Billy Harper - Capra Black (1973)

Capra Black remains one of the seminal recordings of jazz's black consciousness movement. A profoundly spiritual effort that channels both the intellectual complexity of the avant-garde as well as the emotional potency of gospel, its focus and assurance belie Billy Harper's inexperience as a leader. Backed by an all-star supporting unit including trombonist Julian Priester and drummer Billy Cobham, Harper's tenor summons the brute force and mystical resolve of John Coltrane but transcends its influences to communicate thoughts and feelings both idiosyncratic and universal. This is music of remarkable corporeal substance that somehow expresses the pure language of the soul.  ~ by Jason Ankeny, AMG. 

Strata-East Records, SES-19739, 1973
Bellaphon International, 660.51.022, 1993 

Personnel:
=========
Billy Harper - Tenor Saxophone, Voices
Jimmy Owens - Trumpet
Julian Priester - Trombone
Dick Griffin - Trombone
George Cables - Piano
Reggie Workman - Bass
Billy Cobham - Drums
Elvin Jones - Drums
Warren Smith - Drums
-----------------------------
Barbara Grant - Voices
Eugene McDaniels - Voices
Laveda Johnson - Voices
Pat Robinson - Voices 

Tracklist:
=======
Capra:
1. Capra Black (11:22)
2. Sir Galahad (8:08)
3. New Breed (4:34)
Black:
4. Soulfully, I Love You / Black Spiritual Of Love (9:39)
5. Cry Of Hunger (10:49) 

All Compositions by Billy Harper 

Total Time: 44:33 

Credits:
Producer, Arranger - Billy Harper
Engineer - Orville I'Brien
Photography - Richard Mayeda
Digital Transfer - Phil Klum 

This album is dedicated to Lee Morgan and to Kenny Dorham (who inspired my uncle-who inspired me), and the many other messengers who have passed this road before me. ~ Billy Harper. 

Capra Black

Stanley Cowell - New World (1981) [vinyl]

This album was released in 1981 by Ohio jazz pianist Stanley Cowell, one of the founders of the prestigious label "Strata East". It has a similar style as heard on his previous albums, but with a slightly sharper feeling, but still quite easy listening. In its favour are the fine arrangements and solos. Firstly, he presents the only standard, the well-known Duke Ellington piece "Come Sunday" which comes off well. "Ask Him" has a sacred gospel type chorus; "Island Of Haitoo" where the sound of the mbira produces a calypso sound; and a replay of a tune from "Regeneration", "I'm Trying To Find A Way", the rhythm is fusion that will get you dancing. Followed by "El Space-O" with its killer bassline and a strange 'spacey' electric piano, and then finally rounded off with "Sienna: Welcome To This New World". Essentially an album with a lyrical, sophisticated, and lively touch of the piano makes this LP a feel-good outing, Enjoy! 

Galaxy Records, GXY 5131, 1981
Recorded November, 1978 At Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California 

Musicians:
Stanley Cowell - Piano, Electric Piano, Prepared Pianos, Kalimba,
Hammond Organ, Orchestra Chimes, Backing Vocals
Pat Patrick - Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Julian Priester - Alto, Tenor & Bass Trombones
Eddie Henderson - Trumpet, Electric Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Nate Rubin - Violin
Terry Adams - Cello
Cecil McBee - Bass
Roy Haynes - Drums
Kenneth Nash - Percussion
Judy Lacey - Vocals
Robert & Linda Mandolph - Vocals 

Tracks:
A1. Come Sunday {Duke Ellington} (8:39)
A2. Ask Him {Stanley Cowell, Cecil McBee} (4:45)
A3. Island Of Haitoo {Stanley Cowell, Scott} (4:13)
B1. I'm Trying To Find A Way {Stanley Cowell, Viki McLaughlin} (7:27)
B2. El Space-O {Stanley Cowell, Cecil McBee, Roy Haynes} (8:18)
B3. Sienna: Welcome To This New World {Stanley Cowell} (2:42) 

Total Time: 36:04

Credits:
Producer - Ed Michel
Engineer - Baker Bigsby
Assistant - Wally Buck
Mastering - George Horn
Art Direction & Design - Phil Carroll
Photography - Phil Bray 

Notes:
Arranger & Conductor - Stanley Cowell
Mixing & Mastering At Fantasy Studios, Berkeley 

A surprisingly righteous little album from Stanley Cowell - a set cut after his more famous music for the Strata East label, but one that still hangs onto a similar vibe! The style's a bit tighter than before, but still filled with soul and spirit - thanks to a lineup that includes Julian Priester on trombone, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, and Pat Patrick on reeds - making a key appearance here away from the Sun Ra Arkestra! Cowell plays both piano and keyboards, and the record has a bit of strings, and a bit of vocals - but all used tastefully, in ways that further enforce the depth of the tunes. Tracks include "El Space-O", "Ask Him", "Island Of Haitoo", and "I'm Tryin To Find A Way".  © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Jane Ira Bloom - The Nearness (1995)

If forced to choose between this eminently thoughtful soprano saxophonist's writing and improvising, I'd have to say it's her original tunes that might keep me coming back. Not that there's anything wrong with her playing. Quite the contrary. She gets a full, gently-inflected, well-centered sound on her finicky horn -- the kind that only a full-time soprano player can produce with consistency. In the past I've found her improvising somewhat mannered; here, however, she's as spontaneous as one could ask. Her ballad playing is especially effective. But I think it's the sophistication of her contexts that fixes her among the modern mainstream's elite. "Flat6 Bop" is typically intriguing; a harmonically ambiguous, medium-tempo ostinato tune with an intervallically irregular melody, it's the product of a methodical and highly creative intellect. Bloom's arrangements of familiar material -- she does heavily re-arranged versions of standards like "Summertime" and "'Round Midnight" -- are just as meticulously conceived, but somehow seem a bit precious to my ears. They are very skillfully done, however. Bloom's collaborators are almost perfectly chosen. Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, trombonist Julian Priester, bassist Rufus Reid, drummer Bobby Previte, and (particularly) pianist Fred Hersch are well-attuned to the saxophonist's subtle musical gestures. ~ by Chris Kelsey, AMG.

Arabesque Records, AJ0120, 1996

Recorded 12^th,13^th,14^th July, 1995 At Power Station, Studio B, New York

Musicians:

Jane Ira Bloom - Soprano Saxophone

Kenny Wheeler - Trumpet, Flugelhorn (#1-3,5-10,12,13)

Julian Priester - Trombone, Bass Trombone (#1-3,5-10,12)

Fred Hersch - Piano (#1,2,4,5,7,8,11,12)

Rufus Reid - Bass (#1-12)

Bobby Previte - Drums (#1-7,9-12)

Tracks:

01. Nearly Summertime {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward} (5:25)

02. Midnight Round {Jane Ira Bloom} /
'Round Midnight {Bernie Hanighen, Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams} (5:39)

03. B6 Bop {Jane Ira Bloom} (6:17)

04. Midnight's Measure {Jane Ira Bloom} /
In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning {Bob Hilliard, David Mann} (6:19)

05. Painting Over Paris {Jane Ira Bloom} (5:58)

06. Wing Dining {Jane Ira Bloom} (6:48)

07. Panosonic {Jane Ira Bloom} (6:36)

08. White Tower {Jane Ira Bloom} (4:10)

09. It's A Corrugated World {Jane Ira Bloom} (5:42)

10. Monk's Tale {Jane Ira Bloom} /
The Nearness Of You {Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington} (3:33)

11. Lonely House {Langston Hughes, Kurt Weill} (6:50)

12. The All-Diesel Kitchen Of Tomorrow {Jane Ira Bloom} (4:07)

13. Yonder {Jane Ira Bloom} (0:51)

Total Time: 67:55

Credits:

Producer - Jane Ira Bloom

Executive Producer - Marvin M. Reiss

Engineer - James Farber

Assistant Engineer - Robert Smith

Mastering, Mixing Engineer - Jim Anderson

Mastering - Allan Tucker

Art Direction, Design - Franko Caligiuri

Production Director - Daniel Chriss

A&R, Artwork, Repertoire - Joel Chriss

Post Production Director - Jodi Howard

Photography - Kristine Larsen

"By any measure, she has created one of the most melodically radiant jazz releases in recent memory." ~ Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune, 3rd March, 1996.

"Fearless musical explorers who share a commitment to beauty and adventure." ~ Bob Blumenthal, Atlantic Monthly, February, 1996.

"A delightfully atmospheric but probing disc... Bloom’s soaring lines trace a touching mix of openness and craft." ~ Gene Santoro, NY Daily News, 22nd April, 1996.

Julian Priester - Spiritsville (1960)

Spiritsville is the second album led by American jazz trombonist Julian Priester which was recorded in 1960 for Riverside's subsidiary Jazzland label.

Smokin' Hard Bop

This hard bop set from 1960 didn't do too much for me at first. Largely, I think, because I have been listening to a lot of this stuff lately. Then something happened. I listened to this record with the headphones on and I'll be damned if I didn't experience it in a whole new way. Recorded in New York City in July 1960, Spiritsville features a cast of characters that I have not heard a lot from (except for the noteworthy piano player...). Priester was a trombone player. In fact, he's on Coltrane's Impulse debut, Africe Brass. In the manner of Curtis Fuller he does some great work on this record as a lead. Between those two I've come to enjoy that instrument far more than I ever have. Of the records McCoy Tyner played on leading up to this one, none foreshadowed exactly where his tone and style were going as much as this one. Dig his solo work on 'Blue Stride' and 'Excursion'. You'll hear it. ~ by Lawrence Peryeron, Amazon.com.

Jazzland Records, JLP 25, 1960

Recorded 12^th July, 1960 in New York City

Musicians:

Julian Priester - Trombone

Walter Benton - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,A2,A4-B3)

Charles Davis - Baritone Saxophone (#A1,A2,A4-B3)

McCoy Tyner - Piano

Sam Jones - Bass

Art Taylor - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Chi-Chi {Charlie Parker} (4:49)

A2. Blue Stride {Julian Priester} (5:58)

A3. It Might As Well Be Spring {Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II} (5:54)

A4. Excursion {Walter Benton} (5:48)

B1. Spiritsville {Julian Priester} (7:26)

B2. My Romance {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (5:57)

B3. Donna's Waltz {Julian Priester} (5:37)

Total Time: 41:29

Azar Lawrence - Bridge into the New Age

Azar Lawrence grew up in L.A. as something of a musical prodigy. By 11 he played drums, violin and piano and he sang as well. A family friend brought a saxophone to the home right around the time Azar was ready to start viola and his musical focus was changed. By the time he graduated high school he had mastered the instrument well enough to begin a professional career.

At 19 he had a regular club gig with Woody Shaw and worked with R&B folk like Ike and Tina Turner and War. By the age of 22 he was playing with the likes of Elvin Jones, Miles Davis and McCoy Tyner. From 1972 to 1976 he was certainly one of the fastest rising stars in the jazz world. Then he kind of vanishes from the Jazz world for 20 + years.

What happened to this young man who was hailed by some as the next coming of Coltrane? Well he didn't leave music by any means. In fact, he participated in wild variety of projects from Earth, Wind and Fire, Marvin Gaye, Frank Zappa, and a funk band called Chameleon; he made some serious cash, discovered cocaine, had a down period, and has returned to jazz. (yeah, I know that is seriously condensed but I'm not his biographer now am I?)

This stunning album of what I think of as 'Spiritual Jazz' was done in 1974 and features a remarkable cast of major league players like Woody Shaw, Jean Carn, Clint Houston, John Heard, Hadley Caliman, Julian Priester, Ndugu, Mtume, Kenneth Nash... it sounds for all the world like something from Black Jazz or Strata East and yet it is a Orrin Keepnews produced Prestige/Fantasy release. It vanished from print within 5 years or so and saw one cd reissue for two or three minutes.

I picked up this copy from a long forgotten blog some three years ago or more, my original vinyl copy was long gone so I am deeply grateful to that original uploader. I really like this album and I'm very happy to pass on the share.