing {Mitchell Parish, Will Hudson} (2:50)
04. Sometimes I'm Happy {Grey, Caesar, Youmans} (3:53)
05. Little Brown Jug {Joseph Eastburn Winner; Arr. Shirley Scott} (3:57)
06. Stompin' At The Savoy {Razaf, Goodman, Webb, Sampson} (3:58)
07. Ain't Misbehavin' {Andy Razaf, Harry Brooks, Fats Waller} (3:31)
08. A Tisket A Tasket {Ella Fitzgerald, Van Alexander} (3:55)
09. Things Ain't What They Used To Be {Duke Ellington, Ted Persons} (5:19)
10. Tippin' In {Bobby Smith, Marty Symes} (4:33) 

Total Time: 39:54 

Credits:
Producer - Bob Thiele
Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Reissue Producer - Michael Cuscuna
Executive Producer - Dave Grusin, Larry Rosen 

Organist Shirley Scott focuses on swing-era tunes throughout this enjoyable album. Four songs showcase her organ accompanied by a 17-piece big band arranged by Oliver Nelson while the remaining six numbers find her jamming with a trio that also includes either George Duvivier or Richard Davis on bass and Grady Tate or Ed Shaughnessy on drums. Although nothing all that unexpected occurs, it is fun to hear an organ performing such numbers as "For Dancers Only," "Little Brown Jug" and "Stompin' At The Savoy." ~ Scott Yanow, AMG

Sometimes I'm Happy

Patti Austin - Love Is Gonna Getcha (1990)

With apologies to Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin has always quite simply been the best jack-of-all-genre singers on the planet, crossing effortlessly from jazz to pop and R&B with a voice that's so sweet, rich, and lovely, it can't help but warm the heart. On the heels of her 1988 masterpiece The Real Me, her GRP debut packs a wallop of festive up-tempo tunes, lite funk pop, torchy message songs, passionate ballads, and breezy tenderness -- all delivered with a truly Austin-tatious flair. Austin surrounds herself with some of pop jazz's best here, with GRP's 1990 roster well represented: Dave Grusin (whose production is flawless), Don Grusin (with whom she co-wrote the happy "Ooh Wee [The Carnival]"), Deborah Henson-Conant (whose harp adds punch to "In My Dreams"), Lee Ritenour, and Nelson Rangell (whose alto soars on the title cut). But as tantalizing as the music is, it is Austin who gives the collection wings with a powerful voice whose mood she so artfully modulates depending on the feel of the individual tune. Soft and tender on her own composition "In My Life," easy and lilting for "In My Dreams," and full of genuine excitement for "Through the Test of Time" and "Ooh Wee." An added bonus is the Oscar nominated "The Girl Who Used to Be Me," which gives Austin a chance to show her range, even if the tune is a bit schmaltzy. ~ by Jonathan Widran, AMG. 

GRP Records, GRD-9603, 1990
Recorded At Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood, California 

Personnel:
Patti Austin - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Vocal Arrangements
Dave Grusin - Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Harmonica,
Rhythm & Vocal Arrangements, Vocals [Background]
Nelson Rangell - Alto Saxophone
Ernie Watts - Tenor Saxophone
David Paich - Keyboards, Synthesizer, Arranger
Greg Phillinganes - Piano
Steve Porcaro - Synthesizer
Michael Landau, Lee Ritenour - Guitar
Nathan East, Neil Stubenhaus - Bass
Deborah Henson-Conant - Harp
Harvey Mason - Drums
Paulinho Da Costa, Lenny Castro, Michael Fisher, Jeff Porcaro - Percussion
Robin Beck, Shelton Becton, Jocelyn Brown, Bill Eaton, Lani Groves,
Casey Sissik, James "D-Train" Williams - Vocals [Background] 

Strings:
David Nadien - Concert Master, Violin
Elena Barere, Arnold Eidus, Barry Finclair, Regis Iandiorio, Charles Libove, Louann Montesi, John Pintavalle, Matthew Raimondi, Richard Sortomme, Marti Sweet, Gerald Tarack - Violin
Jean R. Dane, Carol Landon, Sue Pray - Viola
Charles McCracken, Richard Locker - Cello 

Tracks:
01. Through The Test Of Time {David Pack, Jeff Pescetto} (5:07)
02. Too Soon To Know {Lorraine Feather, Michael McDonald, David Pack} (4:23)
03. In My Life {Patti Austin} (4:04)
04. Love Is Gonna Getcha {Lou Pardini, Alan Scott, Reed Vertelney} (5:04)
05. Ooh-Whee [The Carnival] {Patti Austin, Don Grusin} (5:41)
06. Believe The Children {Lyn Laboriel, Lou Pardini, Abraham Laboriel, Sr.} (5:36)
07. Good In Love {Robin Batteau, François Eckart, Jeff Southworth} (4:38)
08. Wait For Me {Don Grusin, Kate Markowitz, Christina Trulio} (5:26)
09. First Time Love {Patti Austin, Dave Grusin, Harvey Mason, Sr.} (5:31)
10. In My Dream {Eddie Arkin, Edward Arkin, Beckie Foster} (5:09)
11. The Girl Who Used To Be Me {Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch} (4:16) 

Total Time: 54:55 

Credits:
Producer, Executive Producer, Liner Notes - Dave Grusin
Executive Producer, Producer - Larry Rosen
Producer - David Paich
Production Coordination - Suzanne Sherman
Production Assistant - Barbara Hein
Engineer - Bill Cooper, Tom Knox, Ed Rak, Bob Schaper
Assistant Engineer, Engineer - Matthew "Boomer" La Monica, Joe Martin, Brian Soucy
Engineer, Mixing - Don Murray
Mixing Assistant - Elaine Anderson
Digital Editing - Mike Landy, Robert Vosgien
Mastering - Wally Traugott
Creative Director - Andy Baltimore
Photography - Richard Corman
Graphic Design - David Gibb, Jacki McCarthy, Andy Ruggirello, Dan Serrano
Liner Notes - Patti Austin

Kenny Kirkland - Kenny Kirkland (1991)

Keyboardist Kenny Kirkland's long-overdue debut as a leader really stretches his talents and is occasionally unpredictable. Virtually each of the performances has its own personality and the personnel and instrumentation differ throughout the release. Among the highlights is "Mr. J.C." (which features some stormy Branford Marsalis tenor), an electric Latin but still boppish update of Bud Powell's "Celia" (taken as a duet with percussionist Don Alias), the struttin' "Steepian Faith," a driving rendition of Ornette Coleman's "When Will the Blues Leave" that has some free bop alto from Roderick Ward, and Latin versions (with percussionist Jerry Gonzalez) of two standards not normally thought of as belonging to that idiom: Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria" and Thelonious Monk's "Criss Cross." This highly recommended CD has more than its share of brilliant moments. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

GRP Records, GRP 96572, 1991
Verve Records, 543 037-2, 1991
Recorded and Mixed At BMG Studios A & B, New York City 

Musicians:
Kenny Kirkland - Piano (#1,2,4,6-10), Keyboards (#5,11)
Branford Marsalis - Tenor Sax (#1,10), Soprano Sax (#2,4,9)
Roderick Ward - Alto Saxophone (#7)
Charnett Moffett - Bass (#1,4,7)
Christian McBride - Bass (#6)
Andy Gonzalez - Bass (#8,10)
Jeff "Tain" Watts - Drums (#1-4,6-8)
Steve Berrios - Drums (#8,10)
Jerry Gonzalez - Percussion, Congas (#8,10)
Don Alias - Percussion (#5,11), Bongos (#8) 

Tracks:
01. Mr. J.C. {Kenny Kirkland} (8:07)
02. Midnight Silence {Kenny Kirkland} (3:33)
03. El Rey {Jeff "Tain" Watts} (1:34)
04. Steepian Faith {Kenny Kirkland} (6:02)
05. Celia {Bud Powell} (6:49)
06. Chance {Kenny Kirkland} (6:01)
07. When Will The Blues Leave? {Ornette Coleman} (5:39)
08. Ana Maria {Wayne Shorter} (8:36)
09. Revelations {Kenny Kirkland} (7:48)
10. Criss Cross {Thelonious Monk} (5:19)
11. Blasphemy {Kenny Kirkland} (3:04) 

Total Time: 62:36

Credits:
Producer - Kenny Kirkland
Producer, Digital Editing - Delfeayo Marsalis
Recording, Mixing - Patrick "Jatty Q" Smith
Digital Editing - Michael Landy
Mastering - Ted Jensen
Graphic Design - Sonny Mediana
Liner Notes - Branford Marsalis