Toots Thielemans - Only Trust Your Heart (1988)

Although the liner notes claim that this Concord release was Toots Thielemans' first recording as a leader in more than a dozen years, somehow the harmonica great's 14 European dates (not to mention sets released by Stash and Pablo) were overlooked. In any case, this is a pretty definitive session by the harmonica virtuoso who is joined by pianist Fred Hersch, either Marc Johnson or Harvie Swartz on bass, and drummer Joey Baron. The material is filled with challenging and generally underplayed standards (including Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil," Thad Jones' "Three and One," Benny Carter's lyrical "Only Trust Your Heart," and Thelonious Monk's "Little Rootie Tootie"), plus two fine Hersch originals. Ranging from hard bop to Brazilian music and post-bop, this is a consistently enjoyable and highly recommended outing. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Concord Jazz, CCD-4355, 1988
Recorded April & May, 1988 at Classic Sound Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Toots Thielemans - Harmonica
Fred Hersch - Piano
Marc Johnson - Bass (#1,9)
Harvie Swartz - Bass (#2-8,10-12)
Joey Baron - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Speak No Evil {Wayne Shorter} (5:18)
02. Estate {Bruno Brighetti, Bruno Martino} (4:56)
03. Three And One {Thad Jones} (5:38)
04. Rain Waltz {Fred Hersch} (5:52)
05. All Of You {Cole Porter} (4:29)
06. The Dragon {Toots Thielemans} (4:59)
07. Only Trust Your Heart {Benny Carter, Sammy Cahn} (5:21)
08. Sophisticated Lady {Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish} (5:06)
09. Hello, Young Lovers {Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers} (5:56)
10. Sarabande {Fred Hersch} (5:02)
11. Little Rootie Tootie {Thelonious Monk} (5:07)
12. We'll Be Together Again {Carl Fischer, Frankie Laine} (3:40) 

Total Time: 61:29 

Credits:
Producer - Fred Hersch
Executive Producer - Carl E Jefferson
Production Manager - Elizabeth Bell
Engineer - A.T. Michael MacDonald
Mastering - George Horn
Photography [Cover] - David Lubarsky
Art Direction - Kent Judkins 

Rain Waltz

Mark Murphy - Sings (1975) [vinyl>flac]

This album highlights one of singer Mark Murphy's best all-round sessions. Most memorable are his renditions of Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay" (here renamed "On The Red Clay"), "Body And Soul" and "Canteloupe Island." Joined by a fine rhythm section led by keyboardist Don Grolnick along with occasional contributions from altoist David Sanborn, tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker and trumpeter Randy Brecker, Murphy is heard throughout in prime form, constantly stretching himself. ~ Extract by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Muse Records, MR 5078, 1975

Recorded 17^th-18^th June, 1975 At Basement Recording Studio, New York, NY

Musicians:

Mark Murphy - Vocals

Randy Brecker - Trumpet

Dave Sanborn - Alto Saxophone

Mike Brecker - Tenor Saxophone

Don Grolnick - Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Organ, Piano

Joe Puma - Guitar

Harvie Swartz - Bass

Jimmy Madison - Drums

Sue Evans - Percussion

Tracks:

A1. On The Red Clay {Freddie Hubbard, Mark Murphy} (4:37)

A2. Naima {John Coltrane} (4:550)

A3. Body And Soul {Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour} (5:17)

A4. Young And Foolish {Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt} (2:52)

B1. Empty Faces {Lani Hall, Milton Nascimento} (5:16)

B2. Maiden Voyage {Herbie Hancock, Jean Hancock} (5:23)

B3. How Are You Dreaming {Bob Crewe, Alan Shatkin} (4:32)

B4. Canteloupe Island {Herbie Hancock, Mark Murphy} (5:33)

Credits:

Producer - Helen Keane

Arranger, Co-Producer - Dave Matthews

Recording & Remixing Engineer - Wieslaw Woszczyk

Art Direction, Cover Illustration - Hal Wilson

Liner Notes - Michael Bourne

Steve Kuhn - Non-Fiction (1978) [vinyl>flac]

Steve Kuhn is the all-purpose element: his presence heightens any musical concoction. Like no jazz pianist I know, he is aware of the negative spaces between his notes and shapes those spaces to suit the emotional needs of the tune. And what a set of tunes we have in Non-Fiction, a sorely out-of-print firecracker in dire need of a digital fuse. Speaking of conflagration, nothing singes our brow in any Kuhn project quite like “Firewalk,” which, despite its characteristically spacious feel, is clear and present (I bow to the uncredited engineer on this one). Kuhn accolades aside, it’s the sopranism of reedman Steve Slagle that really sets these coals to glowing and cradles every assured step in the liberation of play. Bob Moses and Harvie Swartz - an ideally suited rhythm section if there ever was one - lock the “Random Thoughts” that follow into lively traction. Slagle opts for flute and alto sax over a constantly shifting sonic palette. Whenever he isn’t breathing, he keeps his hands busy with additional percussion. (Unfortunately, the latter comes across as intrusive to my ears during headphone listening. External speakers will remedy this.) “A Dance With The Wind” and “The Fruit Fly” reverse the scales with a collective dose of whimsy and nostalgia. Swartz is simply fantastic here, weaving deftly through Kuhn’s canvas of vamps with distinct yet harmonious brushstrokes of its own. If anything has been missing so far, we find it all collected in “Alias Dash Grapey,” which has it all: a sweeping piano intro, replete with unrestrained cries from Kuhn, a spirited collage of solos (Moses ever palpable), and a deep sense of communication.

This is a tight album with plenty to unpack through repeated listening. Its energies fluctuate in volume, but always to the beat of Kuhn’s erudite dictation. As worth tracking down on vinyl as it is waiting for an appearance on CD. ~ ECM Reviews

An interesting set of inside/outside music with a bit more energy than the more stereotypical ECM set, this set of five originals is performed by pianist Steve Kuhn (who was really developing his own original sound around this time), Steve Slagle (heard on alto, soprano and flute), bassist Harvie Swartz, and drummer Bob Moses. This is a fine release that was soon overshadowed by Kuhn's collaborations with singer Sheila Jordan. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

ECM Records, ECM 1124, 1978

Recorded April, 1978 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, Germany

Personnel:

Steve Kuhn - Piano, Percussion

Steve Slagle - Alto & Soprano Saxes, Flute, Percussion

Harvie Swartz - Bass

Bob Moses - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Firewalk {Harvie Swartz} (7:54)

A2. Random Thoughts {Steve Kuhn} (8:03)

A3. A Dance With The Wind {Harvie Swartz} (5:43)

B1. The Fruit Fly {Steve Kuhn} (5:51)

B2. Alias Dash Grapey {Steve Kuhn} (11:49)

Credits:

Producer - Manfred Eicher

Layout - Barbara Wojirsch

Photography - Deborah Feingold

Cover Photo - Klaus Frahm