Keno Duke Contemporaries - Crest of the Wave

Another repost by request...

Keno Duke Contemporaries - Crest of the Wave
Trident (3) – TRS 501 1975

A1 Crest Of The Wave 6:39
    Written-By – K. Duke*
A2 Some Other Time 4:40    
    Written-By – F. Strozier*
A3 Little "D" 5:15
    Written-By – K. Duke*
B1 My Father Knows 5:48
    Written-By – K. Duke*
B2 Uschi I 7:02
    Written-By – K. Duke*
B3 Chateau 12 4:21
    Written-By – K. Duke*

    Alto Saxophone, Flute – Frank Strozier
    Bass – Lisle Atkinson
    Drums – Keno Duke
    Flute – Frank Strozier
    Piano – Harold Mabern
    Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman

Oddly the final album of this marvelous band is the least exciting of the three. That is not to infer that it by any means bad, it is just that the bar was set awfully high by the first two albums. Even on their worst day these guys were not capable of bad. Listening to the record now I am loving it, just not as much as the other two. This scary perfect rip comes from our pal Wid.

Sonny Stitt - Featuring Howard McGhee (1967,61)

A concise compilation of works by two master jazz artists: Sonny Stitt and Howard McGhee. The tracks chosen are taken from two excellent 'Black Lion' releases arising out of two separate sessions; the first one held in Zürich from 1967 and the second held in New York City in 1961. Howard McGhee is featured on all tracks and six are his own compositions. The great altoist Sonny Stitt is joined by trumpet great Howard McGhee on the first half of the album along with pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Kenny Clarke. For the second half of the album Howard McGhee takes over with his quintet comprising of tenorist Georg Coleman, pianist Junior Mance, bassist George Tucker and drummer Jimmy Cobb. All tunes are strong derivatives of bop and all players are at the top of their game. Many enthusiasts if they haven't done so beforehand will search out the original albums: Night Work & Shades Of Blue, Well Recommended! 

Jazz Life, 2473242, 1988
Recorded 18th October, 1967 (#1,2,4-6) at Turicop Studios, Zürich, Switzerland;
8th December, 1961 (#3,7-10) at Stea-Phillips Studios, New York City 

Musicians:
Sonny Stitt - Alto Saxophone (#1,2,4-6)
Howard McGhee - Trumpet (#1-10)
George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone (#3,7-10)
Walter Bishop, Jr. - Piano (#1,2,4-6)
Tommy Potter - Double Bass (#1,2,4-6)
Kenny Clarke - Drums (#1,2,4-6)
Junior Mance - Piano (#3,7-10)
George Tucker - Double Bass (#3,7-10)
Jimmy Cobb - Drums (#3,7-10) 

Tracks:
01. Night Work {Howard McGhee} (7:26)
02. Matter Horns {Eiger, Jungfrau} (10:43)
03. Shades Of Blue {Howard McGhee} (5:05)
04. Don't Blame Me {Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh} (4:06)
05. Lover Man [Oh Where Can You Be] {Davis, Sherman, Ramirez} (5:15)
06. Hello {Howard McGhee} (6:50)
07. The Sharp Edge {Howard McGhee} (5:56)
08. Cool {Howard McGhee} (2:55)
09. The Day After {Tom McIntosh} (2:06)
10. Topside {Howard McGhee} (4:21) 

Total Time: 54:49 

Producer - Alan Bates
#1,2,4-6
Sonny Stitt - Night Work [Black Lion Records - BLP-307]
#3,7-10
Howard McGhee - Shades Of Blue  [Black Lion Records - BL-305] 

Matter Horns

Roseanna Vitro - Softly (1993)

Singer Roseanna Vitro is expert at interpreting lyrics and scats with a strong sense of adventure. Ballads predominate on her excellent Concord CD, but there are also a few cookers (including a surprisingly rapid "I'm Through With Love"). The singer covers a wide variety of material (some of it of recent vintage) with a touching version of "So Many Stars" being a high point. Vitro is greatly assisted by a fine trio starring pianist Fred Hersch; the tenors of Tim Ries and George Coleman help out on some selections. This rewarding CD gives one a fine example of Roseanna Vitro's talents. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Concord Jazz, CCD-4587, 1993
Recorded at:
Horizon Sound, New Jersey;
Skyline Studios, New York 

Musicians:
Roseanna Vitro - Vocals
Tim Ries - Saxophone (#3,4,8,9)
George Coleman - Saxophone (#7,12,13)
Fred Hersch - Piano
Jay Anderson - Bass
Tom Rainey - Drums
Mino Cinelu - Percussion 

Tracks:
01. Falling In Love With Love {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (3:37)
02. In Summer {Bruno Brighetti, Jon Hendricks, Bruno Martino} (5:36)
03. A Song For All Ages {Fred Hersch, Cheryl Pyle} (4:54)
04. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise {Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg} (4:38)
05. Moon And Sand {William Engvick, Morty Palitz, Alec Wilder} (4:24)
06. So Many Stars {Alan Bergman, Marilyn Keith, Sergio Mendes} (6:05)
07. I'm Through With Love {Gus Kahn, Fud Livingston, Matty Malneck} (3:44)
08. Wild Is The Wind {Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington} (6:17)
09. Life I Choose {Tom Harrell, Cheryl Pyle} (4:18)
10. Our Love Rolls On {Dave Frishberg} (3:54)
11. Nothing Like You {Bob Dorough, Fran Landesman} (3:07)
12. Why Try To Change Me Now? {Cy Coleman, Joseph McCarthy} (5:11)
13. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues {Duke Ellington, Don George} (4:45) 

Total Time: 60:38

Credits:
Producer - Roseanna Vitro
Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Photography - Paul Wickliffe
Executive Producer - Carl Jefferson
Production Coordination - Elizabeth Bell
Assistant - Matt Curry, John Wall
Mastering - George Horn
Hair Stylist - Claudio Ugalde
Liner Notes - Zan Stewart

Don Patterson - The Best Of Don Patterson & The Jazz Giants (1969)

The term "jazz giants" is no overstatement for this selection of choice tracks from the brilliant organist's output for Prestige between 1964 and 1969. The various lineups on the LP's six tracks are made up of players who excel in playing Patterson's brand of smart, hard-bopping soul jazz: Sonny Stitt, Pat Martino, Charles McPherson, George Coleman, Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook among others. Cohesive pacing and sound put this release a few notches above most all-star/best-of sets. There's no awkward shoehorning guests in for celebrity cameos, rather the players all sound like members of tight, working units. It helps to have Patterson stalwarts guitarist Martino and drummer Billy James on board for most of the music, as they share the artist's ability to generate exciting, hard-driving music with their great blues feeling and outstanding chops. The three tracks with Martino are the high points: Stitt's "Ratio and Proportion," Billy James' "Little Shannon," and Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee." As he consistently does in his work with Patterson, Martino impresses with his stunning rhythm work, in addition to his more widely recognized role as a killer soloist. The version of "Donna Lee" here is also significant for the presence of veteran bebopper Howard McGhee, who is in excellent form on this feature for his trumpet. The mark of a strong best-of package is one that stands on its own as a coherent presentation of the artist's work, as well as one that prompts the listener to seek out the complete sessions that were drawn on for the compilation. On both these accounts, this survey of Patterson's work is a complete success. ~ by Jim Todd, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 7772, 1969

Recorded 24^th September, 1968 (#A1) in New York City

Recorded 2^nd June, 1969 (#A2) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Recorded 22^nd February, 1968 (#A3) in New York City

Recorded 10^th May, 1967 (#B1) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Recorded 19^th March, 1964 (#B2) At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Recorded 5^th June, 1968 (#B3) in New York City

Personnel:

Don Patterson - Organ

Virgil Jones - Trumpet (#A2)

Howard McGhee - Trumpet (#A3)

Blue Mitchell - Trumpet (#B3)

Charles McPherson - Tenor Saxophone (#A1)

Sonny Stitt - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,B2)

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone (#A2)

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone (#A2)

David "Fathead" Newman - Tenor Saxophone (#B1)

Junior Cook - Tenor Saxophone (#B3)

Pat Martino - Guitar (#A1-A3,B3)

Billy James - Drums (#A1,A3,B1,B2)

Frankie Jones - Drums (#A2)

Tracks:

A1. Ratio And Proportion {Sonny Stitt} (5:09)

A2. Perdido {Ervin Drake, Hans Lengsfelder, Juan Tizol} (8:50)

A3. Donna Lee {Charlie Parker} (6:16)

B1. Mellow Soul {Don Patterson} (6:35)

B2. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone {Sidney Clare, Sam H. Stept} (5:42)

B3. Little Shannon {Billy James} (6:56)

Total Time: 39:28

See Session Info [Personnel].txt for further details

Melvin Sparks - Akilah! (1972) [re-rip]

Here's another great LP from the guitarist Melvin Sparks. Akilah! is one of his best from Prestige's classic early 70s! It is his third LP and recorded at Rudy van Gelder’s Studio. Sparks is a genius guitarist, with a great talent. He played with Lou Donaldson and Jack McDuff during the late 60s, but by the 70's, he was making his own way as one of the hottest funk guitarists in jazz. The group presented is an excellent one; and features Idris Muhammad on drums, Virgil Jones on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor, Sonny Fortune on alto and Leon Spencer on organ. Akilah is an album that features more musicians than the usual soul jazz quintet format. Included on the album are guests Ernie Royal on Trumpet, Dave Hubbard on tenor and flute, Hubert Laws on flute, and George Coleman on tenor. Melvin's guitar work is proficient and rewarding. All compositions are by Melvin Sparks except “Love The Life You Live” [Kool & The Gang] and “The Image Of Love” [Leon Spencer]. Orchestrations are arranged by Billy Ver Plank on two tracks. Some highlights include "Love The Life You Live", "Akilah", and "All Wrapped Up". Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 10039, 1972
Beat Goes Public, BGPD 1066, 1993

Recorded 14^th & 21^st February, 1971 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Virgil Jones - Trumpet (#A1,A2,B1)

Ernie Royal - Trumpet (#B1)

Sonny Fortune - Alto Saxophone (A1,A2,B1,B2)

George Coleman - Alto Saxophone (#B1)

Frank Wess - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,A2,B1)

Dave Hubbard - Tenor Saxophone (#A3), Flute (#B3)

Hubert Laws - Flute (#B3)

Leon Spencer - Organ, Piano

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Percussion

Tracks:

A1. Love The Life You Live {Gene Redd, Kool & The Gang} (5:35)

A2. On The Up {Melvin Sparks} (5:56)

A3. All Wrapped Up {Melvin Sparks} (4:42)

B1. Akilah {Melvin Sparks} (4:39)

B2. Blues For J.B. {Melvin Sparks} (7:04)

B3. The Image Of Love {Leon Spencer} (6:51)

Credits:

Supervision - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Orchestrations - Billy Ver Planck (#A1,A2)

Art Direction, Photography - Tony Lane

Charles Earland - Mama Roots (1978) [re-rip]

Amazing late 70s work from Charles Earland – quite different material than his contemporaneous sets for Mercury and Columbia, and much more the rootsy soul jazz he first cut at Prestige! The tracks are long, and filled with rhythms – that undeniable Earland groove, which is laid out here beautifully on the Hammond – in a real no-nonsense sort of style that holds up wonderfully over the years. Players are great throughout – and include Dave Schnitter and George Coleman on tenor, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and Walter Perkins on drums. Titles include "Undecided", "The Dozens", "Mama Roots", "Red Green & Black Blues", "Old Folks", and "Bluesette". ~ Dusty Groove Inc.,

Organist Charles Earland recorded nine albums for the Muse label between 1977 and 1995. None stand out particularly, but each had its share of solid, organ-combo swing and programs of mostly blues and ballads. This music was all recorded between Earland's more commercial (and less memorable) outings on Mercury and Columbia and catch the organ grinder in a kind of Jimmy Smith bag (reinforced even more when paired with Wes-like guitarist Jimmy Ponder). While the funk and the fire in Earland's playing had been missing since at least his last Prestige record (1974), there's an insistently melodic and appealing groove throughout this set. Another advantage is that the majority of the tunes here are Earland originals: slow burners that really let the organist cook nicely on a low flame. There are several nice features for George Coleman on tenor sax. A surprisingly cohesive set with an enjoyable after-hours feel. ~ by Douglas Payne.

Muse Records, MR 5156, 1978

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

Personnel:

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)

Tracks:

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)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Cover Design - Ron Warwell

Cover Photography - Clarence Eastmond

Liner Notes - Tony Outhwaite

Charlie Earland - Smokin' (1977) [re-rip]

Fine mid-'70s sextet set featuring Earland's customary soul-jazz, blues, and funk, with uptempo and ballad originals. Tenor saxophonists David Schnitter and George Coleman excel, as does guitarist Jimmy Ponder. ~ by Ron Wynn, AMG.

Killer work by Charles Earland – a back to basics set of grooving tunes that are cut in the best soul jazz mode of earlier years! Earland heads a great group that includes Jimmy Ponder on guitar, George Coleman on tenor, and Walter Perkins on drums – and the set swings high, wide, and mightily with that tight groove that Charles always has on these straight soul jazz sets. With a very hot version of "Milestones", plus "Penn Relays", "Soon It's Gonna Rain", and an excellent uptempo take on "Strangers In The Night". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Muse Records, MR 5126, 1977

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

Musicians:

Charles Earland - Organ [Hammond B-3]

Dave Schnitter - Tenor Saxophone

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone

Jimmy Ponder - Guitar

Bobby Durham - Drums (#A1,A2), Keyboards (#A2)

Walter Perkins - Drums (#A3,B1,B2)

Herb Fisher - Percussion

Tracks:

A1. Penn Relays {Charles Earland} (5:48)

A2. Danny Boy's Blues {Dave Paul} (3:53)

A3. Milestones #2 {Miles Davis} (8:25)

B1. Soon It's Gonna Rain {Tom Jones, Harvey Schmidt} (9:38)

B2. Strangers In The Night {Bert Kaempfert} (4:58)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design [Cover], Photography - Hal Wilson

Liner Notes - Frederick I Douglass

Shirley Scott - Lean On Me (1972) [vinyl]

A great little Shirley Scott album - perhaps her best for Cadet! Unlike the others, which have a complicated set of arrangements, this one has a stripped-down jazz funk feel that reminds us a lot of the classic early 70s groovers on Prestige Records. Shirley plays some very nice lines on the organ, over tight drums from Idris Muhammad that hit that tasty breakbeat sound on the best cuts! The standout numbers are the album's versions of "Lean On Me" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", both strong sample tracks with nice drums. The rest of the group includes George Coleman, Roland Prince, and J. Daniel Turner - and tracks include Carla's Dance", "Funky Blues", and "Royal Love". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Cadet Records, CA 50025, 1972

Recorded and Mixed 1972 At Sound Exchange Studio, New York City

Musicians:

Shirley Scott - Organ

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone

J. Daniel Turner - Alto Saxophone, Flute

Roland Prince - Guitar

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Lean On Me {Bill Withers} (4:51)

A2. Royal Love {Shirley Scott} (5:07)

A3. Smile {Charlie Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons, John Turner} (5:32)

A4. Funky Blues {Shirley Scott} (8:30)

B1. By The Time I Get To Phoenix {Jimmy Webb} (8:31)

B2. How Insensitive {Antônio Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel} (8:54)

B3. You Can't Mess Around With Love {Shirley Scott} (5:56)

B4. Carla's Dance {Shirley Scott} (5:09)

Credits:

Producer - Esmond Edwards

Supervision - Bob Scerbo

Engineer - Steve Katz

Mastering - Lee Hulko (Sterling Sound)

Art Direction - David Krieger

Coordinator [Album] - Mia Krinsky

Photography - Joel Brodsky

This is the 2^nd of Shirley Scott’s LP’s released on Cadet. She is joined by a powerhouse of other players including the formidable tenorist George Coleman, alto and flautist J. Daniel Turner, the remarkable guitarist Roland Prince and the mighty drummer Idris Muhammad. In many ways within this unique grouping Shirley takes a back seat, but between the other’s soloing she burst forth with some magnificent and striking lines on her gutsy organ. For this album she chooses some popular tunes and three of her own. But without a doubt having the presence of George Coleman in the mix this album truly evolves into a top-notch session; and with 46 years gone by it’s still a great chunk of jazz to get your teeth into, Enjoy!

Don Patterson - Oh Happy Day (1969) [re-rip]

Don's got a great group on here - featuring trumpeter Virgil Jones, plus a twin tenor lineup on most tracks that includes George Coleman and Houston Person. The album includes one very long, very nice groover called "Hip Trip" - and it also features a cover of Edwin Hawkins "Oh Happy Day", turned into a surprisingly nice solo vehicle, plus "Perdido", "Good Time Theme", and "Blue 'N Boogie". © Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Despite claims to the contrary, organist Don Patterson was very much of the Jimmy Smith School, a hard-driving player with fine improvising skills but lacking a distinctive sound of his own. This set features Patterson in prime form in a group that features trumpeter Virgil Jones and both George Coleman (who solos first on “Perdido” and second on his other appearances) and Houston Person on tenors. Although "Oh Happy Day" is a throwaway, Patterson's spirited renditions of the blues and standards make this a fairly definitive example of his talents. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Not sure I really take to Scott’s appraisal; what is a 'throwaway' the album or the tune?

Prestige Records, PR 7640, 1969

Recorded 2^nd June, 1969 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Don Patterson - Organ

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone (#A2,B1,B2)

Frankie Jones - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Oh Happy Day {Edwin Hawkins} (7:19)

A2. Perdido {Ervin Drake, Hans Lengsfelder, Juan Tizol} (8:50)

A3. Good Time Theme {Oliver, Mike Douglas} (3:41)

B1. Hip Trip {Don Patterson} (13:41)

B2. Blue 'N Boogie {Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli} (4:44)

Credits:

Supervision - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Yvonne Daniels (August, 1969)

Wynton Kelly & George Coleman - Live In Baltimore (1968)

Originally released by Vee Jay, this is ripped from a 1980 UK vinyl edition.

01 - Piano Interlude
02 - On A Clear Day
03 - Piano Interlude-On The Trail
04 - Theme

George Coleman (ts) Wynton kelly (p) Ron McLure (b) Jimmy Cobb (d)
Left Bank Jazz Society, Famous Ballroom, Baltimore. September 22, 1968

George Coleman - Big George (1977)

"It is perhaps impossible to capture on record the dynamic impact of this remarkable octet's live performances. This excellent record comes near to it, however, and catches most of the sidemen at the top of their game. The choice of tunes, including some originals, is varied and there is not one dud track. The rhythm section, augmented by Randy Weston's son on Joggin', is outstanding and it implies no disparagement to Atkinson and Muhammed to observe the tremendous impact made by Maburn throughout.
Coleman is at his unqualified best on Body And Soul, with a reading that owes nothing to other great performances of this 'tenor vehicle'. On it he builds a solo with an architect's logicality and a painter's passion. None of his solos on the record are anything less than good, however, and he sets standards that must have proved daunting to his sidemen. Thankfully, they rise to the occasion. Strozier, outstanding on Frank's Tune, outstrips his Bracknell performance by a mile, while Cook lives up to his name on Dolphin Street. Moore also has fine comments to make on this track as well as on Body And Soul, and Rivera trundles along to very good affect. Rather than waste time with details it might be more productive to guess if any section of our readership could dislike this fine offering. I suspect the answer is — no!"
Barry McRae ~ Jazz Journal, April 1981

01 - Green Dolphin Street
02 - Frank's Tune
03 - Big George
04 - Joggin'
05 - Body And Soul
06 - Revival

Danny Moore (t/flh); George Coleman (ts); Junior Cook (ts); Frank Strozier (as); Mario Rivera (bs); Harold Maburn (p); Lisle Atkinson (b); Idris Muhammed (d); Azzedin Weston (p).
NYC, November 2 & 3, 1977.

Chet Baker - Comin' On & Cool Burnin'

As promised here is the rest of the output of this brief spark in the Chet Baker story. The seven tracks of "Comin' On" and the first 3 of "Cool Burnin'" complete the full sessions. Tracks 4-7 of Cool Burnin' are repeated on the "On A Misty Night" disc.

I wonder what the rest of the story was behind these sessions, beyond Baker's trumpet being 'stolen' (pawned?) and the sessions being played on flugelhorn. His sessions for a year preceding these were on Limelight, those that follow are at World Pacific. This abrupt and short-lived appearance on Prestige (3 days), given what we know about the way business was done at Prestige, sounds like a cash grab for dope or debts. Chet's later complaint sounds suspiciously like those of a junkie who has forgotten he chose cash on the barrel-head.

Don Patterson - Tune Up! (1964-1969) [vinyl>flac]

An enjoyable set of stretched organ/tenor grooves. This LP is made up of four different sessions from Patterson's Prestige days; including the title track, all given the strong early groove of organist Don at a time when some of his contemporaries were tightening things up on the B-3, going for shorter tunes aimed at the jukebox and radio crowd. Don Patterson was a great reminder that the organ was best used on lengthier jamming tracks, on tunes that stretched out nicely with a style that was heard best in the clubs, and where an organ player could really do his thing. The album kicks off  with "Just Friends'', Patterson uses a cut down trio format; Billy James on drums and tenorist Booker Ervin,  another player who always knows what to do with plenty of space! The other titles include versions of "Flyin' Home", "Tune Up" a Miles Davis tune featuring Sonny Stitt on Varitone and Grant Green, listed on the album cover as Blue Grant! The album finishes up with "Blues For Mom", Don's own composition, showcasing a dual tenor line-up of George Coleman & Houston Person plus Virgil Jones on trumpet. Overall this LP is quite a magnificent soul jazz package.

Prestige Records, PR 7852, 1971

Recorded 10^th July, 1964 (#A1); 25^th August, 1964 (#A2);
15^th September, 1969 (#B1) and 2^nd June, 1969 (#B2)
at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Don Patterson - Organ

Booker Ervin - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,A2)

Sonny Stitt - Tenor Saxophone (#A2,B1)

Grant Green - Guitar (#B1)

Virgil Jones - Trumpet (#B2)

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone (#B2)

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone (#B2)

Billy James - Drums (#A1,A2,B1)

Frankie Jones - Drums (#B2)

Tracks:

A1. Just Friends {John Klenner, Sam M. Lewis} (5:56)

A2. Flyin' Home {Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman} (10:12)

B1. Tune Up {Miles Davis} (4:24)

B2. Blues For Mom {Don Patterson} (12:52)

Credits:

Producers - Ozzie Cadena (Side A), Bob Porter (Side B)

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Joe Segal (January, 1971)

Max Roach - Award Winning Drummer [24/48 vinyl rip]

"An obscure set from Max Roach – but right up there with his best work of the late 50s on Mercury and other labels! The album features the "award winning" drummer in a quintet with Booker Little on trumpet, Ray Draper on tuba, George Coleman on tenor, and Art Davis on bass – a cool piano-less group that hits some really unusual notes! Draper's horn provides a deep bottom to the record, mixing with Davis' exotic tones nicely – and the album represents Roach's increasing penchant for experimentation in the post Clifford Brown years – tunes with an offbeat edge that's really great. Titles include "Pies Of Quincy", "Tuba De Nod", "Milano", and "Sadiga"." © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

(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!

Keno Duke Jazz Contemporaries - Sense of Values (24/48 vinyl rip)

As you will see in the comments, there was a request for a re-up and I decided to try a 24/48 re-rip. The last time I re-ripped this to 16/48 there was unquestionably a significant improvement in the depth and clarity - this time the improvement is more subtle - if you listen carefully to the cymbals for example you will hear a little more evidence of the actual note the cymbal is tuned to. I had to listen carefully and frankly I'm not entirely convinced that the degree of improvement is worth doubling the file size, but in the end I do believe it is slightly audibly better.

Keno Duke Jazz Contemporaries - Sense of Values

Strata East, 1974, Vinyl LP rip

A1 Sense Of Values 4:47
Written-By – K. Duke*
A2 Mirage 9:25
Arranged By – F. Strozier* Written-By – L. Slessinger*
A3 Tibiron 5:46
Written-By – F. Strozier*
B1 Too Late, Fall Back Baby 6:55
Written-By – H. Mabern*
B2 D.R.T. 8:15
Written-By – F. Strozier*
B3 Bajan-Bajan 6:05
Written-By – K. Duke*

Drums – Keno Duke, Flute, Alto Saxophone – Frank Strozier, Piano – Harold Mabern, Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman, Bass – Lisle Atkinson, Painting [Cover] – Roland Bloch

I don't think it would be overstatement to call this a post-bop / modal jazz masterpiece. I listen to Big George here and it makes me wish Miles had given him just a little more time, not that I would miss out on even a second of Miles with Wayne mind you.

By this, the second album, this band had clearly become a single organism with 5 voices all driven by a shared mind. This is one serious Jazz Album! All original music played with passion and intelligence and with a fabulous pair of front line voices in Coleman and Strozier but don't sleep on Harold Mabern or Lisle Atkinson because their contributions are huge too. (Lisles' eerie bowed bass line as the album closes is unforgettable) Duke's talents as a drummer and obviously as a band leader leave me wondering how he remained so obscure. This is a no-brainer here folks.

Charlie Earland Trio feat. George Coleman - Soul Crib (1969) [re-rip]

This album has never seen the light of day on CD. Some tracks were later released on a few of Charles' Muse albums; namely Smokin' and Mama Roots, but careful checking of track timings reveals slightly different versions. In this regard they may have not been from the same session. George Coleman's addition to Charles Earland’s Trio truly makes this LP magnificent. He plays beautifully right throughout the whole session. In addition the listener cannot disregard the intuitive playing of Jimmy Ponder whereby he at times gets some marvelous opportunities to really stretch out. Of course as always Charles Earland beyond any doubt greatly entertains with his vivacious mastery of the B-3. Similarly without Walter Perkins’ driving the beat on drums and the inclusion of some very innovative percussive effects the tunes wouldn't be as dynamic. "Soul Crib" leans more toward the jazz side of things, featuring no fewer than five standards, one swinging original ‘The Dozens’ and a psychedelic free improvisation piece called ‘Mus’ Be LSD’ that seems completely out of place. Taken together the album truly entertains and clearly showcases George Coleman’s tenor blending seamlessly with Charles' big organ sounds. A masterful gem for its time and is highly recommended.

Choice Records, ST 520, 1969

Recorded November, 1969 in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Charles Earland - Organ

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone

Jimmy Ponder - Guitar

Walter Perkins - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Soon It’s Gonna Rain {Tom Jones, Harvey Schmidt} (7:31)

A2. Strangers In The Night {Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder, Avo Uvezian} (5:02)

A3. Old Folks {Dedette Lee Hill, Willard Robinson} (5:29)

B1. The Dozens {Charles Earland} (2:50)

B2, Milestones #2 {Miles Davis} (2:45)

B3. Mus' Be LSD {Charles Earland} (6:33)

B4. Undecided {Sid Robin, Charlie Shavers} (6:35)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Elvin Jones - Coalition (1970)

I posted this at the old Crypt a couple of years ago. It still doesn't seem to have made it to CD.

AMG review:
Drummer Elvin Jones' Blue Note sessions have long been underrated, partly because the label itself was declining during the era and also partly due to the rise of the avant-garde and fusion, which overshadowed Jones' passionate and advanced hard bop. In 1970, Elvin's band consisted of George Coleman and Frank Foster on tenors (Foster also plays bass clarinet on one number), bassist Wilbur Little, Candido on conga, and the drummer/leader. This was a particularly creative and often intense ensemble, attached to the hard bop tradition but always looking forward. On four group originals (including Coleman's "5/4 Thing") and "Yesterdays," the quintet generates a lot of heat, with the contrast between the tones of Coleman and Foster making this album (not yet reissued on CD) of particular interest.

01 - Shinjitu
02 - Yesterdays
03 - 54 Thing
04 - Ural Stradania
05 - Simone

George Coleman (ts) Frank Foster (ts, acl) Wilbur Little (b) Elvin Jones (d) Candido Camero (cga, tamb)
Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, July 17, 1970

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